2 part ride to Chessington & Molesey

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Cheam Park

Sunday 24th September, Part 1. A bright Sunny day saw 20 Cyclists leave via Lower Marsh, Berrylands, New Malden, Motspur park, Joseph Hood Park, North Cheam, Cheam Park, Nonsuch Park busy with ‘Poppy Walkers’, & Joggers, Stoneleigh, West Ewell, Horton Country Park to Chessington for Lunch at the ‘William Bourne’, then the Bonesgate Path, Tolworth, Surbiton to Kingston. Sub total 17 Miles, 4 new faces, thanks to Jon W for back marking & others for marking corners.

Map :-www.bikemap.net/en/route/4216294

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Sunbury Lock

Part 2. With increasing Cloud, we said farewell to 12 and hello to 5, fresh faces so 13 Cyclists left via the Portsmouth Rd track, Giggshill Green, Weston Green, Esher, Walton on Thames, Ashley Park, (with 1 very annoyed Motorist), Thames Towpath, to Molesey for Tea & BP at Molesey Cricket Club, more Towpath, a very congested Hampton Court Bridge, Bushy Park, Kingston Bridge, to Kingston.  Sub total 15Miles, Total for the day, 32 Miles, 2 new Faces, thanks to Derek for back marking & many others for marking corners, also thanks to John for the Bread Pudding.

Map :-www.bikemap.net/en/route/4216449

Bread pudding ride to Knaphill

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Homewood Park, Chertsey Credit T. Coles

Sunday 10th September. A bright morning, with some light drizzle, and some gusty Wind later in the day, saw 20 Cyclists leave via the Portsmouth Rd track, Long Ditton, Giggshill Green, Weston Green, Esher, Walton park, Walton on Thames, Weybridge, Brooklands Park, Byfleet, Wey Navigation, Pyrford, Woking, Goldsworth Park, -where our Leader claims he was distracted by a ‘lost sheep’, who wasn’t really lost at all, but in truth he should have been paying more attention-, 2 yes two wrong cul-de-sac’s, before the right path was found to Knaphill for lunch at ‘the Royal Oak’, with a slight delay for some of the grub, then Chobham, Dunstall green, where a large Pothole, caused a visit from the ‘P fairy’, Homewood Park, Bretlands, Addlestone & Victory Park, Portmore Park to Walton Bridge for Tea & BP at Gino’s, then Walton , Molesey, Thames Ditton Portsmouth Rd track to Kingston. Total 40 Miles, 1 new face. Thanks to John E for back marking duties, & others, especially Jon W for marking corners, thanks also to John D for the Bread Pudding.

Alas the Camera failed to record the picture from Homewood Park. Thanks to Tracey for her Photo’s.

Map :-www.bikemap.net/en/route/4202340

Bread pudding ride to Englefield Green

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Staines Riverside, with Statue of the ‘Swan Master’

A mostly bright day, with increasing cloud in the afternoon, saw 22 Cyclists leave via Kingston Bridge, Bushy Park, (& a 10Km ‘fun run’), Hampton, Hanworth, lower Feltham, Ashford, Knowle Green, Staines, Staines Bridge, -with an advance party missing a turn-, (me thinks the leader forgot to forewarn them), Egham, to Englefield Green for lunch at the ‘Barley Mow’, (with a somewhat confusing ordering & payment system :-p), then Bishopsgate of Windsor great Park, Savill Garden, Virginia Water lake, Virginia Water village, Lyne, St Ann’s Hill, Chertsey, -with a missing Footbridge causing a small detour-, Chertsey Mead, Chertsey Bridge, Shepperton, to Upper Haliford for Tea & BP at Squires Garden centre, then Sunbury, Hampton, Dukes Head gate of Bushy Park, to Church grove, Kingston Bridge. Total 35 Miles, 3 new Faces. Thanks to Steve D & Mike for sharing the Back marking duties, thanks as always to John for the Bread Pudding.

