Kelso Breezers mark first year with a guide to local biking

The Breezer ladies have been running women’s organised bike rides weekly, weather permitting, for the last year, and hope to tell local enthusiasts a bit more about their rides, plus the other cycling opportunities Kelso has to offer.

The group is hosting three different cycle rides before a coffee morning where anyone interested can come and chat with them and find out more over a cuppa and cake/treats.

The coffee morning is on Saturday, March 23 at 11am in Abbey Row Community Centre. There will be plenty of treats for a small donation, with funds raised going back into the community via Kelso Heartbeat.

While finding out all about Breeze rides, the group’s two Kelso ride leaders, Laura Nisbet and Tracey Humphreys, will be able to tell visitors all about what the group does.

Members of our group – and, hopefully, its sister networks, the Jedburgh Breezers, Hawick Belles and Ancrum Spinners – will have information about rides in other parts of the Borders.

Also likely to be in attendance are Just Cycle, from Tweedbank, who recycle bikes and parts, along with bike mechanic Kev Welsh, from RubbersideDown Mountain Biking, who could help with advice and if you need to book your bike in for a service.

Various members of the Kelso Wheelers too will be able to tell people about what’s on.

Regarding the rides themselves, all will start from Abbey Row. Cyclists are asked to make sure their bikes are ready to go at the start time for their chosen ride. All rides will be back in time for coffee morning at 11am.

There will be a mountain bike ride at 9am, led by Kev, featuring a classic local loop. For the speedier riders, there will be a 15-mile road ride at 9.45am, followed at 10am by a social Breeze ride, led by Laura and Tracey, consisting of a really gentle five-mile loop around Kelso, suitable for young riders too, although young riders should be accompanied, as the cyclists will be on main roads as well as cycle paths.