The evening of Wednesday 12th July saw a dozen or so would-be cyclists converging on Keysoe Row , Cambridgeshire at the beginning of the Welsh Colleges Summer Cycling Tour. During the three succeeding days we cycled around the gently rolling countryside between St. Neot’s and Bedford, never more that 30 miles and four towers a day in deference to those more elderly members of the society whose first summer cycling tour coincided with the year of birth of some of the younger members of this year’s contingent. The White Horse just across the road from the village hall, which was home from home for the tour, provided varying entertainments and, for the northerners, expensive beer. The first night was quiz night and the old fogies of the society finished 2nd while the youngsters only gathered the wooden spoon. The rather lame excuse for poor performance in the music round, that most of them were born several years after “Mull of Kintyre” was a hit, was treated with the requisite scorn. Alison was particularly pleased to be singled out for serenading by the piano player on the second evening as he directed all his most romantic offerings toward her.
So the grey light of a morning more akin to March than July spread its icy fingers across the landscape, bicycles covered the five miles to the first tower, Colmworth followed at about the same distance by the fine eight at Eaton Socon. The only damp spell of the tour preceded lunch and was followed by ringing at Gt Staughton.
Finally the 18cwt five at Keysoe which contrasted strongly with the 2cwt five at Swineshead the next morning. It would be difficult to choose the lesser evil : the extremely narrow stairs to reach the ringing chamber at the latter or the distressingly long draught of the ground floor ring at the former. Brat Bob Minor was rung at Riseley and Death by Chocolate Bob Minor (surely a Delight Maximus method) attempted at Bletsoe. The Fox and Hounds pub at Riseley provided extra interest as there was a large plaque above the fire announcing that it was the birthplace of Robert Taylor, bellfounder. We later learned that the Taylor family had given the pub its bell.
Due to extremely poor planning on the part of the organisers we found ourselves cycling past the tea shop in Sharnbrook twice with no time to stop. There was, however, time to enjoy the fine ring of six. In the end a breakout group on day 3 settled for a short ring at Odell and made a bid for the “Truly Scrumptious Tea Shop” which certainly lived up to its name.
After several years in which those in cars (usually the youngest!) exceeded those on bikes, this year it was good to see all but two in the saddle on Thursday and Friday. Two new cyclists must not escape special mention: Roger Grieves, after as many years in the support vehicle as I can remember, this year took to pedal power on a bicycle purchased only the previous day and Poppy Wheeler (aged 43/4) and Dogger on her new trailer bike (a Society “first”), pedalling away behind Dad, Pat. For myself, this return to the bicycle made the tour so much more enjoyable and, did I imagine it, or was the standard of ringing higher during the first few days than at the weekend when our numbers were swollen by those who travelled around with us in cars on Saturday?
Sadly this year Malcolm Murphy, a stalwart cyclist, was unable to join us because of a poorly leg – we all wish him a speedy recovery. A second, and rather more serious, casualty was Puff, the dragon mascot, who lost an eye flying from a ringing gallery to the nave floor below.
Weatherwise we had a rather disappointing few days. Whilst not the wettest summer tour, it was certainly the coldest and only the hardiest stayed outside for the traditional barbecue on the last evening, an excellent affair produced by Paul Lewis and Martin Owen. Numbers had swollen by the last day to a gratifying twenty five. Thanks go to Kit for her excellent organisation, to all those who made us welcome to ring their bells, to those who got up to make breakfast and forfeited the pre-prandial in the pub to prepare dinner, not to mention the catering officers who not for the first time were notable only by their absence!