This film is part of Free

Fun On A Weekend

Pedal power wins, whatever the weather, as cycle-mad teenagers put the miles in for a pre-Christmas weekend of festive fun by the sea.

Amateur film 1963 11 mins Silent

From the collection of:

Logo for East Anglian Film Archive

Overview

The East Anglian Cycle Club Hostel Weekend was one of the highlights of the social calendar. Filmed by club member Tony Thornley, this December 1963 ride from Norwich to Gt Yarmouth was a particularly wet one. Unphased by cold and rain, the teenagers don capes to cycle 20 miles or so to the coast. A fun time is had by all, with a chance to play table tennis, shop and even do the washing up!

This pre Christmas cycle tour to the seaside became a regular event for members of the East Anglian Cycle Club in the '60s and a great chance to socialise with other local Clubs. This particular weekend saw the extra surprise of a boat run aground on Yarmouth beach. Club member, Tony Thornley usually took his camera along for the ride too to record the trips. Having first ridden a two-wheeler at the age of five, cycling was to become a massive part of Tony's life. He joined the East Anglian Cycle Club in 1959 and received a long service award a few years before he passed away in 2013.