cycleSheffield

Bike Week Update - Part 3

Tuesdays Events,

Tonights ride takes us around and about the cycle routes of Olde Sheffield.

It will include the long-awaited Northern Inner Relief Road ride-thru - if you have any particular bees in your bonnet about the new road this is your chance to demonstrate them (not saying that anything will be done about them mind)

Dress to impress, and bear in mind that French will be spoken. Upmarket bars will be visited for cocktails en route.

Meet 5:30 at Devonshire Green (NOT Barkers Pool, although we will make this our first port of call in case there are any lost souls) for a 6 p.m. kick-off.

Bike Week Update Part 1

Up and coming events this weekend

Saturday - BMX demonstrations and Family Rides in Meersbrook Park (13.00 - 15.00)

Sunday - Pedalling Picnic to Forge Dam 11am from Devonshire Green or 11.30am
Bingham Park

More updates during the week

Holme Moss ride - postponed by a week

We seem to have some very grim weather coming our way so I’ve decided to postpone the Holme Moss ride by a week till Saturday 23rd of May.

There will be a ride of some description this coming  Saturday afternoon between the showers.

Rides coming in thick and fast - Urban Extremists’ ride on May 31st

Just received an update from Trevor Francis over at the Urban Extremists

http://www.urbanextremistuk.co.uk/1.html

He says….

quick shout to let you guys know that our first club run of the 2009 summer season is on Sunday May 31st. Meeting at the Wicker Arches at 10.00am, riding to Rotherham and back. Please spread the word and I hope that you can make it, Trev

From their web site the ride is going to be easy pace along the 5 weirs walk with a picnic in Carlton Park in Rotherham

The Next Friday Night ride - change of date - now May 29th

Mick Nott informs us that the next FNR is moved to May 29th

Sorry have had to change the date - I can’t make May 22.  Its now the Friday of the Bank Holiday weekend May 29

Advance Notice

Sheffield FridayNightRide

War and Peace

Friday May 29 2009

NB not May 22 as originally planned

Meet at Castle Market,

corner of Waingate and Exchange St,

6-6.30 for a 6.45 start

Bring lights and locks!

Sheffield’s connections with war and peace are manifold.  Sheffielders have fought, and died, in wars, Sheffield steel has been an instrument of war and the arms trade contributed significantly to the city’s wealth, Sheffielders culture of non-conformism and dissent have stimulated peace initiatives, and Sheffielders have been welcoming to refugees and asylum seekers from wars.

This ride touches on some aspects of war and peace and Sheffield.  I hope its a time for reflection and discussion as well as the usual pleasant company getting to know each other and their city.  Not all the notable locations could be visited in one ride so we could revisit the theme another time or on another ride..

For film clip of Picasso in Sheffield at a 1950 Peace Conference see http://www.itnsource.com/shotlist//Bpathe/1950/11/16/X16115001/

Heads up! This is a ride on roads or well-metalled paths and should suit all types of bike.   I’ve tried to keep it ‘lower’ down compared to the last ride and starts and finishes in the heart of the city.  It covers many roads we have travelled before but maybe in a different direction or arriving and leaving in a different direction!  Total distance is 13 miles

Map at

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=108285123450551660446.000468acdde43122a1c81&z=13

Route - see the map for more details about the sites and history

We start at the corner of the site of Sheffield Castle, which was a Royalist stronghold during the Civil War and later destroyed by Parliamentarians, and then we follow the TPT to the Wybourn, turn off through Manor Park and enter the City Cemetery from Manor Fields.  There we can ride past a military cemetery, the mass grave from the Sheffield Blitz, a panel of remembrance and a memorial to Belgians who took refuge in Sheffield during WW1. We’ll then head for the west of the city, down through Norfolk Park across Queen’s Rd, past an old TA barracks, and on through Sharrow to Ecclesall Rd where there is still clear evidence of bomb damage from nearly 70 years ago.  Then we go down through Endcliffe Park, riding past the memorial to a USAAF bomber that crashlanded there, and out back to Hunters Bar where we will ride down, past the Polish Club which was started by refugees, to Collegiate Hall which was a hospital in WWI and has the remains of WWII air raid shelters on the lawn.  There will then be a gentle climb up to Weston Park where we can look at the impressive war memorials and work out where the one from the Boer War has gone(!).  The we cut back through the University, site of some of the meetings for the 1950 Peace Conference and we’ll go across the inner ring road at Broomspring Lane and up to the TA Somme barracks on Glossop Rd, and down into the center along Portobello, Trippet Lane, Campo Lane where we’ll ride into town to view some of the sites that were devastated in the Sheffield Blitz, to the Town Hall to ride past the memorial to Sheffielders who saw action in the Spansih Civil War, out past Barkers Pool and the City Hall, Sheffield’s main memorial to WWI, and then across Devonshire Green (cleared by WWII bombing) to the Bath Inn on Victoria St.

Mick
sheffieldfridaynightride@blueyonder.co.uk
079 49 59 67 02
“We have nothing to lose but our chains!”

Western Circular - with a twist

This Thursday night (May 7th) we will start the Western circular as usual, 7pm from the University but include a slight detour from the usual route out via Hathersage, Grindleford and Frogatt Village, calling in for some refreshments a the Grouse Inn.

Western Circular - new start time

Now the evenings are staying lighter the Western Circular ride moves to its later slot.

We will now set off at 7.00pm from the University concourse.

