During the UK’s lockdown#1 which began in March, an Audax friend, John Gallagher had told me about the British Cycle Quest; a challenge which sees participants cycling to many different points of interest across the whole of Britain. All the info is available on the Cycling UK website: BCQ.
With Audax UK rides suspended until August it was in May that I cycled off to find my first BCQ checkpoint.
May 2020 // Stamford
As it happens, there is a BCQ checkpoint in my home town, so of course I started the challenge with this easy to find info checkpoint. I won’t go into details on the checkpoint and the info answers, so as to keep within the spirit of these kind of things and not to give away for others. I did make a decent ride of this first BCQ hunt, riding 68Km taking in the Rutland scenery around Eyebrook reservoir and the tough climb up Neville Holt and the hairpin bend up the Kings Hill into Uppingham. With it being the 75th anniversary weekend of VE Day it was a patriotic ride with many Union flags being flown with beautifully sunny weather.
May 2020 // Lincolnshire
I think there are 6 BCQ checkpoints in each county and it seemed logical to me to try and bag a couple more in my home county of Lincolnshire, so perusing the 2020 BCQ book I aimed for Crowland and Heckington. This was a tough ride of 126Km and a lot of flat windy landscape.
On the way over to Crowland I had unfortunately routed myself on an elevated off road section right next to a river. The track condition was terrible and with Crowland in sight and most of the track ridden the inevitable happened and I got a rear puncture. It was still dark, it was cold and it was bloody windy and it seemed to take me an age to fix the puncture, the wheel was an arsehole to get back into the frame – as it is on my Mercian for some annoying reason.
Anyway, up and running again and a short hop off to Crowland for the first checkpoint. It was a ghost town in the early morning and I was quickly through it and heading North right next to the Welland River. I had the company of 3 different barn owls and a Cormorant along that stretch. More deserted straight roads with right angle turns took me up to Heckington for the second checkpoint and the turnaround point.
The ride back to home was very similar to the ride out to Heckington, and fatigue was starting to get to the legs later in the ride. Pleased to get finished and take the BCQ total up to 3.
May 2020 // Rutland & Northamptonshire
Another beautifully sunny day had me out again looking for more checkpoints. This time I went out anti clockwise from home over the top of Rutland water via Egleton for the first checkpoint. Tiny little place. Heading further south and I was riding on very familiar roads through the Welland valley, taking in lovely views of the Harringworth viaduct.
Continuing onwards south east through Bulwick and Southwick and then to Fotheringhay for the second checkpoint at the Church. This church carries some notoriety due to the history that Mary Queen of Scots was beheaded close to the church at Forheringhay castle (1587). Surprisingly, the BCQ has nothing to do with Mary.
From Fotheringhay it was a straightforward dash northbound back to home on roads that I ride regularly. 2 BCQ checkpoints added to the tally on a 72Km ride.
June 2020 // Norfolk Border
The summer solstice had me riding around the Norfolk border, I started at sunrise and had a decent ride for the day, racking up 320Km. A Norfolk BCQ was gained at Thetford, full write up is here.
August 2020 // Norfolk
With pandemic restrictions eased for a while, me and my family went to have a week back in Norfolk, where we have lots of family. Typically, I will cycle back and today was no different. There was an unkind wind blowing in the face and progress felt slow. The fens are a very unforgiving place when there is a wind which is not directly on your back, and this being the case for me on this day the ride was a total bloody slog.
I gained the BCQ of Friday Bridge and took the stop to have a little piece of flapjack to restore some spent energy.
The ride was brightened by my main man Mick meeting me in Litcham, 118Km in. I was totally knackered and we hit the local shop getting a can of coke and an ice cream each. After a nice stop we got pedalling again and I just sat on Mick’s wheel all the way back to my in-laws place. So glad to get a tow back in. 158Km of grind.
Whilst on Holiday
Rested and recovered from the efforts of cycling over to Norfolk, it was time to search out a couple more Norfolk BCQs. I plotted a route that took me through the Swannington and Sutton checkpoints.
15Km from my in-laws and I was at Swannington and looking in the churchyard for the first checkpoint. I was well off course looking there though and had to ask a local elderly couple out on a walk for some direction or clue as to where the checkpoint actually was. Turned out I was about 100metres from it, and had I just continued to cycle past the church I would have seen it very easily.
For the Sutton checkpoint I had to head east across the Broads, and once in the village I was able to locate the checkpoint info easily this time.
I pressed on after the checkpoint, keen to get back to the family events for the day and successfully gaining 2 more BCQs in Norfolk over a 68Km ride.
December 2020 // Northamptonshire & Leicestershire
A long break after the summer due to misplacing my cycling mojo – which was fortunately regained during November and the Zwift Academy 2020. I wanted to hit another couple of checkpoints near me. First one was Geddington up near the A43, and I was looking for something to do with another Queen, this time from the 13th century. It was bloody freezing with the Garmin recording the average temperature of the ride as -1degC, and heading from the first to the second checkpoint there was some freezing fog which made me glad for my dynamo lights.
A lot of hills out West of my home town, which makes for very pretty countryside and some challenging riding, which is great really. I would up at Foxton Locks for the second checkpoint, and I had to verify my thought on the answer to the info with a couple walking a dog. The info was to read something built into masonry, but I couldn’t decide on the correct reading, but double checking with others assured me I had it correct. I was tempted to stop and have a warming coffee at the Locks (take away only), but I thought I’d better push on and create my own warmth through effort. 116Km done and 2 more BCQs in the bag.
2020 // Summary
- 11 BCQ checkpoints gained.
- 9 BCQ checkpoints validated.
- 391 BCQ checkpoints left to visit.
- Total distance 773Km.
- Avg distance per BCQ 70Km.
- 5 Regions visited.
Great effort Andy, there’s a lot of pleasure to be had in plotting routes to visit – and then visiting the BCQ locations. A superb reason to get out of the comfort zone and reach places which would otherwise be thought of being too far away or too difficult to get to. Sometimes the suffering of cold or wetness makes it all the more memorable – who wants sunshine every day?
Seeing your photo of Foxton Locks reminds me of when I went there on the wettest day of 2018, see https://strava.app.link/7vAiifGxgdb
We had driven to Bedfordshire to attend a friend’s ordination, why travel home in a warm, dry car when there’s a 200k DIY audax with BCQs to enjoy?
Nice one John. You’ve got to make the opportunities for DIY’s fit, and it sounds like you did on that very wet ride. I had to spend a week in Lichfield once for a work course… Excellent Thai Restaurant there.