7th May 2021 - Papworth Everard, Yelling, Eltisley, Gamlingay, Arrington

Introduction

A full day ride to revisit Gransden and Waresley Wood bluebells. We took a longer route on the way there to include our first visit to Papworth Everard. We walked our bicycles along a footpath out of Papworth to avoid the A1198. Yelling was a there and back detour of ups and downs. After Eltisley we arrived at The Chequers in Little Gransden for beer and lunch - 40km (about 25 miles). We stopped at the bluebells which were much better than a fortnight ago. Waresley does not have a sign but it does have a village lamp. On to Gamlingay for the 4th sign and then turn east with a following wind. Hatley St George, East Hatley and Croydon did not have a village sign. Arrington was the 5th and last sign of the day. We stopped at Wimpole Hall for coffee and cake before a quick detour to Wimpole village to confirm the absence of a village sign. Straight home down the A 603 - about 75km (46 miles) our longest ride since 2018 when I started recording rides and calculating our Eddington number.

Papworth Everard 

Double sided with the same image on both sides left-right reversed. A red dragon with a quill, church, bluebells and primroses, village hall, heart (used to be the home Papworth Hospital specialising in heart treatment). From the internet this would appear to be a recent replacement sign.

Yelling

A wood sign. Church, cricket match, farmer on tractor, horse, woodworking tools, oak leaves and acorns.

Plaque on the sign: "The village sign is dedicated to the memory of Kenneth Marnes Johnson 15th Jan 1931 - 7th Jan 1986"

Eltisley

Double sided. Trees and cricket match. WI and lightning.

Church and female Christian saint. 1984 WI

Plaque on post: "This replica of the original village sign was unveiled on 25th April 2004"

Waresley

No sign but is does have a village lamp which erected in 1897 to commemorate the 60th year of Queen Victoria's reign. It was converted to electricity to commemorate the silver jubilee of King George and Queen Mary in 1935. A third stone carving in the base was added in 2012 to commemorate the 60th year the reign  of Queen Elizabeth II.

Gamlingay

Double sided wood sign. Church and pub, oak leaves and acorn, swallow. Wheat and horse with harness.

Village hall (?) and church, oak leaves and acorns. Wheat and game bird.

Hatley St George, East Hatley and Croydon

No village sign

Arrington

Church and Roman figure in toga with scroll. Arrington is on Ermine Street the Roman Road from London to York. Creat, anvil and wheat.

Wimpole

No village sign

We have now photographed 88 village signs in 28 cycle rides. We have visited all the villages on my list up to 15km from my home. Gamlingay is the furthest one at 23.4km.