A trip from Leamington to Draycote Water. 31

Up in Leamington for a couple of days and met up with Graham for a ride out. We made contact with an old colleague of ours, Steve, and decided to go out to Draycote Water near Rugby.  Not a bad day at all, a slight westerly wind blew us over that way and perhaps that may influence the journey back to Leamington. For the first time in two weeks, had to resort to my old bike as the problems with transporting 'Sparky' about by car has not been resolved yet. Certainly found a big difference up some of the hills but overall it was good to be back on the old Specialized machine.



Going through Birdinbury we decided to use the disused railway line  having debated the possible problems we may come across ie. nettles, brambles or bad road surface.  We risked it to avoid a stiff climb and it wasn't a problem at all. Met a chap on the track travelling from Market Harbourough to Warwick on the last leg of a camping trip out to Norfolk.  We wished him well as he cycled off into the distance with panniers either side of his bike bigger than he was!
After we negotiated the old railway line we came out in the village of Draycote, a pretty village full of a lot of very well kept large houses, (they will not be so pretty if the reservoir overflows) and eventually on to the side of the reservoir itself.  Saw some little grebes, or were they big grebes, and a messy flock of Canada geese making a mess of the road.  Stopped then for tea and cake (thanks Steve) and sat out on the balcony admiring the view.



Left the cafe and headed into the slight breeze back to Leamington.  Went through Kites Hardwick, Long Itchington and Radford Semele.  Steve peeled off to head home to Southam via the Welsh Road and I bid farewell to Graham on the outskirts of Leamington.  Did 31 miles today, a little more than was intended with the Great Western Ride coming up in a couple of days.