Weekly Round-up: 12 Oct 2025
All the latest news, events, and results from NFCC Members from this week’s two-wheeled adventures…
Gravel ‘n’ GrogWith eight riders turning up in Lyndhurst for this week’s Gravel ‘n’ Grogg, it was a good evening to be out on the trails. The first 12km of the ride followed a familiar clockwise route, leaving town via Pinkney Lane, before hitting the gravel, and making way to Brockenhurst under the setting sun. Picking up an additional three riders in Brock, the group of 11 were keener than you could imagine to get back to Lyndhurst for their weekly dose of electrolytes – another excellent evening of riding bikes. |
Saturday Club RideNo storms to avoid this week so it was a decent turnout this week that gave us two full pelotons for the club ride. The route was a relatively short 100Km circuit around the forest as we get into autumn riding. The promise of backing off to an autumnal pace was appreciated by some, but inevitably that memo was not read by Group One who maintained a strong pace until their inevitable disintegration post coffee stop. The ride out east through East Bolde, Beaulieu, Lepe and Calshot was very pleasant and incident-free. |
 Group Two arrived at Steff’s for coffee just after a large group of walkers and more cyclists. The team at Steff’s did brilliantly getting the orders out but it was still a long wait for refreshments. A repeat of last week’s Jamgate was avoided as Matt K carried on home to save his legs for Cyclo Cross. This meant that Neil S could enjoy his jam without having his preserve purloined before he had a chance to consume it. |
 Once we went to the garden for coffee, kitman Sean removed his helmet and treated us to another garment from his casquette collection. When we order kit from Sean “no refunds – you ordered it you wear it” Molo, he is always at pains to point out the importance of knowing your size and making sure you order the correct fit. His headgear this week was a clear case of “do what I say, not what I do” as he sported a cap that was XS or had been boil washed and placed it atop his swede which is 2XL at least. The barrel adjudication always appreciates new methods of qualification, so Sean wins the accolade this week. |
 It goes without saying that fashion faux-pas occasionally go unreported in the group where the ride leader isn’t present, but Dan S’s best impression of an Instagram Fitness Influencer didn’t gain him any extra likes from the riders around him. Known for his considered sock choices, Dan (aka Tourmalet Tom) turned up this week in black leggings, tucked into white socks with matching white shoes – bearing in mind it’s still double-digit temperatures in nearly mid-October! When asked about his clothing choices, all he could say was “Don’t forget to like and subscribe…” whatever that might mean. |
 Post coffee Barry avoided the second half of the ride and took the shortcut home due to a tyre that needed attention. He went home, changed bikes and then tried to meet up with the group somewhere near Bolderwood. Having met up with Ian L along Rhinefield Road he was too busy gassing and forgot the route the club ride was on and missed them completely.All in all, a pleasant ride, some stunning scenery as the leaves change colour in very clement conditions. – Barry |
Wessex Cyclocross Rd.6: Milestones MuseumAnother brand new venue for round 6 of the Wessex Cyclocross League this time, with just three NFCC riders making the trip to Basingstoke. Described by The Club’s cyclocross veteran, Jay T, the course this week was compact, twisty, and punchy. A tightly packed combination of BUMPY fast straights, tight twisty corners, and punchy little climbs made for some really close racing across the board. Jay and Matt Knight were in action in the Masters 40-49 Open category, with Phill Brown racing later in the day in the Open Senior race. |
 On his return to the Wessex League, Jay was gridded on the second row, and shortly after the start, both riders managed to avoid a crash on just the second corner of the race. Both Jay and Matt had good starts, with Jay battling his way through the pack and clinching third place, and Matt clocking a solid 35th from the near 50 starters. Later, in the Senior Race, Brown slipped backwards a little at the start and spent the first lap picking off riders to get into the top five. An untimely puncture for one of the lead group gave Phill an extra step up, and a mid-race charge saw another overtake, for his first top-3 finish of his cyclocross career. |
Sunday Club RideA middling turnout this week as 13 or so club-chums made the start line in overcast conditions. I had made a fairly late change of route, for which I paid by being quizzed about it by each and every rider in turn upon their arrival. A couple of the less observant (and late) riders paid for it by cycling the wrong route. The ride itself passed without much incident despite some lunatic driving by one BMW (surprise) driver, lots of cyclists doing the Gridiron event and a herd of galloping horses that ran right across the rd right to left, and then as we took a left hand turn passed again right to left. We saw some cute pigs, too which were duly photographed. |
 On the second loop we came across Sunday stalwart Jane who seemed to be trying to communicate something to us but no one was quite sure what. We never saw her again. Reaching the cafe we were joined by a couple of wrong-routers as well as Graham M who had just timed a gravel ride to meet us there. As the chill set in we started to think about open fires and Sunday lunches and set off homeward.Great chatty social ride as it should be on a Sunday. – Phil H |
Get Involved:If you find yourself out and about representing NFCC, don’t forget to jot down a few words, snap a few photos and send them over to press@newforestcc.co.uk. |
