12th January 2013 Whitnash

Pictures have not gone on Facebook over the last couple of days but there was a post put on entitled 'Looking back Part1'.  A retrospective look at photos taken before this blog was started. 

The weather forecast for this weekend is not good at all with freezing conditions and snow predicted.  Of course, as soon as I was ready to go out it snowed!  Thankfully, not a great deal and it soon stopped without settling.  Best put some thermals on and they were needed with a cold east wind blowing. 

Skate Park

No youngsters strutting their stuff in St Nicholas Park when I went through. Must be too cold for them, or too early. Well, it is gone 11am. In all fairness, it is not often that the park is empty. It is good to see some youngsters not glued to an X box.  

Sikh Temple Leamington

The Sikh temple, or gurdwara, is on the south side of Leamington and is a very impressive building. It cost £11M and was completed in the autumn of 2009. It can be seen from miles around and is a beautiful building, more so when the sky is blue and the sun shines on it. Certainly worth a return visit when the conditions are right, and that includes less traffic on Europa Way so a better view point can be found which will not include the lampost.

Heathcote Tavern

Cycling through Whitnash  it was worth a stop at this pub, the Heathcote Tavern. There is a rumour that this place is to be, or has been, sold for redevelopment as a Tesco Express supermarket. That's another one gone to the giants of retail then.

The Oak Inn

Back into Leamington, heading for Newbold Comyn, cycle along the Radford Road past the Oak Inn. This pub looks terminal if you ask me. A lot of happy memories for me in this building. I played football for St Mary's FC in the early 60's and this pub was our meeting place before matches and the occasional social event.
No wonder it closed though, with that decor; who wants to go in a pink pub?

Not the best of days for a ride. Cold and damp with that cold east wind. A pretty easy 14 plus miles today adds to the target for the month.