Walden Velo

Owen Rogers meets a friendly Essex club which has quickly established itself in a cycling heartland.

The run back into Saffron Walden is largely downhill and with a good road surface, it’s very fast. Just perfect for a final bit of spirited riding to finish Walden Velo’s Sunday club run.

After happily riding together for the preceding 35 miles, all the chat is forgotten as our group of 14 riders finally splits under the pressure of the increased pace. The strongest riders fire off the front, rain pinging off their helmets as they head for the dry and warmth of the cafe stop.

Passing the town sign, the ‘winning’ rider raises his arms in a mock victory celebration, before the group finally negotiates the town’s one-way system to complete the ride.

Though good-humoured, the competitive finish is a far cry from the sociability of the rest of the ride. We had rolled through the gently undulating Essex countryside at a decent pace, and there was barely a moment of silence. Only on the hills did quiet descend on the group, as each rider became shorter of breath on the gentle gradients the area boasts.

With a 7.30am start, our ride would normally have been the first two of two meets for the club. “I think that fits into the day so people can do either the early ride or the late ride or both. We try and be flexible,” club chairman Andy Hutchinson tells us. “The 7.30 and the 9.45 have different speeds, all with pre-arranged routes and pre-arranged ride leaders. We do the same midweek, which offers a lot of rides.”