Ten of us met at London Bridge on a dull but dry morning. After a 40 minute journey, we arrived in Paddock Wood and headed out almost immediately on the first of the tiny, practically traffic free country lanes that criss cross this quiet part of Kent. This ride covers the wide flat flood plain of the Beult River and is mainly farmland, orchards and old oast houses, a reminder… Read More »A Lovely Ride in Kent
Another Afterworker Posted on May 31, 2013 by Jane Four of us left the hustle of London Bridge on a dull, grey evening that threatened rain, but never carried out that threat. Pleasantly warm, too. Ideal evening for an extended commute. We hopped over Tower Bridge easily, down to St Katharine’s Dock where a fifth rider was waiting on the other side of the bridge. The bridge was up, to… Read More »Thursday 30th May 2013 Afterworker
I had decided on a meet point in Ladywell Fields and then to lead folks to Crystal Palace to pick up a train to Coulsdon where we would begin this ride. It is possible to ride out from Lewisham, through Croydon, down the A23 to farthing Down, and make this ride a true out and back London to country lanes ride. However, the train journey is short and cheap (1.65… Read More »Over the Hills and Not So far Away (Sunday 26th May 2013)
Well, I was expecting to be sitting on my own waiting for no one yesterday. I had received several messages throughout the day from folks saying the wind and possible rain was sending them straight home. The wind at London Bridge was pretty wild. My helmet was blown off my head as I unclipped it and retrieved by a kindly passer by. However, there are some hardy folks among us… Read More »Afterworker 9th May 2013
Two of us at Ladywell Station for the 20 minute train journey down to Hayes. Weather overcast, but dry. Quickly away from Hayes station and soon onto bridleways across Hayes Common with little sign of the endless sticky mud normally encountered here in Spring. Once beyond Keston the route took in a sequence of steepish climbs with fast entertaining singletrack descents. The main hazards being the occasional horse, some loose… Read More »Downe Mountainbiking Ride May 2013
Well, only Natasha at the Needle. The massive drenching showers of earlier in the afternoon had completely disappeared and if you had planned to come, but changed your mind due to that earlier weather, you missed a treat. Over the bridge, through the mad mayhem that is rush hour Thames crossing traffic, for maybe a minute, down to the riverside and peace, calm, sun peeping through the clouds, for the… Read More »A Quirky Afterworker May 2013
Posted on February 1, 2013 by Jane A bunch of us met at Greenwich by the tunnel on Sunday morning, just as the rain cleared for blue sky and sun to accompany us. As seems usual these days, the north lift was out of action again, but all sixteen of us managed to get our bikes up the stairs and thence to the riverside. The sky was blue, the sun… Read More »Riding Up the Canal for Coffee
What a gorgeous day for a bike ride. Right from the start, as we waited for the group to meet under Blackfriars Bridge, watching the mudlarks scavenge below and a rather odd cormorant poking his bill skywards, rather than diving for food, under a beautiful winter morning sun and blue sky. A ridiculously cheap train trip to Harpenden later (£4.50 with groupsave and network card mix) we were riding out… Read More »Hertfordshire Lanes and a Literary Diversion
Well, the weather forecast was pretty good, even promising a bit of sun, and it’s been reliable lately. So, I did not cancel this ride, even though this was our hilly, harder one of the month. 7 hardy souls turned up , a bit less than the crowd we get for the cafes canals and parks type London based rides we also do. You lot will have to do better… Read More »Over The Hills and Not So Far Away- from London to the Pilgrims Way and Back
I rode out to the meetpoint at Cutty Sark Gardens, not really expecting anyone to turn up for this ride. It was bitterly cold, with a freezing easterly blowing up the river and flakes of snow were falling. I had already received three messages from people who had thought earlier in the week, they would come, saying they had thought better of it. However, London cyclists are obviously pretty tough… Read More »Canals and Coffee