The London Ride 12th September - No Mystery!

I've been talking this over with Brian, our Rides Secretary, and we have agreed that giving people more information about the ride is probably more sensible than keeping it a secret.  So here's the outline of the ride that I'll be leading on 12th September.  It will be a London Ride, just as we have done for the last couple of years.  People seem to have enjoyed these rides, and we very rarely visit the Capital.

We will start, as usual, from North Cheam at 0930.  Much of the route is NCN Cycleways - quiet streets or paths - and there is only one hill, up to Crystal Palace through the park.  Not steep, and no traffic.  Naturally, as this is a London ride, some parts will be busy, but we'll take it steadily and I'm sure it will be fine.

Elevenses will be at the Horniman Museum on Streatham Hill, and lunch will be at the Gate Clock, a Wetherspoons in Greenwich.  I plan a slightly extended lunch break, so that people have time to look around if they want.  After lunch we will cross the Thames by the Greenwich Foot Tunnel, pass through Canary Wharf, which people liked last year, through the City to St Pauls and Covent Garden.  Then down the Mall and Birdcage Walk to Westminster Abbey, over Vauxhall Bridge to the Oval and the Superhighway back to the Wandle Trail at Colliers Wood.  This will take us the last couple of miles to Morden Hall Park for tea.  I expect to be there by 1630.

We'll need to be in single file for much of the ride, and if the group is large I'll divide it up with a second leader to make life easier - we can see how that goes.  There will be a back marker and a rider will wait at each major junction.

For those who want to, it is possible to cover part of the route by public transport.  The Horniman Museum is a mile or so from Crystal Palace station and about six miles from Clapham Junction; Morden Hall Park is close to Wimbledon so 'train assists' to begin or end the day are easy.  And adventurers can cross the Thames by boat rather than through the Tunnel - about £4, less with a Freedom Pass. (The Tunnel is free, of course.)

I'll bring some printed copies of this note to Cobham next Wednesday, but it would also help if people could pass the information on to Wayfarers who don't use the Internet.

Mark