A 28 mile or so round Bury route, suitable for CX and MTBs. There are plenty of climbs, some are the typical never ending Suffolk drags while others are short, steep and will have you out of the saddle. As you will be popping up at high points all around Bury the views can be pretty good especially if the light is right – this time of year is good – if it isn’t raining! You will get muddy but there is nothing to test your skills particularly. If you follow the link below, the ride was quite leisurely because of the ice which made riding interesting at times and a brisk headwind in parts. Ride this as a pair and push your partner to the limits on climbs etc and you’ll get round quicker/faster than I did.
For those who know the area, you will spot the opportunities to build in extra loops, some off and some on road. I will do a combination ride when the weather (and my fitness) improves, taking in the best bits of some other rides and thereby cranking up the miles.
Another ride starting in Risby, at the bus stop. Head out towards the A14 then left over the flyover. Past the scenic delight that is the Calor Gas factory and Claas (on your left). Follow the road until you see a muddy track on your left. Take this trail and bear to the right at the bottom. Follow the trail through the fields on the bridleway. NOTE: the bridleway continues through the garden of the house in front of you. while the official line carries on through the garden, it is general practice to use the drive which spits you out onto a green lane. Follow this down to the cross roads. At the cross roads go straight over – the back way into Ickworth Park. This is National Trust property and by rights you should be a member or be prepared to cough up at the entrance. I am not sure anyone will check though (I have never been challenged in 15 years or riding here – but I usually carry my membership card with me just in case.) Through the gates (there is an old house right by these gates) and ride up to the (next) gate directly in front of you (do not take the climb to the left). Over the fields and through two more gates until you come to a sort of T junction. Take the made up road up and to the left; this will bring you up to the main house. Through one more gate then left at the gatehouse followed by a right and along the main drive.
You will join the main Bury/Haverhill road in the village of Horringer. Turn right and follow the road until you come to Sharpe’s Lane on the left, take this turning. At the end turn right. At the bottom of the hill turn right and take the next left which will take you up a steep climb, past the church then right at the junction. I think it is the next left that you need…well it is the last left in the village, follow the road along until a large white house appears on the right (Pinford End if I recall correctly). There is a left opposite this, take this left and relax as the next bit is mainly downhill and a bit of a rest. At the bottom, turn left then climb up out of the valley. The next right is narrow and often muddy. Go down here. After maybe half a mile there is a hedge line on the left. You can go down here (it is a bridleway) making sure that you bear right and downhill all the time or you can follow the road around to the bottom. The bridleway is fun when firm but in the winter it can be so wet and boggy it isn’t worth bothering about. If you have taken the bridleway you make a right and quick left at the bottom, if you have taken the road, just look out for a right at the bottom of the descent. You will pop out in Nowton, turn right and then next left which will take you down to the main Bury/Sudbury road. Turn left and immediate right climbing gently toward the Rushbrook estate… cue fields of pigs as far as the eye can see. Follow the road along and take the second left which falls away and twists and turns a bit. On the left there is a mini complex of gates following a muddy road adjacent to the A14, take this road which pops you through an underpass and onto a cycle path. You will have to follow the gps quite carefully here through several offset fences etc. Eventually you will turn right towards the Audi garage. Once you get here turn left until you reach the Bury/Thurston road (near the Flying Fortress Pub); turn right then quickly left down a scruffy little track which leads up to a level crossing.
Go over the level crossing (beware of the trains) and follow the road, you will see Gt Barton church on your right. Anyway, enough about the church, turn left down the bridleway and prepare for a mudfest in winter (never unrideable though). Eventually you will hit the, very busy, Bury/Gt Barton road, cross over and follow the tracks until you come to another road where you turn left. Head back towards Bury and turn right into a business park complex. At the car park turn left then quickly right and follow the concrete road until you hit another road where you go straight over. Take the first left then a right past some cottages. Follow the road through some woods until you have finished a gentle climb and turn left towards Ingham. At the Cadogan Arms, go straight over the cross roads along a long straight road and take the first left.
You are now in Culford, head back towards Bury then take a right into the Culford School entrance ( a few hundred yards). Go through here, past the main building and cricket pitches along an unmade trail. At the lake on your left you will see a diversion down a footpath. It is only 25 yards long but you should technically walk it, the choice is yours. At the exit turn left and immediate right until you get to the Greyhound in Flempton. Head straight over the cross roads and along to Risby to the finish.
This is about 28 miles or so and takes longer in winter as parts of it can get quite sticky. If I had more time I would blather on about the things to see etc but right now I’ll make do with the bare directions. If anyone wants me to add bits about points of interest, you need to let me know. At some stage in the future I plan to provide film footage of parts of these rides so you get an idea of terrain etc but I haven’t worked out how to get the best of the technology yet.
suffolkcyclist 