By Margaret Brown

Arrived on Thursday evening after a very  stressful journey drive down, I couldn't get my phone sat nav to talk to me so had to rely on following the map on the phone app. Only discovered after I got to "Conkers" where Jim and Jackie were staying that the Bluetooth interfered with the voice on my sat nav (very strange). However after a much need brew and food I felt better.

Friday 6th Sept.

Jim, Jackie and I had a lovely ride in the warm sunshine to from Market Bosworth, where Richard the III met his gruesome end for the loss of his horse, to Bradgate park, where Lady Jane Grey was born she too met a gruesome end after being queen for 9 days. We had lunch sat under the trees in the park, Jackie and I tried to be Dr who's new assistants but he wouldn't let us in. The park had lots of very tame deer and many massive veteran oaks, and a ruined castle that was once Lady Jane's home. it's a magnificent park. 

The roads had lovely smooth tarmac and no potholes, but on the downside the traffic was quite heavy, but still a good ride of 31 miles.
Going for a chippy tea now at Chris, Sue and David's AIRBNB.

Saturday 7th Sept.

Definitely Autumnal today, a day of mists and mellow fruitfulness. A misty drizzly day, until 2 pm ish. We circumnavigated Ashby de la Zouch trying to keep to the quiet lanes, not as busy today as yesterday though still more traffic than we expected. So we set off heading north past Ticknall to collect the first cycle quest clue near Calke Abbey then north again to Stanton by bridge, by the river Trent as there are very few cafes and tea shops we had a packed lunch, sat on a bench in an old barn there. The headed south to Breedon on the hill Church to collect the second clue, it certainly justified its name. A very steep climb to an ancient site, first used by iron age people then as a saxon monastery then taken over by the normans. Still a church today with a commanding view over the area. Sadly we didn't get the reward of a view due the low cloud and mist. Continuing south then West around Ashby de la Zouch back to the start. Partly on a great cycletrack along a disused railway. 35 miles of pleasant undulating cycling through pretty gentrified villages with little in the way of amenities. Another good day's cycling. Followed by a very nice meal in the Bulls Head at Hartshorne.

Sunday 8th Sept

Weather forecast heavy rain until 10, then high risk of thunderstorms and rain, however it doesn't pay to listen to weather forecasts and as my Dad always used to tell us "rain before 7 fine before 11" 

We decide to wait and see, I joined Jim and Jackie at their caravan in the rain, but by 10 the sky was lightening and some blue showed through so we cycled to join the others in the rain, happily this soon stopped and the sun came out so we set off to explore the lanes to the south and west of Ashby de la zouch. Calling in at Botany Bay and Lulligton, again there were no cafés so we had a picnic lunch in the grounds of the village hall at Edingdale, then back via Harlaston, Haunton, Apple Magna, then north to Measham to pick up the cycle route on the disused coal railway back through regenerated coal fields, planted in 1990, they are now lush woodland. Its hard to image what the land was like in the colliery days. The cycle way took us straight to Jim and Jackie's caravan park at Conkers park.

The sun shone all day, the sky was blue with a few white clouds. Turned out very nice. Another very enjoyable cycling day.

A great 3 days of cycling in an area I would never have considered as a holiday destination. Thanks Jim and Jackie for organising, Chris for helping navigate, Sue and David for your company. I really enjoyed it all.