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Bread pudding ride to Eton

windsor

Windsor Castle from the Bridge Credit: Jon W

Sunday 9th September, a largely cloudy day, with some warming Sun, and a slight Headwind saw 22 Cyclists leave via Kingston Bridge, Bushy Park- with 1 Stag trying unsuccessfully to cause a roadblock-, Hampton, Hanworth, Ashford, Staines-upon-Thames, Wraysbury, Datchett, Jubilee River Path to Eton for lunch at ‘the Watermans Arms’ just beating a group of Uxbridge Cyclist’s to the Bar, with 2 late starters & 1 other also tracking us down, also 1 of the morning party prefering to see the sights of Windsor, so 24 continued across Windsor Bridge, pausing briefly by Alexandra gardens to see one of Kingston’s finest exports, (a Hawker Hurricane, mounted in tribute to its designer, Sir Sidney Camm), Clewer Town, Ranger’s gate of Windsor Great Park, -with a strange rule that Cyclists must be in groups ‘no larger than six‘-, including the Village, Cumberland gate, Savill Garden, Totem pole & Virginia Water lake, then Virginia Water village, Lyne, St Anne’s Hill, Chertsey, Chertsey Bridge, Shepperton, to Halliford Garden Centre, just in time for Tea & BP, Lower Sunbury, Hampton Bushy Park, & Kingston Bridge. Total 44 Miles, thanks to Jon W for back marking & many others for corner marking, thanks to John D for the Bread Pudding.

Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/530830

Evening ride to Molesey

Wednesday 5th September. A largely overcast, warm Evening saw 14 Cyclists leave via lower Marsh, Berrylands, Long Ditton, Hinchley Wood, a somewhat ‘spookey’ Littleworth Common, Esher, Ember court to Molesey for refreshments at ‘the Bell’, then via Thames Ditton & Portsmouth Rd to Kingston. Total 12 Miles, 3 new faces, thanks to Ralph for back marking.

Map;- www.plotaroute.com/route/681349

Bread pudding ride to Greenford

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Osterley House

Sunday 18th August a mostly grey, cloudy Morning, with a Sunnier Afternoon, saw 24 Cyclists leave via Skerne Rd, Kingston gate Richmond Park, With a few Rutting Stags, briefly delaying the tail end, White Lodge, to Sheen gate, Mortlake, Chiswick Bridge, Chiswick, -with a delay whilst Chris tried unsuccessfully to catch an ‘escapee’,- Acton, North Ealing, Park Royal, then the Paddington arm of the Grand union Canal towpath, to Greenford for lunch at the Black Horse, – to find that the ‘Escapee’, had just beaten us-, 😉 with service a bit slow, because they were expecting around 200 for a Brazilian themed party & BBQ, but not many guests had appeared by the time of our departure, 😦 continuing along the Towpath to Southall, Southall Park, Norwood Green, to Osterley Park for Tea & BP, Osterley, Worton, Whitton, Fulwell, Bushy Park to Kingston. Total 30 Miles, 1 new face, thanks to Steve D for back marking & many others for marking corners, thanks to John for the Bread Pudding, thanks to Lars for the Photo’s.

Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/77217

Evening ride toPutney Heath

Wednesday 15th August, a bright evening, with a slight breeze, saw 15 Cyclists leave via Fairfield, Bonner Hill, Mount Pleasant, New Malden, Malden Golf course, Copse Hill, Wimbledon Common to Putney Heath for refreshments at ‘the Telegraph’, then Roehampton, Roehampton gate of Richmond Park, -first Night time visit for many-, via White lodge, to Ham cross, Ham gate, Latchmere, to Kingston. Total 13 Miles, 4 new faces, thanks to John E for Back marking.

Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/668097

Challenge ride to Holmbury St Mary

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Friday Street

A warm Sunny day saw 19 Cyclists leave via the High St & Portsmouth Rd track, (with 1 very impatient Driver trying to wipe out the Leader on leaving the slipway carpark), Long Ditton, Hinchley Wood, Esher, (with 1 late arrival, managing to catch the tail), Fairmile, Cobham, Downside, Effingham, (despite the Road closure, 😉), White down, Abinger to Holmbury St Mary for lunch at a very hospitable ‘Royal Oak’, then Abinger Common, Friday St., Wotton, Westcott, Milton Court, Dorking, Meadowbank Park, A24 Cycle track, Norbury park Farm, to the 2nd Road closure of the day, -this one needing a bit more effort to By-pass, but a deserted Young St was very pleasant to Cycle-, to Bockett’s Farm for Tea & BP, then Leatherhead, Kingston Rd Cyclepath, the City of London’s Ashtead Common, Epsom Common, Long Grove Park, St Ebba’s path, Hogsmill path, West Ewell, Tolworth Greenway, Berrylands to Kingston. Total 45 Miles, 2 new Faces, thanks to John E for Back marking again, and many others for marking corners, thanks to Derek for the ‘Spicy’ Bread Pudding.

Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/653318

Feeder ride to London Freecycle 2018

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near Sheen Cross, Richmond Park

Saturday 28th July, a bright warm Day saw approx 70 Cyclists leave the Market Place, via Skerne Rd, Kingston gate of Richmond Park, Ham Cross- where a phalanx of Police Motor Bikes were once again on a Recce for Sunday’s London Surrey events-, with a very strong tailwind, (could that be turned off for the return journey ?) also gathering more Cyclists, (approx 85 in all), White lodge, Roehampton Gate, Barnes, Thames Towpath, Putney Bridge, Bishops Park, Hurlingham, Parsons Green, Eel Brook Common, Brompton Cemetery, South Kensington, Belgravia, Victoria to Buckingham Palace. After a well earned lunch for the Marshal’s, & enjoying much of the central route, the search for the start point for the return ride, eventually found the right Tree, with around 40 Cyclists -including some who had got the Train into London-, collecting some 20 more on Constitution Hill, following behind the Ealing return ride, via Hyde Park, Kensington Gdns, South Kensington, -finally saying farewell to the Ealing group-,  Brompton Cemetery, Parsons Green, Fulham, Putney Bridge, Thames Towpath, Barnes, Roehampton Gate of Richmond Park, now with a strong Headwind, 😦 to Kingston Gate, to return to the Market place. Thanks to all the Marshal’s, especially Steve D as Back marker, & Rob as ‘Sweeper’ looking after small mechanical problems.

If you go to the ‘Flickr’ page, there is a short Video in Richmond Park, from Jon White.

Map of Feeder route:-www.plotaroute.com/route/656634

 

RideLondon FreeCycle

Saturday’s RideLondon  FreeCycle event is fast approaching. It doesn’t get the same amount of publicity as the RideLondon London-Surrey Classic (the one for all the sporty types doing up to 100 miles as fast as they can), but the FreeCycle event on Saturday 28th July has the most number of participants. You don’t have to register to take part and as the name suggests, it’s free to take part. (insert smiley face)

FreeCycle, if you have never seen it, is a mass bike ride on closed roads around central London including many famous London sights  including the Mall outside Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, The Strand, the City of London, St Paul’s Cathedral and Waterloo Bridge. Around 70,000 people take part each year, just pedalling round at their leisure, appreciating the views in a safe traffic-free environment and investigating the attractions and displays dotted around the route.

Each year volunteers from the Kingston Cycling Campaign take a group of around 100 people up to Buckingham Palace for the closed road circuit. Will you be coming with us this year? Meet us in the northern end of Kingston Market Place near Ultimate Outdoors ready to leave at 9:30.  Remember it’s free and no booking is needed.

Additional practical information:

Departure from Kingston:  Please be ready to leave the Market Place at 9:30

Return Journey: Our ride leader Roger will advise you where to met up and at what time. The time is likely to be about 3pm. Our group is likely to arrive back in Kingston between 5 and 6pm.

The route is about 14 miles up to London, the FreeCycle route itself is about 8 miles and of course the ride home is about 14 miles too. That makes a total of 36 miles. Our pace is very moderate so we think most people who are confident riding will be able to manage this. Children must be accompanied by an adult. You are responsible for your own safety and must adhere to the Highway Code.

What to bring: We’re expecting it to be hot so bring a full water bottle or two, sun protection and a well maintained bike. Bring a lock if you intend to park your bike in London. You are not required to wear a cycling helmet or a hi-visibility jacket; the choice is yours. We have a marshal who will assist you in the event of a problem with your bike.

Train travel: We’d love you to join us for the ride up but if you don’t think you can’t manage it you could consider taking your bike up to London on the train and join the FreeCycle event at Waterloo Bridge. If you want to cycle up with us and take the train home, that’s fine too.

Hire bikes: You could travel up to London and do the FreeCycle ride on a TfL Santander Cycle Hire bike

The End

 

Bread Pudding ride to Pyrford Lock

Wisley Airfield

Wisley Airfield 2 Credit: Jon White

Sunday 22nd July a warm but Cloudy day saw 24 Cyclists leave via the newly extended Portsmouth Rd track, Giggshill Green, Weston Green, Esher, Walton on Thames, Weybridge, Brooklands Park, Byfleet village, a very sandy Wey navigation Towpath, to the Anchor, Pyrford Lock for lunch, then Wisley, the former Wisley Airfield, Martyr’s Green, Hatchford, Cobham, Fairmile, Esher Common, to Claremont Lake for Tea & BP, then Esher, Littleworth, Hinchley Wood, Long Ditton, Surbiton- including the not especially useful Claremont Rd Cycle path, to Kingston. 28 Miles, 2 new faces, thanks again to John E for Back marking & many others for marking corners, very special thanks to the non Cycling Derek for the Bread Pudding.

Map:- www.plotaroute.com/map/159653

Evening ride to Ewell

Wednesday 18th July, A warm bright evening saw 10 Cyclists leave via Lower Marsh, Berrylands, New Malden, Malden Manor, Cuddington, Stoneleigh, Nonsuch Park, East Ewell to Ewell for refreshments at the ‘Wheatsheaf’, then 2 short part’s of the Hogsmill path, West Ewell, Tolworth, Cranes park to return to Kingston. Total 13 Miles, thanks once again to John E for back marking.

Map:-www.plotaroute.com/map/478923