Challenge ride to Walliswood

Group 1, Weare Street Duck pond

Group 2 Fetcham Meadows

Sunday 9th August, A hot steamy day was perhaps not the best day to pick one of the Hillier rides we might do, but having to plan, organise sub groups & book ahead at the moment meant we had to stick to the plan. 14 Cyclists (after 2 late cancellations), split 3 ways, leave via Kingston Rd Cycle track, Chessington, Claygate, Princes Coverts, Oxshott, Fetcham (Photo 2, (who is the masked crusader? Me thinks it might be Chris)), Bookham, Effingham, with group 1 deciding wrongly in hindsight to use the Bridleway past the Roadworks, groups 2 & 3 wisely walked past the obstruction, Whitedown, Abinger, Holmbury St Mary, Forest Green to Walliswood for lunch at the always delightful ‘Scarlett Arms’, then Okewood Hill, Weare Street (Photo 1), Ockley, Capel, -where things started to go slightly awry-, 2 of group 1 decided to take a detour to visit ‘Dorking Brewery’, then had to backtrack, hence Group 2 caught up & took the lead, Newdigate, Henfold, Stonebridge, -only to lose 2 of group 2 off the front (a reminder to listen to instruction from leader if you get in front)-, hence Group 1 retook the lead, Pixham, A24 Cycle track to Burford Bridge, for Tea & Bread pudding at ‘Rykas’, with group 3 splintering, some heading for Leatherhead & Train, 1 missing a turn & heading straight for home, the last man standing joined group 1, the 2 groups remaining electing to take an easier less Hilly route than planned, Leatherhead, Ashtead Common, Horton, West Ewell, to Tolworth. Total 49 Miles, special thanks to Bai for leading group 2, & Mags leading group 3, thanks to John E, Steve F & Will for back marking each group, thanks to John D for the BP.

Map:-www.plotaroute.com/route/1238121

Bread Pudding ride to Northolt

Group 1 Northala field

Sunday 26th July , a mostly bright day with light rain at the end of the lunch breaks, & steadier Rain after the Tea stop, saw 15 Cyclists, split into 3 groups of 5, having managed to find an alternative to Garmin’s non functioning Website for group 2, leave via Kingston Bridge, Teddington, Twickenham & the new ‘Railway Path’, Isleworth, Syon Park, Brentford, South Ealing, Boston Manor Cycle track, Hanwell, Churchfield Rec, High Lane Path, Southall, Greenford to Northolt for lunch at the very hospitable ‘Crown’ (Sizzling Pubs), all 3 groups electing to stay in the Garden, then Northala field, (Photo group 1), Southall, Norwood green, Osterley Park, Osterley, Hounslow, Whitton, to Kneller Gardens for Tea & Bread pudding, -with group 2 finding an alternative route, & temporarily mislaying 2 members, oops-, 20200726_145553 group 3 arrived before 2 (Photo group 3 at Tea), Crane river Park, Fulwell, Bushy Park, Kingston Bridge, to find group 2 had found a different route to Bushy Park, usurping group 1 in the process. Total 29 Miles, very special thanks to Carl & Bai for leading groups 2 & 3, thanks to Mike, Ralph & John E for Back marking each group, thanks to John D for the BP.

Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/1212522

Bread pudding ride to Walton on the Hill

Socially distanced lunch, Walton-on-the-Hill. Credit: Chris F

Sunday 28th June. After such a long hiatus, due to the Covid pandemic, how to get back on track, why not have three rides in one day ! As current rules stipulate, a maximum of 6 people (Socially distancing of course), on a first come first served basis, with 14 response’s, we settled on 2 groups of 5, with 1 group of 4. A bright Sunny day, with a light sprinkling of Drizzle as we finished lunch, Group 1 left via Lower Marsh, Berrylands, Tolworth, West Ewell, St Ebba’s path, Epsom, Court Rec, the Red Bridge, Woodcote, Langley Vale, Hurst Rd to Walton on the Hill for a Picnic lunch, arriving almost on cue, 5 minutes behind group 2, followed again 5 mins later by group 3, thankfully Chris remembered we needed a Photo (thanks for joining us for lunch Chris & Graham), separating again, via Kingswood, Chipstead Valley, to Banstead for Tea & Bread pudding, at Pistachios (could we resist eating it all before the others arrived…., yes we could), in fact it was group 3 who arrived first, with group 2 close behind (no ones admitting they got lost, so we’ll assume gr 3 where just a bit hungrier), also joining us briefly ‘Nurse Andrea’ , Belmont, Cheam village, Cheam Park, pausing to see the ‘Sinkhole’, still unrepaired since before Lockdown,

Cheam Park Sinkhole

North Cheam, Joseph Hood Park, Motspur park, New Malden, Berrylands to Kingston. Total 31 Miles, special thanks to Co-leaders Mike & Mags, thanks to John D for the BP.

Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/1181994

2 part ride to Twickenham & Nonsuch Park

with General Roy’s Cannon, Hampton

Sunday 15th March Part 1. A largely cloudy morning saw 12 Cyclists leave via Kingston Bridge, Bushy Park,- pausing to hear about SHAEF-, Hampton, another pause to visit the Memorial to General Roy, ‘Grandfather of the Ordenance Survey’, (Photo), Hanworth, Hanworth Park, Letrim Park, Crane River Park, including the Shot tower, -with a minor mechanical causing a short delay-, Kneller Park, to Twickenham, for lunch at the ‘Prince Blucher’, (Fullers), Strawberry hill, to find the Level crossing closed for works, with a few of the Bikes carried through the works, but all the Cyclists & other Bikes used the Footbridge, then Teddington, Hampton Wick & Kingston Bridge. Sub total 14 Miles, thanks to Derek for Back marking, 2 new faces.

Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/528789

Part 2. A cloudy afternoon, with some light Drizzle at Tea, turning to 1 brief but heavy Shower, say farewell to 9, but welcome 5 fresh faces, so 8 Cyclists, left via the new Penrhyn Rd track, Surbiton, King Charles Bridge, Tolworth, & Greenway, Kingston Rd track, West Ewell, Hogsmill path, Ewell village, East Ewell, to Nonsuch Park cafe for Tea & Bread pudding, some large Puddles, due to Waterlogged fields overflowing, Cuddington, Worcester park, Old Malden, New Malden, Berrylands, to Kingston. Sub total 13 Miles, Total 27Miles, thanks to Kasren & Steve for back marking duties.

Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/1052842

Bread pudding ride to Harlesden

Syon Park, Brentford

Sunday 1st March. A mostly bright day, with a strong breeze, saw 24 Cyclists leave via Kingston Bridge, Hampton Wick, Teddington, Strawberry hill, Twickenham, St Margerets, Isleworth, Syon Park, (Photo), Brentford, (with a tailwind 🙂), Carville hall Park, Gunnersbury Park, Ealing Common, West Acton, Park Royal, Grand union Canal path to Harlesden for lunch at ‘the Grand junction arms’, more Canal towpath, -with the first visit from the ‘P Fairy’,- North Kensington, Shepperds bush, Brook Green,-alas the ‘P Fairy’ has struck again, eventually leading to the victim abandoning the ride, 😦 – Fulham, Bishops Park, Putney Bridge, Putney, Barnes Common, Roehampton Gate Richmond Park, (with Headwind, 😦), Ham gate, to Kingston. Total 29 Miles, 1 new face, & many others for marking corners, thanks to John for the Bread pudding. 2 visits from the ‘P Fairy’.

Map :-www.plotaroute.com/route/1042144

Bread pudding ride to Addlestone

Brooklands Museum, with Concorde

Sunday 23rd February. A rather breezy day, with a strong headwind at times, saw 22 Cyclists leave via Portsmouth Rd, Thames Ditton, Giggshill Green, -mixing with the ‘Hampton Court half marathon, then finding our path blocked by a Scaffold lorry, then more Half marathoners,- Weston Green, Esher, Walton on Thames, Weybridge, Brooklands Museum, (Photo), Brooklands Park, Byfleet, New Haw, Rowtown, to Addlestone for lunch at ‘the Pelican’, then Chertsey Meads, Chertsey Bridge, Shepperton, Halliford, to Sunbury for Tea & Bread pudding at the walled Garden, all about to restart only to find the ‘P fairy’ has paid a visit, quickly fixed, Hampton, Bushy Park, Hampton Wick, Kingston Bridge. Total 28 Miles, thanks to Will & Mike for Back marking, & others for marking corners.

Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/966549

Challenge ride to Chislehurst

Beckenham place Park

Sunday 2nd February. A bright morning, with more Cloud in the afternoon, and a relativly warm day, and a nice Tailwind to start, saw 18 Cyclists leave via Malden Roundabout, Worcester park, with a very early visit from the ‘P fairy’, Pyl Brook path, Benhilton, Wrythe green, Hackbridge, Beddington Park, Waddon, West Croydon, Selhurst, Heavers Meadow, with the 2nd visit from the ‘P fairy’ eventually leading to the victim heading for home, 😦, Norwood, Birkbeck, Beckenham, Cator Park, Beckenham Place Park, (Photo) Plaistow, Elmhurst, to Chislehurst for lunch at ‘the Queens Head’, (Ember Inns), then Chislehurst Common, Jubilee Country Park, Petts wood, Southborough, Norman Park, Pickhurst, West Wickham, Shirley, Addiscombe, -with one of our party tragically losing his ‘ding-a-ling’,- Woodside, Heavers Meadow (again), Thornton heath, Pollards hill Estate, Mitcham, Eastfields, Phipps bridge, to Morden hall Park for Tea & Bread pudding, Merton Park, Cannon Hill Common, Raynes park, to New Malden. Total 44 Miles, 1 new face, thanks to Jon W for back marking, & many others for marking corners, thanks to John for the BP.

Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/1016100

Bread pudding ride to Wandsworth

Bishops Park Fulham

Sunday 19th January, a cold, Sunny day saw 18 Cyclists leave via Skerne Rd, Thames Path, Aerospace estate, Ham, Ham gate Richmond Park, White lodge, Roehampton gate, Barnes, a still traffic free Hammersmith Bridge, Fulham, Bishops Park, (Photo), a busy Putney Bridge, to Wandsworth for lunch at the ‘Garrett Tavern’, slighty delayed by a slow to steady service, but otherwise good lunch, the Wandle path, a very congested Earlsfield, more Wandle path, to Colliers wood, Phipps bridge, Morden Hall Park, St Hellier, to Lower Morden for Tea & Bread pudding at the ‘Blue Diamond’ Garden centre, Worcester park, New Malden, Berrylands, to Kingston. Total 26 Miles, 1 new face, thanks to Ellie and Steve for back marking, and others for marking corners.

Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/1008325

Bread pudding ride to Ashtead

Ashtead Park

Sunday 5th January 2020, a chilly mostly overcast day saw 26, no 1 more has snuck in so 27 Cyclists left via Portsmouth Rd track, with an ‘inactive Crossing phase for Cyclists, (reported to TfL), Long Ditton, Hinchley wood, Esher, Fairmile, Cobham, Downside, Bookham Common, Fetcham, Leatherhead Railway path, to Ashtead for lunch at a very popular ‘Woodman’, then Ashtead Park (Photo), Woodcote, Epsom, East Ewell, to Nonsuch Park for Tea & Bread pudding, still with Daylight, (just), Worcester park, New Malden, Berrylands, Lower Marsh, to Kingston. Total 29 Miles, thanks to Will & Amy for Back marking, and many others for marking corners, thanks to John D for the BP.

Update from TfL; They say the Traffic light problem had already been picked up, & has been fixed, I’ll try to confirm that later in the week.

Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/997972

Christmas special ride to New Malden

Wimbledon Common & Windmill

Sunday 8th December, a bright pleasant Morning saw 23 Cyclists have a slightly delayed start, due to the late running of Trains, leave via Skerne Rd, Kingston gate Richmond Park, White lodge, Roehampton gate, Roehampton, Wimbledon Common, (Photo), Westside, Raynes park, New Malden to Woodies, for a superb lunch,

Lunch at Woodies

including a few others who managed to find the venue by other means, after thank-you speech’s from Bai to the ‘leadership team’, also the Back markers, from Ride leader Roger, to Mike for deputizing on occasion, reiterating thanks to all the Back markers & corner markers, for all there hard work, & especially the Pub for Catering so wonderfully, then the presentation for assistant of the Year to Ellie for Back marking & other help as needed, finally Ride organiser, John announced the Prize for the best attendance, went to Rob W, a slightly Cooler afternoon, with light Drizzle….., soon turning gradually heavier and with a Cold brisk Wind, to Freezing Rain via Motspur park, Worcester park, Stoneleigh, West Ewell, -the Rain finally ceasing, also displaying a good Rainbow-, Chessington, to Long Ditton for Tea & Bread pudding, Surbiton, to finish at Kingston. Total 23 Miles, Thanks to Ian for Back marking, & many others for marking corners, thanks to John D for the BP.

Map:-www.plotaroute.com/route/962880

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bread pudding ride