onionbagblog

I’m doing some work with the lovely folk of the Creative Coop as an Associate Blogger. Much of this is Colchester and Wivenhoe based, and probably of relevance to some of the kind readers of m’blog. Therefore I’m going to start experimenting with some cross posts over here.

Published as part of the Keep Colchester Cycling project.

The Licensing Act 1872 makes it an offence to be drunk in charge of a bicycle (or any other vehicle or carriage) on a highway or in a public place.

So say the good folk of Colchester CAMRA, the local campaign group for real ale. It’s sound advice of course, and here at Keep Colchester Cycling we certainly wouldn’t want to condone booze and bikes.

There is a country mile, so to speak, in a couple of halves of mild in a Maldon country boozer followed by a bike ride down a deserted country lane, and the more dangerous approach of five pints of lager and tearing up the Southway in a Ferrari.

Colchester CAMRA has been organising local cycle trips for a number of years now. The group’s blog rather helpfully adds:

“Despite a few ‘accidents’, it’s a good way to see the countryside whilst visiting rural pubs.”

Judging by the @ColCAMRA twitter feed throughout Sunday, the North Essex countryside was certainly seen, with a little light ale refreshment to help keep those pedals turning. We’ve always doubted the health benefits anyway of those sickly energy gel bars that are now the norm in most bike shops.

Reading between the tweets, and Burnham on Crouch was the final bicycling and booze destination, having already taken in Little Totham, Goldhanger, Heybridge and Hazeleigh. It sounds the most civilised way to spend a Sunday, and one that Keep Colchester Cycling is hopeful of experiencing over the summer months.

Thirty-six miles was the total distance, after an early morning roll out at the Leather Bottle in Shrub End. We are assured that no booze was drunk in the Leather Bottle, before the bicycles were first boarded.

@ColCAMRA add:

“Age is no barrier and we have riders from five different decades joining us on a regular basis. Most of our tours are about 40 miles but a liberal sprinkling of pubs and a food stop on route mean that the distance between breaks is relatively short.

All our tours make use of National Cycle Routes or quiet country lanes, so the amount of riding on main roads is kept to an absolute minimum.”

It all puts a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘pub bike.’ You can find out more about the @ColCAMRA bicycle tours over here.

Chapeau!

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