Date: SEPTEMBER 6th-9th 2024
Alan Hockham is organising a few rides near Aldeby (a 5 mile cycle to/from Beccles) to coincide with the Tour of Britain STAGE 6 which starts at Lowestoft and ends at Felixtowe, passing through Beccles en route.
See HERE for details of Tour of Britain Stage 6.
ITINERARY
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Friday 6th September 2024: Travel to Aldeby / Beccles
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Saturday 7th September 2024: A day's ride. Several options. Alan's suggested routes:
1. NORWICH LOOP 45 miles (72 km) https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48075920
2. CAISTER LOOP 41 miles (66 km) https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48076200
3. TOPCROFT LOOP 33 miles (km) https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48076179
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Sunday 8th September 2024: View Tour of Britain in Beccles (need to be in Beccles 10.30 -10.45 am)
RIDE TO NESS POINT 30 miles (53 km) https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48075901
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Monday 9th September 2024: Travel home.
START / FINISH LOCATION
Oak Lodge, Wood Lane, Aldeby, Beccles, NR34 ODA
ACCOMMODATION - VAROIUS - OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE
​Kings Head, Wetherspons - Beccles
4–6 New Market, Beccles, Suffolk, NR34 9HA
Approx. £73 per night.​
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Wheatacre White Lion, Wheatacre, Beccles, NR34 0AT
B&B approx. £80 per night.
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The Wildings Elms Meadow (nearest to START/FINISH ... about 2 miles)
The Wildings Elms Meadow, Waveney Lodge, Elms Road, Toft Monks, South Norfolk, NR34 0EJ
​From about £25-30 per night.
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Three Rivers Campsite - Geldeston (Between Beccles and Bungay)
Three Rivers Pitch & Paddle, The Boat Shed, Station Road, Geldeston, NR34 0HS
From £16 per night no electric using Bird named pitch BUT fully booked Friday and Saturday
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HISTORY OF BECCLES
BECCLES: From the Anglo Saxon 'Beck' (Stream) and 'Leas' (Meadow).
There has been a community based here since pre-Saxon times, with Beccles representing the first crossing point over the River Waveney between here and the coastline. Many street names end in 'gate', derived from the Saxon for 'street'.
The town was once a flourishing Saxon Sea Port, prospering on the herring industry. Beccles was eventually granted its Charter in 1584 by Elizabeth I. There's a signpost that depicts the handing over of the Charter of the Corporation of Beccles to John Baas Port Reeve in 1584. It was during Elizabethan times that the tidal estuary eventually silted up to create the river and marshes seen today. However the town remained a busy port adopting new industries such as malting, tanning and wool. The town was also home to Catherine Suckling who was married in the town's St Michael's Church in 1749 to Edward Nelson, father of Lord Horatio Nelson. Under the streets of Beccles there is a network of tunnels linking the river's cliff edge with the various buildings in the town. Smuggling was widespread. By Victorian times the town began to rely more heavily on the relatively new advances in print technology. Clowes of Beccles was possibly the largest the largest book printers in Europe.