Map :-www.bikemap.net/en/route/4171961

Challenge ride to Newdigate

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Dorking Rec Pond

Sunday 6th August. A largely bright day saw 16 Cyclists gather at Tolworth Station, (including 4 people coming on the feeder ride from Berrylands, as there where no trains on the Chessington line), leave via West Ewell, Epsom, Langley Vale, Headley, Betchworth, Gadbrook, Parkgate, to Newdigate for lunch at the ‘Six Bells’- with a little bit of confusion over 1 order & 1 order having a late delivery-, then a minor Brake adjustment, helping to cause 3 ‘lost Sheep’ ;-(, all back together, via Henfold, North Holmwood, Dorking, Dorking Rec, Burford Bridge, Norbury Park Farm, to Bocketts Farm for Tea & BP, with the most valuable Cyclist, (the Baker of the BP), suffering a visit from the P fairy, swiftly repaired, then Leatherhead, (where a stray Branch almost stole a pair of Sunglasses), Ashtead Common, Epsom Common, Long Grove Park, Hogsmill path, Tolworth, Berrylands to Kingston. Total 44 Miles, 2 new Faces. Thanks to John E for back marking, many others for watching corners, & John D for the Bread Pudding.

Map :– www.bikemap.net/en/route/4145707

Bread Pudding ride to Greenford

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Bridge over the Canal, Norwood Green

Sunday 23rd July, a mostly overcast day, with 1 very light Shower of rain, saw 10 Cyclists leave via Canbury Gardens, Lower Ham, Aerospace Estate, Ham, Ham gate of Richmond Park to Sheen Gate, Mortlake, Chiswick Bridge, Chiswick, South Acton, Ealing Common, Ealing, Pitshanger Park, Perivale, Grand Union Canal Towpath to Greenford for lunch at ‘the Black Horse’, then more Towpath to Southall, (encountering an Uxbridge Cycling group), Norwood Green, to Osterley Park for Tea & BP, then Osterley, Isleworth, Twickenham, Strawberry Hill, Teddington, Hampton Wick, Kingston Bridge. Total 31 Miles. Thanks to Mike & Jon for sharing Back marking duties, thanks to John for the succulent Bread Pudding.

Map :-www.bikemap.net/en/route/4119700

Train assisted ride via Hoxton to Tottenham

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Alexandra Park

Sunday 9th July. A mostly bright day saw 7 Cyclists gather at Clapham Junction, for the Overground train to Hoxton, where 15 more where waiting, so 22 Cyclists left via Hoxton, Victoria Park, Hertford Union Canal towpath, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Leyton, to Walthamstow to see some of the improvements that Waltham Forest Council have used there share of ‘Mini Holland’ money from the Mayor of London, then the Lea Navigation Towpath, to Tottenham Hale for lunch at ‘the Ferry Boat Inn, then Tottenham, Downhills Park, Wood Green, where Road Closed signs led to a small detour due to the ‘Red Bull Soapbox’ event taking place on our intended Route, through Alexandra Park 😦, Muswell Hill, Fortis Green, East Finchley, Hampstead Garden Suburb, Golders Green, Hampstead Cemetery, Fortune Green, Brondesbury, (where 1 of our party needed assistance down to the Platform for an early Train, so extra ‘Brownie points to Jon), to Queens Park for Tea & BP, then Kensal Town, with a Street party meaning a dismount to walk passed the stage, to North Kensington, where we paused briefly to reflect on the ‘Grenfell Tower’ tragedy of a few weeks ago, then Shepherd’s Bush, Brook Green, Baron’s Court, Hammersmith Bridge, Barnes, Roehampton Gate of Richmond Park, Kingston Gate to Kingston. Total 38 Miles, 2 new Faces. Thanks to John E for Back Marking & many others for watching corners, & special thanks to John D for going the extra Mile to deliver the Bread pudding, despite not joining us because of other commitments.

Map :-www.bikemap.net/en/route/4094723

2 Part ride to Molesey & Twickenham

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River Ember path

Sunday 18th June. A bright & Sultry day saw 14 Cyclists ready for Part 1, leave via, Surbiton, Long Ditton, Hinchley Wood, (where the Leader had a visit from the ‘P Fairy’, swiftly repaired), Littleworth Common, Esher, to East Molesey for an early Lunch at ‘the Bell’, then Thames Ditton, Portsmouth Rd track to Kingston. Total 12 Miles, 1 Puncture.