Uni Concourse, Ranmoor Inn, Hallamshire Golf Club, Roper Hill,  Ringinglow,  Dore,  Ecclesall Woods.

But note for this week only (Thurday 30th April) we are starting at 7.30pm

Sheffield FNR Next Ride Fri April 24 JG Graves Philanthropist and Cyclist!

Sheffield FridayNightRide

JG Graves - philanthropist and cyclist!

Friday April 24 2009

Meet at Ornamental Garden and Fountain, Balm Green,

in front of Fountain Precinct, corner of Barkers Pool

6-6.30 for a 6.45 start

“To gain a knowledge of the topography and attractions of our beautiful countryside, nothing that I have ever sampled will compare with a journey on a well-made bicycle. To go as you please, where and when you please, independent of trains and petrol and all under your own control, I reckon to be a combination of exercise, pleasure and convenience which has not so far been excelled.”

J G Graves

John George Graves (1866-1945) was a local businessman, politician and, most importantly to us now, a munificent philanthropist for Sheffield.

Parks and playgrounds, open spaces, health, education, housing, sports, youth groups, charitable organisations, and the arts were all supported and funded by Graves who, from the late 1920s to the end of his life, did deeds that have enhanced the lives of Sheffielders for ever.  His philanthropy and his legacy is still maintained and developed by the Graves Charitable Trust.  All the places in brackets in the route guide below are a part of Graves’ legacy (there is more) - see the map for more detail.

He was also a keen cyclist who, at the age of 41, rode from Sheffield to London in 19 hours: we won’t be doing that!

So let’s celebrate this self-made man, who gave so much back to his adopted city, by cycling to places and institutions that were part of his life or owe their establishment or longevity to Graves. Hurrah!

Map of the route with much more detail at

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=108285123450551660446.000465167f00e01fe8cbc&ll=53.395972,-1.470966&spn=0.022775,0.054932&z=14

Heads up! This is a longer Sheffield FNR of nearly 17 miles but we could either stop less often to listen to Mick or decide to cut some of it out or peel of when you like and all meet in the pub after!: how democratic is that?  Most of the route is on roads with some trails through the Porter Valley from Whiteley Woods to Endcliffe Park. Suitable for road bikes.  There is a long climb at the beginning then a bit of down, up, down and up before finally down into town.

Route.  OK we are going to preview the new South Sheffield cycle route from the city centre to Gleadless Townend.  So we start at the Ornamental Gdn ( a Graves’ donation to the city) in front of Fountain Precinct, Barkers Pool then down Surrey St (site of a Graves shop), glance down Tudor Square (the site of a Graves Tennis Centre, and the Crucible) past the Graves Art Gallery out to South St, Norfolk Rd, Norfolk Park, up St Aidens’ Rd across tramtracks then over Park Grange Rd and up through the Manor, down Gleadless Common to Hollinsend Rd where we will gaze at the most perfect examples of Graves Trust Houses on Ridgeway Rd. Then a couple of wiggles up to Gleadless Townend and a brief bit of pavement to the Norton roundabout (missing a cycle past the Graves Tennis Centre at Norton) and then along Hemsworth Rd to Graves Park.  Through Graves Park to Meadowhead and down past Chancet Wood (glance back at some Graves Trust Houses) to Bocking Lane, Abbey Lane, across Abbeydale Rd (passing between Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet and Millhouses Park) and up through Abbey Lane (through Ecclesall Woods, cycling parallel to Ryecroft Glen) and along Whirlowdale Rd to Whirlow Brook Park (the end of Limb Valley), then a short bit along Ecclesall Rd South turn left up past Whirlow Hall Farm up towards Bents Green then up Ringinglow Rd and down past (Forge Dam to our West) Whiteley Woods (near the Guides Outdoor Activity Centre) and along the trail to Endcliffe Park, up Riverdale Rd (where Graves lived) to Fulwood Rd (past Weston Park Hospital) and down through Broomhill (past the Children’s Hospital) to the University (past the Octagon, the final site of Graves’ business, and see the Graves Building at the Students Union), down to Shalesmoor (to the site of a Graves Playground on Matthew St) and then finish at the Shakespeare in Gibraltar St (the street on which Graves served his time from the age of 14 as an apprentice watchmaker).  Graves was a devout Methodist and more than likely teetotal but I am sure that he would not begrudge us a drink as we sip a beer satisfied with the ride and marvelling at the extent of his generosity.

This ride also incorporates items from previous themes, some public art, some social housing, the location of the first gig by the Beatles in Sheffield, produced by Peter Stringfellow in 1963, and some remnants of the old tramways routes.  Enjoy, as you puff past.

Mick
sheffieldfridaynightride@blueyonder.co.uk
079 49 59 67 02
“We have nothing to lose but our chains!”

Tuesday ride: Escape from Meadowhell - 17th March

Tonight we will be meeting at Meadow hell transport interchange, then heading out towards Ecclesfield, with a possible return via Wortley, Grenoside.

Meet at the entrance to Meadow Hall Station car park at 6.30pm

Ian

Tuesday ride: Race the folk train

The Well Dressed Band are this months Folk train musicians, Tuesday 24th. We will leave Barkers Pool at 6, ride to Grindleford and wait for them to catch up with us there. Good lights etc. are needed.

If you don’t fancy the bike ride the Folk Train leaves at 7:15 from Sheffield Station.