Sunday 8th September 2019 10:30am

Starting from - Sheffield Cycle Hub, Sheffield Station (known as Midland Station), Sheffield, S1 2BP, S1 2BP

  • 18 miles
  • Mountain Bike, Hybrid (off road tyres), Hybrid (road tyres), Road
  • 4 hr
  • Steady
  • Sheffield
  • Children aged 8-15*, Children aged 11-15*, Adults 16+ only, Children aged 5-15*

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Starting point




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S1 2BP

You should have an otter-ly great time as we look for signs of otters along the River Don, as well as celebrate the enlistment to the Sheffield City Battalion (known as the Sheffield Pals), which began on September 10th, 1914.

We will travel from the railway station and join the traffic-free trail adjacent to the River Don where otters have been photographed and filmed, while bearing in mind that our great adventure is about celebrating valiant heroes, giving the friendliest Critical Mass group ride a go, and having a ball on our bikes.

It’s 10k to Meadowhall, and you should feel otter-ly great whatever the weather during the ride because the traffic-free route is very sheltered from environmental challenges. Furthermore, at Meadowhall, there are more coffee and cake vendors than we can shake our spokes at. Certainly, with money in our pockets, as well as our picnics, almost everyone could give this otter-ly great route a go. Especially when it’s the first part of the otter-ly amazing route we promoted for the Otter-ly Amazing Love Sheffield 1,000 Day Event ride.

https://www.letsride.co.uk/rides/otter-ly-amazing-love-sheffield-1000-day-event-9-miler-1

Next, we travel along a little-used and pleasantly surprising cycle route to the Quiet Garden at Yew Lane (home to PXI’s Well Written Group). Last year, Jane served wonderful cakes as she told us about her two great uncles who joined the Sheffield Pals, trained at Redmires, and then fought during the Battle of the Somme. Those wonderful homemade cakes and coffee should be available this year, too, and there’s the opportunity to donate to PXI Projects as we share remarkable stories.

Also, we should enjoy sitting on the benches under the great tree, and hearing about the 100 Leaves, WW1Centenary Artwork, 1916+100. Especially when PXI ‘s writers’ group developed a narrative of words, and then artist James Brunt (now an ITV resident artist off the telly) created a never forgotten work of art by hand cutting the meaningful narrative into 100 leaves. Indeed, there’s a Cycling Pals leaf, as well as the remarkable to share.

We could hear a very remarkable poem about the Sheffield Blitz, written by an unsung woman of steel (who’s almost 100 years old, as well as a member of the Well Written Group). Bless her because she wonders what people will think when they hear her very remarkable poem. I have told her that she will be given a great, golden key, and she will be allowed to walk sheep up and down the High Street because it’s one of the best poems I have ever heard.

As it’s two days before the 105th Anniversary of the formation of the Sheffield Pals, we will visit great war memorials around Sheffield, such as the obelisk monument at Wardsend Cemetery’s amphitheatre, as well as the Valiant Heroes memorials at Weston Park.

We will visit the otter-watch cameras in the Upper Don Valley, as well. Especially when this ride is otter-ly great from start to finish.

Please be aware that you participate at your own risk. And please bring a spare tube and tother essentials, such as money. Also, both event details and discussions can be found on our Facebook post.

https://www.facebook.com/events/287459085533517/

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