The Wave, Earlswood

A cold dry morning for a ride to the Wave at Earlswood,  

Seven riders.

The route is here.

Two rides today

 A bright sunny day with a cold wind.

1.  The Roundhouse, city centre

The regular 10.00 o'clock ride took us to the Roundhouse in Birmingham, where it was warm enough to sit out on their newly built patio.  Coffee now cheaper than Costa.

Seven riders.

The route is here.

2.   Rowberry's, Chaddesley Corbett

The annual hilly bluebell ride, returning from Chaddesley Corbett via Winwood Heath Road through Great Farley Woods, where there were early bluebells on both sides of the steep hill.

Three riders.

The route is here.

Bromsgrove garden centre, Little Heath Lane

Richard reports a very chilly start to a ride to Bromsgrove garden centre, but thankfully dry throughout.

Eight riders.

The route is here. 

Desco Lounge, Shirley

Cool, cloudy, dry morning for a ride to Shirley via the Stratford canal.  Parts of the towpath are still wet and muddy, particularly between the exit for Yardley Wood Road and the Drawbridge pub.

Eleven riders.

The route is here.

King's Heath park

A good turnout on a cold wet morning, which unfortunately didn't improve.  In addition to persistent rain, we were challenged by an extensive flood where the path from the Stratford canal meets Chinn brook, just off Yardley Wood Road, an area we have never before seen flooded.  Three of us had to retreat from deep water.  The remaining seven avoided a soaking and the group diverted via the road and a shortened route to King's Heath park.

Ten riders.

The route is here.

Beckett's Farm

A dry windy morning for a ride to Beckett's Farm.

The route is here,

The Lounge, Alvechurch

Light drizzle when we started, quite heavy rain on the way home, so a shorter return route than usual via Hopwood hill from the roundabout at the junction with Bittell Road.

Nine riders.

The route is here.

Lizzie's Farm

 15 out on sunny and mild morning. The route is here

Starbucks, Maypole

The weather forecast had warned of rain, but we weren't expecting quite what we got.  Two riders retired when we were caught in a violent hail squall in Stirchley.  The remaining six battled through continuous rain and a strong freezing wind in hopes of getting to Beckett's Farm.  This plan was abandoned in Yardley Wood in favour of a shorter route to Starbucks.  

Within a mile of home the rain stopped, the wind dropped and the sun came out.

The route is here.

Starbucks Maypole

Nine out on much colder than of late morning to Starbucks.  Managed to miss most of the rain. 

The route is here

The Wave, Earlswood

A mild dry morning for a ride to the Wave at Earlswood, though still mud and puddles in the lanes.

Ten riders.

The route is here.  

Warley Woods

A sunny start, cloudy later, for a ride to the café at Warley Woods golf club.

Fifteen riders.

The route is here.

The Potting Shed

A mild dry breezy morning for a ride to the Potting Shed at Lydiate Ash, the long way round.

Twelve riders.

The route is here,

Desco Lounge, Shirley

A new destination for the Saturday group, but familiar to Wednesday riders.  A dry day, though there were still muddy stretches on the towpath towards the Drawbridge.

Fourteen riders.

The route is here.

Arrow Valley

A cold misty start for a ride to Arrow Valley, and not much improvement until the afternoon turned out bright and sunny - which was after we got home.

Ten riders.

The route is here.

Costa Coffee, city centre

After rain early in the morning, we had a dry but very cold ride to Costa Coffee in the city centre.

Eight riders.

The route is here.

Rickyard café, Romsley

A chilly damp morning for a ride to a new destination, Rickyard café in Romsley.  As rain set in, and following some debate about possibly shortening the route, eight out of ten pressed on and were rewarded by some long downhills, which compensated for the ups.

The route is here. 

Cannon Hill park

A frosty start and a cold bright morning for a ride to Cannon Hill park.

Eleven riders.

The route is here.

Water, water everywhere

A wet start to the day, more rain forecast, mud, puddles and flooding in the lanes.  General consensus was that the ride should be called off.

The Exchange, city centre

Twelve riders on an outing to the city centre, out via Harborne Walkway, back along the towpath.  

A mild cloudy morning.

The route is here.

The Lounge, Alvechurch

A damp start and a persistent light drizzle for most of the ride, with puddles, mud and full ditches in the lanes.  Comfortably mild for February, though.  

Ten riders.

The route is here.

Starbucks, Maypole

Extensive flooding at the bottom of Primrose Hill - the worst we've seen - led to a challenging diversion up Gay Hill Lane.  No rain today, but lanes were very muddy, with large puddles, after heavy rain at the end of the week.

Eleven riders.

The route is here.

Desco Lounge, Shirley

After heavy rain yesterday, it was cold and dry for a ride to Shirley.  There was, though, a lot of water in the lanes, including a sizeable flood at the bottom of Primrose Hill and fast-running streams down Icknield Street.

Ten riders.

The route is here.

Waseley Hills

Signs of spring this morning, especially on the way home - mild, breezy, sunny, catkins in the hedges and an excellent view over the countryside from Frankley Hill Lane.

Eleven riders.

The route is here.

Bromsgrove garden centre

A cold start for a ride to Bromsgrove garden centre in Little Heath Lane, with a variation on our usual route.  Noticeably milder on the way home.

Ten riders.

The route is here.

Beckett's Farm

A chilly dry morning for an outing to Beckett's Farm.

Thirteen riders.

The route is here.

Wave café, Earlswood

A dry breezy ride to the Wave café at Earlswood craft centre.

Seven riders.

The route is here.

Warley Woods

After several days of frost and ice, another cold day with a biting wind.  Conditions were better than they were on Wednesday, when only two met at Rowheath for a ride, but there was still ice on the canal.  Roads and paths were dry, though, and we were pleased to get out.

Seven riders.

The route is here.

Starbucks Maypole

 Nine out on cold but sunny morning with dry roads. The route is here

Morso café, Alvechurch

A bright chilly day for a ride to Alvechurch.  At last, no rain, no flooding in the lanes and no deep puddles.

Nine riders.

The route is here.

The Potting Shed

Nine riders on a damp ride to the Potting Shed.  The weather was an improvement on yesterday's non-stop rain, but we had intermittent showers and there were deep puddles and some flooding in the lanes.

The route is here.