A circular cycle ride from Conkers, with a BCQ(British Cycle Quest)!

On the Saturday morning a group of us set off on a 37km circular ride, taking in Ticknall, Melbourne and Breedon. Apart from being a lovely day for a ride, considering it was mid December, we could also get a “BCQ” (British Cycling Quest) at Breedon on the Hill church.
Ticknall was once an estate village, belonging to Calke Abbey. Melbourne is a pretty and thriving village, once home to Thomas Cook, the estate agent, and it gave its name to Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. There are several good cafes there but we had already had our excellent lunch at the National Trust cafe at Staunton Harold reservoir. The cafe looked closed before we went in, but after we sat in the front window, with our dayglo cycling gear and four Bromptons parked outside, their trade dramatically increased!

Then we went onto Breedon, an historic place where there has been a place of worship since about 676AD. We got our BCQ there and also visited the grave of George and Hannah Jessop, the 5th great grandparents of one of our riders. There is a thoughtful and timeless message on the 200 year old beautifully engraved slate gravestone:

“You Readers all, both Old and Young
Your time on Earth, will not be long
For Death will come and die you must
And like to us return to dust.
How short the date of human bliss!
Pale Death Sly, unsuspected, steals upon our joys,
Blasts the fair prospect with his freezing breath
And scoffs at aching hearts, and weeping eyes,
Husband, and Children objects once so dear
Come learn a lesson which my grave can teach
Your joys like mine will quickly vanish here
Then grasp at those which Death can never reach”

So readers Carpe Diem (seize the day)!

We got back to camp shortly before it started to get dark and a visit to the nearby chip shop completed a perfect day!