Mapperley Cycling Club

A ride through the Nottinghamshire countryside with a merry band.

- Owen Rogers

As we sit in the Nottinghamshire sunshine outside an otherwise quiet cafe, the waitress struggles to be heard above the banter and laughter. It’s clear to see the 30-or-so members of Mapperley Cycling Club are enjoying themselves.

At one table, members are giving others earnest, good humoured advice, at another riders are remorselessly ribbing the club chairman.

After leaving the club’s regular meeting point at Lowdham, a few miles from Mapperley, the pace lifts gradually, though despite the speed the club’s constant laughter rarely falters.

Eventually, with the speed already up around 24mph, two members fly off the front chasing a tractor. On its tail for a while, they soon rejoin the ranks of blue and red jerseys when they realise no one is following.

Fun spirit