Route: Starting on empty straight fenland roads past drainage canals to reach Crowland (three-way ancient stone bridge, ruined abbey) for coffee at the Old Copper Kettle. Then in more rolling country, crossing under the East Coast main line to find two pubs at Castle Bytham closed and so on for a lunchtime pint in the garden of the very posh Olive Tree in Clipsham. On, as the day deteriorated, to reach Melton Mowbray to find, eventually, afternoon tea at Off the Beaten Track. Then cycling first up hill in rain and then along the ridge on a busy B road to descend to Loughborough.
Conditions: initially hot and sunny, then cloudy and then low cloud and rain.
Pub: The Olive Tree in Clipsham for Grainstore Brewery (Oakham) Olive Ale and, later, The Swan in the Rushes, Loughborough for Castlerock Elsie Mo, Castlerock Harvest Pale, Ossett Red, Kelham Island Pale Rider.
