On yer Bike!

You know what it’s like, some-one asks a question and although you umm and arghh you mostly say “yes”. In reality, it was one of those moments when the answer to the question should have been no! Here am I memory fading slowly – well, when it suits! when someone asks to relate your tales of cycling. 

Where do I start? Do you want to know from the moment I sat on a cycle, bought my first cycle, or “accidentally” pushed my brother into a bunch of nettles as I let go of his bike, leaving him to fall off and be covered in nettle rash? Question, questions, questions!

I like cycling, having covered many miles during my years. Nowadays, most of my cycling takes place in Clumber. Then I have to make the next decision ...... should I go early, mid-morning, afternoon or evening? Decisions, decisions, decisions!

Suddenly, whilst looking at the various posters on the information board staring right at me was the answer to my questions and the decision made. Oh so easy! There was a cycling activity the next day – Saturday. My bike had a puncture – well to be truthful it needed two new tyres and inner tubes – so I used one from Cycle Hire ……… a brand new Raleigh Mountain Bike. Great I thought, much better than mine! 

Bikes are available to hire from our Cycle Hire Centre

We set-off in a relaxed manner, riding along the cycle tracks, woodland rides and the occasional bit of tarmac road. We learnt what the green strip of material was for on the weir near Hardwick Village, saw the Longhorn cattle and Jacob sheep busily eating their way through grass, young tree shoots and who knows what else! 

We saw some volunteers busily repairing a fence, heard the cuckoo with its distinctive call. There was the Common Buzzard flying high above us, through the trees a short distance away a small herd of wild deer looking inquisitively at us. 

It seemed only 10 minutes ago that we left Cycle Hire and here we were back! It was in fact an hour ago! Our leader told us we had covered about 7 miles in that time. That didn’t matter to me, I had been cycling again. Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah!

And now it's National Bike Week, so I can get back on the saddle and out in the sunshine (at last).  To find out what we have going on at Clumber this week, check out the Clumber Park website... or, just hire a cycle, get a map and enjoy yourself!

Roy,

Clumber Park Ranger