March in March
It seems so appropriate to be in March in the month of March, but I wonder what they do for the rest of the year?
Today is a day off from the Bedfordshire Towns. A pre-arranged meet with a like-minded (i.e. he doesn’t mind being seen in public in Dayglo) friend at Ramsey we park in the empty Lloyds Pharmacy car park on a cold but ice-free morning and prepare for a ride out to March. The area is Fenland and hills won’t be a problem but as it’s the first time out this year for my cycling partner it’s going to be an easy 34 miles with a coffee stop halfway around.
The route is easy and the pace leisurely, but with little cover from land or trees the wind is cold and in our faces. The computer barely goes above 10 mph. From Ramsey we zig-zag our way to March crossing the railway line at least four times and more dykes than I could count. I wonder how many cyclists have visited the dyke in error?
At March we find a Cafe (Johanna’s Sandwich Bar & Coffee Shop) tucked away in an alley going to Sainsbury’s where we have an English breakfast and coffee (£3.99) before heading south from the town to loop back to Ramsey. My cycling partner seems to have picked up some kind of leg injury – probably overdoing it on his first ride out and we coast slowly back along the dykes.
A brief stop at the monument in Benwick to stretch the leg before continuing through Forty Foot Ramsey (whilst I have visions of the village being named after some sweetcorn-like giant I am told that it is the width of the dyke) and back to the cars in the still empty car park (and the closed pharmacy).
No Bedfordshire Towns cleared today, but good to go somewhere different and to be cycling with friends (well, one at least).
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Ramsey-and-March
34.2 miles, 2 hours 59 minutes, 11.4 mph average.
