Octogenarian Marylin Williams, a stalwart of the Bike Ride, Walk & Drive event has once again made her annual pilgrimage from Liverpool to Norfolk to take part in the event.
She loves Norfolk, the place where she grew up and the church buildings that are very much part of the landscape.
Here is the story of her 2026 Bike Ride Day.
‘Well, I did it! 56 miles of it in fact! I was totally shocked when I calculated the mileage from church to church on Google maps.
Again, it was a memorable day! A lot of head wind, in fact it seemed which ever direction I travelled there was head wind, but at least the rain stayed off and for much of the day it was glorious sunshine. And with electric assist when needed even the wind was not a deterrent. Thanks so much again to John Wallace who loaned me his own bike.
I set off from Union Church Hunstanton in beautiful sunshine at 8.45, leaving three lovely ladies to ‘man’ the church, plus my sister Heather who doubles as my official photographer!
I changed my route a little this year, speeding down chapel bank to my first church, St Mary’s Old Hunstanton by 9am. I wasn’t surprised to find no one there yet. Onwards up the steady climb to Ringstead. This meant I missed out Heacham but was hoping to add to the numbers later on.
Apart from Little Massingham with its Heritage Open Day (and Union Church of course) Ringstead was the only one with a volunteer to welcome visitors. It maybe some came later. I received a warm welcome and the offer of a cuppa from the lovely Kate. I had called in at the village store and cafe earlier in the week to tell them about the ride and the cafe owner said Kate would be there. He knows her because she sometimes works in the store. A Cyclist was sitting outside enjoying a coffee in the sunshine. I chatted to him and learned he was touring East Anglia by bike from Stockton on Tees. I told him about the ride and later I found a generous donation on my Just Giving page from ‘A Random Cyclist!’ The cafe owner also gave a very generous donation, so well done Ringstead! It’s a popular village as it’s on the National Cycle Route and Kate said later, she had had eight other visitors where sadly Union Church had none. But they man it willingly to support me.
So back to the ride! After a good chat with Kate, I continued on to Sedgeford. Sadly, this church was closed. I have written in previous years that there is usually a dear, visually impaired gentleman there, but this year he was not. I have tried to discover if he is well but don’t know anyone in the village to ask. When I return to Norfolk for Christmas I will hope to make some enquiries. Sadly, Snettisham was also closed, to the disappointment of two holiday makers from Cumbria who had been hoping to see inside.
The sun left me as I turned up towards Ingoldisthorpe but was rewarded with seeing a red kite swoop close overhead and then dive down almost to the ground in front of me. So much better than being in a car for those who are still able to walk or cycle in the open air.
St Michaels and All Angels Ingoldisthorpe had lots of stickers leading to the entrance. It showed they cared. The church was open and providing refreshments, but there was no one there. I learned later that the person who would have been there was doing the ride himself, so couldn’t be in two places at once!
On along Cycle Route1 towards Sandringham. This year I sadly gave Dersingham a miss because of the long slog up to the road to Anmer. The sun came out again and the ride didn’t seem as long as last year.
At Anmer I saw a cycling couple searching for the church and I was just about to ride past it, so was able to direct them and we rode up together. They were a friendly couple from Norwich, not doing the churches ride, but camping nearby and exploring the Sandringham area. We looked inside the church and shared stories. They had just passed a Landover driven by a certain Royal who acknowledged them with a smile and a wave.
Before we rode on, they offered to take a photo so I suggested a selfie with all three of us, a nice change from my usual just bike and church photos. We rode together to Anmer Crossroads and on towards Massingham, a route I now know well. I didn’t want to slow them down. “Even with an electric bike I’ll be slower than you” I said, “See you in Massingham” and they rode on ahead, but I wasn’t that far behind until I stopped at Harpley.
Harpley church was open and quiet, but St Andrew’s up at Little Massingham was buzzing because of the Heritage Open Day. No wobbles or punctures this year! I met up with the Norwich couple again but was disappointed Olly, owner of Massingham Heath, wasn’t there. A lady in the porch greeted me with, “Oh, you’re the Allen key lady!” She remembered me as she was the one who had rushed home for the Allen key which Olly used to fix my wobbly saddle in last year’s ride. I’m sad I didn’t take more photos inside the church this time but wanted to go via Great Massingham to re-visit the ruins of St Margaret’s Church in West Raynham.
A team of Conservationists and volunteers are working to implement improvements to the site. I had read about this in the King’s Lynn Magazine and had met the architect and his wife on a visit by car earlier in the week. It was about six miles to West Raynham, but the sun was shining and I felt good so after a quick look at St Mary’s GM, I went. New territory and a delightful ride.
I called at the architect’s home in the village and was welcomed in with tea and biscuits once again from his very hospitable wife. I ate my sandwiches there, then decided to WALK down to East Raynham Church in its picturesque parkland setting over the Wensum bridge. This was mainly to give the leg muscles a change of exercise but was a glorious sunny diversion.
To get back down towards Docking and home I now needed to go via West Rudham, but as the phone on my sat nav directed me along a rough farm track I didn’t like the look of I continued to East Rudham and stopped at the church there. The back road to West Rudham passed near St Peter’s church but as I couldn’t find an entrance,
I continued the long, mainly down hill road to Great Bircham. I raced to try and reach the Village Stores before they closed as the owner had donated and plied me with tea and flapjack on my ride last year. Sadly, on Saturdays he closes at four!
Not too disheartened I still had an unopened flask of coffee and some food, so sat at a picnic table outside and enjoyed a drink and a rest. Great Bircham Church was still open but unattended. It was 5 o’clock by now so no longer expected to find churches manned. A short ride to Bircham Newton and I stopped at their small building and went inside.
For those who are familiar with the road from Great Bircham to Docking it is a thrilling, curvy, switch-back ride, very fast downhill then steeply up. I enjoyed it immensely. Docking Church was open and I met a young man from London who was cycling and sleeping rough, heading for Holkham that evening.
I still wanted to include the coast-road churches in my list and as none of the routes from Docking westwards are very enjoyable, I decided to go the four and a half miles to Brancaster, again mainly downhill. The tide was high and that view when you first see the sea is wonderful. The remaining churches.
I photographed but didn’t stop at apart from the old Methodist chapel in Thornham that I had attended as a child. It is now a holiday-let. The family staying there were just going in so offered to photograph me with the bike again and I photographed them too. Thornham Church, Holme with scaffolding, Hunstanton Methodists and St Edmund’s were all snapped along with a pic of the founder of New Hunstanton viewing the high tide from his position on The Green.
So finally, back to Union church and home. My official photographer came out to take the final photo!
I didn’t even feel tired at that point, amazing what adrenaline can do! I did experience some cramp later but no aftereffects the next day and a good long nap on Sunday afternoon.
So, God willing here’s to next year. I might not be quite as ambitious then though?’
Thank you Marilyn for sending us the story of your day, always full of adventures.
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