Needing to be back in London for Sat night, we decided to do the Dynamo in reverse, starting in Dunwich and finishing in London. Early start for trains from Liverpool St to Darsham, and a quick five miles from Darsham to the Ship at Dunwich, which was gearing up for the Dynamo with chequered flags and a 2am opening time on the Sunday.
First 15 miles to Framlingham good going, but as temperature tipped over 27C, it started to get a bit harder. Similarly good going through to Needham Market, where we stopped for cakes and water, then a longer, gradually slower run over to Sudbury, passed by a couple of cyclists who assumed that we (like they!) were planning to cycle to Hackney and then cycle back to the Ship overnight (“the Double Dynamo”). Greggs in Sudbury super – fabulous staff coping with heat, grumpy customers and sweaty cyclists with aplomb.
The stretch from Sudbury to Great Dunmow gradually became an endurance test, with the temperature over the road now plus 30C, and a headwind. We topped up bidons at the village club in Sible Headingham, but by Great Dunmow we were pouring in Lucozade and water by the litre. Improved road surfaces and slightly falling temperatures gave us new heart, and we motored through the Rodings towards Ongar, swinging west at Fyfield where the fabled Fyfield Pitstop was setting up in anticipation of the Dynamists coming the other way.
Shortly afterwards we started to see our first Dynamists, early starters (especially Bromptons and Penny Farthings). A quick stop at North Weald for a last water top up, and to pay respects to the Norwegian Air Force Memorial Stele outside the old Battle of Britain airfield, before the run into Epping Forest. By this stage the trickle of Dynamists heading north east had become a steady flow. We finally veered off the official Dynamo route at High Beech, heading West towards Barnet.
The first half of the Suffolk stretch, cross heaths and through woodland, is lovely riding. South Suffolk and North Essex are dry and exposed, with long hard stretches of B-road. Probably lovely on a quiet cool night with the wind behind you and the wooded Suffolk Coastal stretches to come, but a tough gig at 30C plus with a headwind when coming the other way. Fyfield to North Weald, along the northern glacis of the Weald was lovely again, before finally braving the Boy Racers and Defender Drivers of the Epping High Road (B1393/A104) on a hot Saturday evening.
