Sunday 27th July

A 06.30 start and once again I was on the Rory and I knew where I was going too! First to Maldon for a cuppa and then to Woodham Mortimer for the annual Essex CTC Summer gathering. It was warm and overcast as I sped through Bulphan to Dunton and Billericay with hardly any traffic on the road, plenty of cyclists though! Ramsden Heath to South, West and East Hanninfield`s led me to Bicknacre, where I decide to use the A414 which is normally too fast and busy for me. But this morning there was nothing on it, in fact only 8 vehicles past me on the 3 miles stretch. Entering Maldon (one of the two oldest towns in Essex, the other being Colchester) by Spital Road and then along the High Street to reach The Hythe at 09.30, to find the tide was out!

After a cuppa I set off at 10.45 and headed out to Mundon and Purleigh to arrive in Woodham Mortimer and the Hurdlemakers Arms at just after 12 o`clock. It was nice to meet up with old faces from the Essex CTC again, but I decide not to stay too long and was back in the saddle by 13.30. I made my way back to Bicknacre to retrace my outward route back to West Hanningfield then on to Stock to reach Billericay and Little Burstead. I decide to have a short cuppa stop at Langdon Hills and with just over 8 miles to home I was indoors by 16.30 with 70 miles done. I had sunshine a spot of rain, cloudy sky`s and good company in Woodham Mortimer, so another enjoyable day out  in Essex.