22nd December 2024 - Ride out to Well's Cafe - Ian Cain

A chilly day for the last rideout of 2024, but 8 riders turned out for a trip to the seaside. Sainsbury’s car park where we meet was unusually busy for a Sunday morning, last minute Christmas shopping I suppose. With so many drivers and pedestrians around with shopping on their minds we had to be extra careful as we left the car park.

As usual, we split into two small groups of four for safety and to make the leader’s life a bit easier. I led my group through Hillington and up over the heights of West Norfolk to Bircham. This is a lovely road that winds quite steeply at first and then flows with lovely bends into Bircham. Then another climb to Bircham Newton, formerly an RAF base but now the National Construction College, and then on into Burnham Market (the poshest village in Norfolk?). Then a few miles past the Holkham Estate into Wells and to the Beach Cafe. My group got there first. Dave Cusdin’s group took a longer route via Walsingham, or got lost, and arrived shortly after us.

The Beach Cafe is open all year and is popular with dog walkers and people out for a bracing walk on the beach. It’s even got a shower for sandy dogs. Luckily we found a table inside big enough for all of us and put the world to rights over hot drinks. Not many cakes/sausage rolls/bacon butties today, we’re all on pre Christmas diets.

As usual we all went our separate ways to go home depending on where home was. Secretary Elke and I rode most of the way together until we split up as we neared our homes.

It got a bit windy on the way home but other than that an enjoyable day in good company. Thanks to all who came along and for Dave Cusdin for leading a group.

Ian Cain