Kings Forest - North Stow

I decided last night, that this morning I would load my bike in the back of the car and take it over to The Kings Forest, in North Stow, for a bike ride. So at 08:15 I headed off.

On the way there I needed petrol and stopped at the Tollgate garage. I went in to pay, picked up a Sun, BFP and a bottle of Lucozade, and went to the till.

"Pump No.3 please" I said. Cashier presses a few buttons on the till and says "I've got nothing for that". Presses a few more buttons and realises he's charged another customer for their petrol and mine ! £20.01 worth, and has no way to charge me now, or didn't know how. I only had 65p on me, so I couldn't leave any money, and just paid for papers and drink on my card, I wish I'd put more petrol in now.

I later called and spoke to the cashier to make sure it wasn't going out of his wages.

Pulled in here and put the bike together. To get the bike in the car involves unclasping the front brake, taking the front wheel off with a quick release lever, and removing the seat and stem with an Allen key, and just folding the rear car seats down. Takes about two minutes.
It is always advisable not to take any valuables and leave in the car because anyone watching you, cycle off, will know you will be gone for a while. Burn your Cd's and leave the originals at home.

There are many miles of trails to cycle. It is expected for cyclists to give way to walkers, horse riders and forestry vehicles, but I never came across anybody all morning. I have a cycle helmet and had intended to take it with me, but in my excitement and rush to go, forgot to take it with me. It did get me thinking about how few people I'd seen (none) if I fell off. These are the views of some of the trails I cycled today

In some of the open areas of the forest, are these piles of "spooky looking" tree roots and branches. They look like a pile of bones or carcases.

I came to this observation platform, and a sign on it said "Do Not Climb", and the child in me came out, so I had to do it.

After looking in all four directions for a park ranger, to tell me off, up I went !

As I mentioned I didn't see anyone during my time there.

These trails around the forest all run in a grid pattern, so when you leave the car, it is worth remembering as you turn left or right down different trails, your bearings to get back to the car, to save you having to go round in circles.

Back at the car, it was such a pleasant morning I didn't want to leave the countryside so I sat and had a drink and quick read of the sport section of the newspaper, football starts again tomorrow, before I headed home.

No.5