Fred peers out of the hotel window
The BSCC Bike Ride 2019, Coggeshall, Essex - 11th May 2019
It's the annual Brome Swan Cycle Club annual trip away, this time to Coggeshall, in between Colchester and Braintree in Essex. We're staying at the White Hart hotel in the town, which is a fantastic old building but where the service is a little on the slow side, so there are several trips out to nearby pubs as it's probably quicker than waiting for a pint in the hotel. The ride itself is around 31 miles, and once again Fred's doing it himself whilst Harry's on the towbar. It's hard going in places, and we actually miss out on lunch at the lunch pub because we're late. However, Isobel manages to sneak in a quick order of a few bowls of chips just before the kitchen closes, and Suey has kindly donated her cheese sandwhich, which the boys devour - even though it had had actual tomato in it, such was their hunger and desperation. The final seven mile leg after stocking up on carbohydrates and fats is much better for it, and it proves a nice coda to the ride. After a shower, it's time for the traditional big dinner, then on the following morning we have a short walk up to the river for a poke around, before heading home again.
next album: The Gislingham Silver Band at the Village Hall, Gislingham, Suffolk - 12th May 2019
previous album: A Postcard From Caister on Sea, Norfolk - 6th May 2019
The Boy Phil inspects the kids' menu
Phil and Fred play cards
Fred teaches Gaz how to play Spit
The gang heads out to explore Coggeshall pubs
Looking back at our hotel and room
A Victorian clock tower with a wonky top
We walk past a really old-school sweet shop
Phil and Gaz peer into the sweet shop
Gaz, Marc and Paul
The cute Catholic church of St. Bernard of Clairvaux
Looking back to Coggeshall's East Street
An epic Wisteria, on the oddly-named Wistaria House
Some sort of derelict factory with paintings
Gaz peers over the church wall
We arrive at the Woolpack Inn on Church Street
Conversation in the Woolpack
Albert Place in Coggeshall
Our next destination: the Chapel Inn
We pass an interesting shop
At the White Hart we chat to Colin, Jill and Paul
Spam and John Willy are roaming around
Gaz decides on breakfast
Isobel and Harry
Paul considers more breakfast
The senior table arrives
We have the whole dining room to ourselves
The view from our bedroom
Harry and Fred
Our bedroom - Room 1 - is truly epic
We get ready for the actual bike ride
Alan and Jessica
Harry is prepared
Gaz stomps around
Harry looks up - he's ready to be attached
Alan has a technical issue with a flat tyre already
We hang around waiting to regroup
Matthew and Alan cycle up the road
Paul's on the phone
Between Greenstead Green and Earl's Colne
We make it to the first pub
Alan gets his coat
Marc has a laff
Gaz checks his phone
Jessica and Fred are playing cards
Harry's got a lemonade
A nice bottle-wall
Harry walks past the beer lorry
Sylvia chats to an Adnams Draymen she knew
The pretty village of Colne Engaine
Chappel and Wakes Colne railway station
Fred's reflected in a curious mirror
Fred pulls a face in the lunch pub
Marc points the way in the Three Horseshoes
The boys scoff down chips
Everyone's on their phone
Fred picks up the cards
Getting ready to leave
Fred comes out of the pub
The Three Horseshoes
Alan cycles by
Isobel and Fred on their bikes
A nice field of purple
Back at base, Fred points to Harry
The boys relax in the room for a bit
The Sagas have been out to a nearby pub
The gang at dinner
Marc inspects his starter
Isobel teaches the 'owl' impression
The random corridors of the hotel
Harry, Fred, Jill and Alan get breakfast
Fred, Isobel and Harry leave the restaurant
In the car park, Fred and Harry do ninjas
We spot an old brewery on our walkabout
Down by the bridge over the River Blackwater
A bucolic scene on the River Blackwater
Some nice houses down by the river
Someone has sprayed 'don't be afraid' on the wall
The boys mess around on an actual Grange Hill
Another wisteria house
The tragic sight of a burned-down pub
The pub has been almost completely razed to the ground
A sad sight of the Queen's Head, on the A120 in Surrex
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Fred peers out of the hotel window
Fred peers out of the hotel window
The Boy Phil inspects the kids' menu
Phil and Fred play cards
Fred teaches Gaz how to play Spit
The gang heads out to explore Coggeshall pubs
Looking back at our hotel and room
A Victorian clock tower with a wonky top
We walk past a really old-school sweet shop
Phil and Gaz peer into the sweet shop
Gaz, Marc and Paul
The cute Catholic church of St. Bernard of Clairvaux
Looking back to Coggeshall's East Street
An epic Wisteria, on the oddly-named Wistaria House
Some sort of derelict factory with paintings
Gaz peers over the church wall
We arrive at the Woolpack Inn on Church Street
Conversation in the Woolpack
Albert Place in Coggeshall
Our next destination: the Chapel Inn
We pass an interesting shop
At the White Hart we chat to Colin, Jill and Paul
Spam and John Willy are roaming around
Gaz decides on breakfast
Isobel and Harry
Paul considers more breakfast
The senior table arrives
We have the whole dining room to ourselves
The view from our bedroom
Harry and Fred
Our bedroom - Room 1 - is truly epic
We get ready for the actual bike ride
Alan and Jessica
Harry is prepared
Gaz stomps around
Harry looks up - he's ready to be attached
Alan has a technical issue with a flat tyre already
We hang around waiting to regroup
Matthew and Alan cycle up the road
Paul's on the phone
Between Greenstead Green and Earl's Colne
We make it to the first pub
Alan gets his coat
Marc has a laff
Gaz checks his phone
Jessica and Fred are playing cards
Harry's got a lemonade
A nice bottle-wall
Harry walks past the beer lorry
Sylvia chats to an Adnams Draymen she knew
The pretty village of Colne Engaine
Chappel and Wakes Colne railway station
Fred's reflected in a curious mirror
Fred pulls a face in the lunch pub
Marc points the way in the Three Horseshoes
The boys scoff down chips
Everyone's on their phone
Fred picks up the cards
Getting ready to leave
Fred comes out of the pub
The Three Horseshoes
Alan cycles by
Isobel and Fred on their bikes
A nice field of purple
Back at base, Fred points to Harry
The boys relax in the room for a bit
The Sagas have been out to a nearby pub
The gang at dinner
Marc inspects his starter
Isobel teaches the 'owl' impression
The random corridors of the hotel
Harry, Fred, Jill and Alan get breakfast
Fred, Isobel and Harry leave the restaurant
In the car park, Fred and Harry do ninjas
We spot an old brewery on our walkabout
Down by the bridge over the River Blackwater
A bucolic scene on the River Blackwater
Some nice houses down by the river
Someone has sprayed 'don't be afraid' on the wall
The boys mess around on an actual Grange Hill
Another wisteria house
The tragic sight of a burned-down pub
The pub has been almost completely razed to the ground
A sad sight of the Queen's Head, on the A120 in Surrex