Windsor Great Park

Train assisted Bread pudding ride to Ascot

A mostly bright Sunny day saw 12 Cyclists gather at Surbiton station, for an unusual Train direct to Wokingham, with 3 more already on board, with 2 visits to Virginia Water station, then a long wait (the vagaries of crunching 2 different rail journey’s together), upon arrival at our destination, to find 1 of the party having suffered a visit from the ‘P Fairy’, soon fixed, followed by a couple of navigational mishaps, finally escaping the Wokingham area, via Binfield, the edge of Bracknell,- only to lose track of the tail end in ‘the Chestnuts’-, a strategic decision to take a more direct route to lunch via the A329 Cycle path, to Ascot for lunch at the Stag (Greene King),- with a limited Menu due to a broken grill, the staff were surprisingly Cheerful-, then Cheapside, Windsor Great Park (Photo), Guards Polo ground, Egham Wick, Egham, Staines Bridge, Laleham, Shepperton, -now too late for the Walled Garden,- a detour to Walton Bridge & just in time for Tea & Bread Pudding at the ‘Wilde Brunch’, then a plea for help from another customer, Lindsay put her nursing skills to good use, before an Ambulance arrived to take over, Walton, Esher, Weston Green, Giggshill Green, Potsmouth Rd to finish back in Kingston. Total 34 Miles, thanks to Chris F for back marking, thanks to John D for the BP.

Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/2329421

Windsor Great Park, now the closest Cyclists can get to Virginia Water lake, Cycling now banned on the South of the lake & near the Totem Pole- Boo!

Train assisted ride from Wokingham

Smiths Lawn, Windsor great Park

Smith’s Lawn, Polo field, Windsor great Park, credit: Jon White

Sunday 21st July. A largely overcast day, with some brighter spells, & some threatening clouds at lunch. With Network Rail having scuppered the original plan for today’s ride, a valient 26 Cyclists, made there way to Wokingham, leaving via the Holt, Cantley Park, the Warren, Binfield, Priestwood, Wick Hill, Chestnut path, Harvest Ride, Chavey Down, (very un chavey ?), Mill ride, North Ascot, Ascot Racecourse, with a visit from the ‘P Fairy’, swiftly repaired,  Cheapside, to Sunningdale for lunch at the very hospitable ‘Nags Head’, (finding 1 extra person, already enjoying a Beer, later joined by 1 more, but also 2 of the original group departing), with 1 meal delivered a bit late, Blacknest gate of Windsor great Park, Smith’s Lawn Polo field, (Photo), the Totem Pole, Virginia Water gate,- with a Park Ranger recognising our Leader as ‘a Legend’, 🙂 -, Virginia Water, Lyne, Bretlands, Addlestone, Victory Park, Portmore park, Weybridge, to Walton Bridge for Tea & BP at Gino’s, -with a change of back marker, due to other commitments,- Walton on Thames, Walton park, Esher, Weston green, Giggshill Green, Portsmouth Rd to Kingston. Total 34 Miles, 1 new face, thanks to Karen & John E for back marking, and many others for marking corners.

Map:- www.plotaroute.com/route/243158

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

Bread Pudding Ride to Englefield Green

Virginia Water

Virginia Water

Sunday 24th May. A mostly bright day, with a very light sprinkling of drizzle as we approached the finish, saw 29 Cyclists leave after a rethink for a lunch venue for such a crowd via Kingston bridge, Bushy park, Hampton, Lower Feltham, Ashford, Staines, Egham, (with a small delay for a jammed chain) to Englefield green for lunch at ‘the Barley mow’. Afterwards Bishopsgate of Windsor Great Park, Totem pole & Virginia water lake, Virginia water, St. Ann’s hill, Chertsey, Chertsey bridge, Shepperton to Walton bridge for Tea & BP at Gino’s, then Walton on Thames, Hersham, Esher, Weston green, Giggs hill green and Portsmouth Rd to Kingston. Total 36 Miles, 7 new faces, special mention for Mike the Unicyclist, who was a big talking point & great company.
Map:- http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/2977117