On your bike!! (Tandem)

Sun 17 Oct 2021, 11:30

Thanks Christine.

The link you provided led me to the (local) route  ridewithgps.com/routes/37080406?fbclid=IwAR2z1OuGw7B1tM1INuaz_ceiGXpwFL1VVU_qIPKvtgoEB2PEyBbu3DpevE4

Which should help with Ted's question.

How on earth they ended up in Yorkshire is beyond me.  Perhaps they took a wrong turn.

Sun 17 Oct 2021, 11:06 (last edited on Sun 17 Oct 2021, 11:09)

The Tandem Club website is very clear that it all started in Charlbury on 9 October 1971. Their website is here: https://www.tandem-club.org.uk/files/index.html 

As far as I can see, the initial discussions for founding the club were not in the YHA building, but at a local hostelry -- probably linked to the attempts to save the Charlbury YHA from closure.

Not sure if there is anything in Charlbury Museum about this event. 

I guess the reason that Hannen's relatives stayed at Banbury Hill Farm, rather than at the YHA, is to be found in the complex history of the Charlbury YHA (a.k.a. The Laurels, The Slade and the Glove Factory behind):

"Opened 18/4/1946 (Easter) as a small hostel with 21/28 beds [OXFar46]. Legal proceedings were prolonged. In 1946 the house had been converted to provide five small dorms, washing and lavatory facilities, but the factory portion was not yet developed; the house would be the hostel in winter, and women’s dorm’s in summer. ... 

A decision was made to close the hostel on 1/11/1970, hence the omission from the 1971 Handbook and inclusion only in the supplement. It was reprieved, largely through local and regional actions, and reopened 4/1973, with an official reopening 5/1973."

The hostel finally closed in 2001.

Sun 17 Oct 2021, 09:23

It certainly was a celebration of 50 years but they do not know if it was founded at the Youth Hostel.

They ended up in Yorkshire before returning to the New Forest!  I'm assuming they popped the tandems on vehicles otherwise there would have been a lot of very tired legs!

Fri 15 Oct 2021, 16:48

That's interesting Leah.

I shall try and find out from my wife's aunt who (with her husband) stayed overnight at Banbury Hill Farm, which they thought was very good.

They came from Lymington, and are in their 70's!

We dined at The Chequers, Churchill - very good.

Ted, they told me that they had cycled to the Green (?) at Witney - I know not the route!

Thu 14 Oct 2021, 21:18

I was told that they were celebrating 50 years since the Tandem Club was founded at Charlbury Youth Hostel 

Tue 12 Oct 2021, 17:25

What was their route? We saw some of them on Hatchings Lane, heading from Leafield towards Chadlington. Was there any particular purpose apart from enjoying a nice ride in like-minded company?

Fri 8 Oct 2021, 14:56

This Saturday 9 October there are going to be 40 tandem bikes leaving Charlbury in small groups from 10 am from the Spendlove Centre, down Hixet Wood then onto the Woodstock Road.

Saturday is forecasted to be sunny. Enjoy! Give them a wave.