Ride takes shelter under high diving board

Hurricane Brian threatened our monthly ride from Beddington Park but six cyclists left the park to cycle a truncated circuitous 10k route stopping for a break at Wyevale garden centre behind The Hilton Hotel on Purley Way.  We cycled along the Wandle towards Croydon continuing straight until we almost reached the dual carriageway in front of Croydon Parish Church.  We followed the road right and uphill for quite a strenuous ride for our youngest cyclist (9 year old Hector).  At the top of this hill we turned right on Duppas Hill Terrace and cycled through the underpass. Continuing along Violet Lane then right on Price Road, left on Hillside Road. across Denning Avenue to Goodwin Road, we turned left onto Waddon Way where the wind off the playing fields threatened to slow our progress.

Heavy rain after our tea break at the garden centre saw us retreat back under cover and try to recall the significance of the diving board within the grounds. Research at home discovered it to be a Grade II listed building and it is one of only four inter-war concrete diving platforms known to survive in England.

Homewards now we continued along Waddon Way to cross Purley Way and follow Imperial Way turning right onto Hannibal Way and cross Stafford Road to High View Avenue. W turned left on The Chase, crossing Plough Lane to enter Sandy Lane  North. Then straight to cycle down Tharp Road where we separated to make our way home.

Thanks to Colin for leading the ride on such an unpromising day and well done to our two young riders.

Sorry no photos today as cameras were forgotten due to weather watching!

Maggie

Thames Estuary all-day ride - Oct 14th

The ride started at Waterloo Station, although the trains were up the creek!

Embankment along Crayford Marsh

We cycled to Cannon Street Station to board the train to Slade Green Station from there we picked up the NC1N route which took us along the river Darent to the Thames estuary just west of the Dartford crossing.

Tea stop was at Morrisons cafe Erith. We then cycled onto Woolwich but as the time was getting on we took the main road to Greenwich for a late lunch (you know where!).

First sight of London

After lunch we boarded the Thames clipper for the trip back to Westminster pier then cycled onto Battersea Park for tea as it was getting late we all decided to catch the train back from Clapham Junction (trains still up the creek).

Thanks to everybody for their company and Simon for back marking.


~Tony Hooker

Telegraph Track Saturday 23 September

l to r: Stephen, Marion, Kevin, Philip, Colin, Nigel, Sue, Sophie, Roy, Dave

We were delighted to welcome ten new guest riders, including eight on four tandems to our group this afternoon.  The tandem riders were members of the Merton sports and social club for people with visual impairment; they hadn't been out on their bikes for a while, so joined us as a first step to getting back to regular cycling together. One of the pairs, Richard and Anna, had to turn back from Cheam village to Nonsuch Park for more practice in a traffic free environment. But the rest of us (11 all together) continued through to the top end of Sutton, and followed the cycle route up past Stanley Park allotments and Sutton Community Farm, to the Blossoms café in Flittons nursery at Woodcote.

Our picture was taken after tea as we readied ourselves for the (mainly downhill) ride back.  No wonder we look happy! Thanks to Nigel for leading, with Colin and Helen sharing backmarking.