Touring report: June 2025

Beacon mini tour to Weston-super-Mare, 21 to 22 June 2025 – Chris Ankcorn

Our June 2025 touring report is written by Chris Ankcorn, who was one of seven Beacon riders who battled through a heatwave to Weston on a Saturday, where they stayed overnight before some braved the ride home the next day.

The stats

  • Riders: Alan Weaver, Nigel Douglas, Paul Balfe, Dave Cole, Richard Chaplin, Eugene Farrell and me.
  • Distance: Approximately 114 miles.
  • Weather: Hottest day of the year – heatwave conditions, 33°C.

Overview
Our annual trip to the seaside – a long-distance club ride from Birmingham to Weston-super-Mare. A proper endurance test in punishing heat, but a great day out with good company, excellent route planning, and plenty of laughs along the way.

The route

  • Start: 06:00 at the Black Horse; 06:20 pick-up at Barnt Green (an earlier than usual time to avoid the heat of the day).
  • Key stops/landmarks: We headed out on rural roads, crossing the M5 near Strensham Services. Our first major stop was in Tewkesbury at the Royal Hop Pole to meet David Cole, who’d driven down and parked at the train station. After a hearty breakfast, we picked up the A38 to Gloucester. From there, we cleverly avoided the city centre by following a superb riverside footpath – great move. We continued on quiet country roads, picked up a canal towpath, and stopped at The Black Shed at Patch Bridge for cake and water. After that, we had another refuel at Blaise Community Café before the final push to the pier.
  • Terrain: Mostly rolling terrain with some hills – a particularly nasty climb near the end (which we had to do twice due to a head-on collision that closed the road).
  • Elevation gain: Estimated over 5,000 ft.
  • Navigation: Spot on. Big thanks to Allan for the excellent pre-ride planning and GPS work – really paid off.

Pace and group riding

  • Average speed: Around 11-12 mph.
  • Group dynamics: The group was slightly fragmented at times, which meant longer waits during rest stops – nothing major.
  • Mechanicals: Remarkably, no punctures or mechanicals – apart from my rear pannier flapping about. Regular club riders will be amazed to hear I didn’t drop my chain once!
  • Pacing: We kept pushing on towards the end. The heat was intense and I was desperate to get to the sea breeze.

Breaks and refuelling

  • Stops:
    • Breakfast at the Royal Hop Pole, Tewkesbury;
    • Cake and water refill at The Black Shed, Patch Bridge;
    • Coffee stop at Blaise Community Café.

Highlights

  • The riverside path south of Gloucester – a beautiful, peaceful stretch.
  • The incredible contrast of cycling under the M5’s concrete flyovers then emerging into quiet, scenic countryside.
  • Avonmouth and the endless rows of brand-new cars – left us wondering how on earth they keep track of the keys.
  • Classic club banter – including in-depth colour comparisons during the surprisingly rare toilet breaks (shade: dark varnish).

Challenges

  • Main issue: The heat. 33°C made it a real slog at times.
  • Navigation mishap: None really – the only reroute was due to a collision between two cars, near the end, which required a detour and a repeat climb.
  • Fatigue: Everyone held up well, kept a steady pace – group morale was good throughout.

Arrival in Weston-super-Mare

  • Time of arrival: 18:20.
  • Reception: Photo by the pier (minus Eugene, who headed straight off to visit his mum in Worle).
  • Return logistics:
    • Four riders cycled back with a generous tailwind to help them;
    • I bailed at Tewkesbury and hitched a lift home – no regrets.

What went well

  • Planning and prep: Alan was a star – GPS routes, timings, and stops all worked brilliantly.
  • Teamwork: He kept us on track and prevented anyone from going off too hard and blowing up early.
  • Route and scenery: Excellent choices, particularly the river and canal sections.
  • Mechanical reliability: 10/10.

What could be improved

  • A shame we couldn’t all stay in the same hotel. Possibly due to the Coast-to-Coast event overlapping – something to look out for in future planning.

Conclusion and reflections
A fantastic weekend. We earned every mile and every mouthful. Next year: same again – but no work the Monday after!

Check out the previous touring report, by George Barker, here.