Map :-www.plotaroute.com/route/439332

Part 2 Still quite Steamy we said farewell to 5, hello to 4, so 13 Cyclists, were ready for the off, (but 1st a faulty valve meant a Tube change), leave via Skerne Rd, Latchmere, Ham, Ham Gate of Richmond Park, to Petersham Gate, (where shortly after leaving the Park, 1 of our party helped a ‘Damsel in distress’, not of our party, replace a tube), Richmond, Richmond Bridge, Ducks Walk, where yet another visit from the P Fairy, (again swiftly fixed), Isleworth, Whitton, to Knellor Gardens for Tea & BP, then Twickenham, Teddington, Hampton Wick & Kingston Bridge to Kingston. Total 12 Miles, 1 Puncture. Thanks to Mick for Back marking (& Puncture repairs), many others for Marking corners, thanks to John for a superb Bread Pudding.

Map :-www.plotaroute.com/route/439337

Bread Pudding ride to Dulwich

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Brockwell Park Clocktower

Sunday 4th June. A mostly bright day saw 20 Cyclists leave via Lower Marsh, Berrylands, New Malden, Motspur park, Bushy Meads, Merton park, South Wimbledon, Colliers Wood, Tooting, Tooting Bec Common, Streatham Hill, Tulse Hill, Brockwell Park, to West Dulwich for lunch at ‘the Alleyns Head’ (where for some unexplained reason, no food could be served outdoors, so those wanting ‘Pub Grub’ ate indoors), then Dulwich Park, Greendale, Camberwell Grove, Peckham, Surrey Canal path, Burgess Park, Camberwell, Stockwell, to Clapham Common for Tea & BP, then shortly after leaving the Common, a momentary lapse in concentration by the leader led to a grazed Elbow, ;-( Wandsworth Common, Earlsfield, Wimbledon Park, Wimbledon Village, Copse Hill, Malden Golf course, Mount Pleasant, Norbiton to Kingston. Total 34 Miles, thanks to Bob & Mike for Back-marking duties, and others for corner marking, thanks to John for the Bread Pudding.

Map :-www.bikemap.net/en/route/4031518

Bread Pudding ride to Pyrford Lock

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Downside Green

Sunday 21st May. A bright Sunny day, with the ‘usual Leader’ having a day off, welcome a new Leader, Jon, with 21 Cyclists, leave via Eden St., Surbiton, Long Ditton, Giggshill Green, Weston Green, Esher, Walton on Thames, Thames Towpath to Weybridge, (where the BP man almost made a break for freedom), Brooklands community Park, Byfleet, Wey Navigation Canal Towpath to Pyrford Lock for lunch at ‘the Anchor’, then Wisley, Ockham, Martyr’s Green, Hatchford, Downside, Stoke D’Abernon, Cobham, Fairmile, Stokesheath, Claygate to Long Ditton for Tea & BP at ‘Squires Garden Centre’, then Seething Wells, Portsmouth Rd track to Kingston. Total 33 Miles, 1 new face. Thanks to Steve J for back marking, many others for marking corners & JD for the Bread Pudding, and special thanks to Jon for leading a novel route to a familiar destination.

Map :-www.bikemap.net/en/route/4005177

Challenge ride to Chislehurst

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Jubilee Country Park

Sunday 7th May, A largely cloudy Morning saw 23 Cyclists remember the early start at New Malden, leaving via Motspur park, Cannons Hill, Morden, Morden Hall Park, Mitcham, Thornton Heath, Selhurst, South Norwood Park, Elmers End, Clock House, Cator Park, Beckenham, Sundridge, Elmstead to Chislehurst for lunch at the ‘Queens Head’, with a small group opting for the local Cafe, both with excellent service, then with brighter Skies & some Sunshine, Chislehurst Common, an almost missed turn to Jubilee Country Park, Southborough, Norman Park, Pickhurst, West Wickham, Spring park, Shirley, Addiscombe, Woodside, Selhurst (again), West Croydon to Wandle Park, for Tea & BP, then a short stretch of the Wandle trail, Beddington, Beddington Park, Hackbridge, Benhilton, Pylbrook path, Trafalgar path, a newly surfaced path to Sir Joseph Hood Park, Motspur Park to New Malden. Total 44 Miles, 3 new Faces. thanks to Steve for back marking, many others for marking corners, thanks to John for the Bread Pudding and special thanks to Mike for showing me most of this route. Also thanks to Tracey for the Photo.

Map :-www.bikemap.net/en/route/3982539