Friday, November 17, 2023

15th November 2023, B Group Ride to Uxbridge and back to the Pheasantry, Bushy Park

 

On the 15th of November we were greeted to a bright sunny day for our ride from Weybridge to Uxbridge and back to the Pheasantry, Bushy Park. The plan was to set off from Weybridge and travel north, going through Shepperton, Ashford, Heathrow, Harmondsworth, West Drayton and on to Uxbridge. Our return route took use to outskirts of Hillingdon, West Drayton, east of Heathrow, Hounslow, Teddington, and Bushy Park. I was ably helped by Tony Hopkins and Clive Janes who agreed to sub lead.  

1st Group led by Tony Hopkins

As subleader, Ray had given me the first group away at 10.25. Tim G had kindly offered to back mark the group of 8. Luckily the weather was on our side, chilly but fine. Heading to Chertsey bridge and along the river heading for Ashford and the Western perimeter road of Heathrow. Heading for West Drayton, with the Sun, yes Sun, shining on my Garmin, I missed the turn-off through Closes Park, but soon picked the route up again. We soon hit the canal towpath, which for the first few hundred metres was fine, the mud and puddles soon appeared. A consultation with the group was unanimous, "get off the canal", a main road and a few back roads and we were soon locking our bikes up at the lunch stop.

You can't beat a Wetherspoons for a non-booked group ride. Now off heading south and across the Grand Union Canal where I suspected my rear tyre was very soft, it was, so a quick session with the pump and we were off again, but only for around another half mile, a puncture, the second in 2 weeks on that tyre, a change of inner tube and we were back on the road, but not before the second group had passed us and 2 of my group jumped ship, Ann and Dawn,  

Down to Cranford and the off-road path at the side of Heathrow, which was in full flood, more like an off-road stream, but we got through, wet of foot. We pressed on through Hounslow Heath and just before, Pam headed West for home. As time was marching on before we reached Bushy Park and John still had 15 miles to go, we took the shorter route of Powder Mill Lane, Fulwell and Hampton Hill to the gates of Bushy Park, where we departed company and headed our own ways home.

A good to be out on a Sunny if chilly day with a good group, thank you all and especially to Tim G for doing a splendid job back marking and to Ray for the organisation and route planning.

2nd Group led by Clive Janes

We could not have been more lucky with the weather for this ride to Bushy Park via lunch in Uxbridge.  Wednesday was a brief window of glorious sunshine after an extended period of wet misery. My group of nine (Me plus: Christina, Brenda, Tony Hooker, Dave C, Martin, Arwyn, Geoff G and Stephen H) set off from Weybridge, under blue skies, and into what was to be a very cunning and varied route through Chertsey, The Thames, Laleham, around Heathrow, past a field of cabbages in Harmondsworth, along the Grand Union Canal (twice) and on to Uxbridge.




When we got to Uxbridge I cycled straight past the Good Yarn (being a Weatherspoon’s I was expecting a more prominent frontage). This must have dismayed my group who, I think, were ready for lunch. I certainly was, having been catching mouth watering aromas of curry spices for quite some time along the route. Once inside the pub I quickly sought out the curry options on the menu and ordered a Chicken Jalfrezi which was very good and served with the usual Weatherspoon’s efficiency.

The afternoon ride to The Pheasantry in Bushy was no less cunning than the morning’s ride. Along the way we went past Tony Hopkins’s group who were carrying out a puncture repair and, in the process, picked up another couple of passengers that decided to jump ship: Ann Bath and Dawn Moriarty.


We (I) got a bit lost going through Crane Park but fortunately Tony Hooker knew how to get us out and heading towards Bushy Park. We got there at about 4pm which was about 45 minutes longer than I was expecting when we left The Good Yarn.

After Crane Park the group was gradually whittled down to 4 (Dawn, Dave C, Martin, and I) that stopped for tea at The Pheasantry. I was tempted to head home myself as it was getting late and dark, but I’m glad I didn’t because Dawn offered me a very welcome lift home in her van which she had parked in Molesey. Thanks Dawn.

Thanks also to Geoff for being an excellent back marker, to Ray for the weather and the cunning route and of course to my group for the company.

3rd Group led by Ray Youlden

We left somewhat late from Weybridge and made our way around the back paths of Weybridge and took the cycle path along to Chertsey Meads, across Chertsey Bridge and along the Thames before arriving at Laleham. From Laleham we rode to Ashford and then along the west side of Heathrow using the perimeter road. We then took an off-road trail that led passed a field of cabbages to Harmondsworth. Then on to West Drayton where the traffic was light compared to the recce, as we passed under the GWR bridge followed by the bridge over the Grand Union Canal. Here we turned off the main road and along the canal to Packet Boat Lane, past Little Britain Lake and back on the canal to Uxbridge.

The 3rdGroup taking a break along Old Mill Lane 

We found the Good Yarn pub that provided us with food, drinks, and a comfortable seating arrangement with all ten of us seated around a round table in the corner of the bar. A good choice!

 



Enjoying lunch at the Good Yarn

A little bit later than planned, we left the pub and started on our way back to Bushy Park. During the first part of the journey, we used mainly small roads that took us past Brunel University, over Horton Bridge, which was cyclable, with sloping ramps, Simpson, and Cranford. This where my plan failed me! The two routes along the river Crane looked unappealing and with daylight slowly disappearing, we decided to retrace our steps and use the cycle path along The Parkway to cross the Great West Road on the east side of Heathrow. This junction took some time to cross as the group was spit by the timing of the traffic lights. Once reassembled, we cycled on to Hounslow Heath and then the junction with Hospital Bridge Road to cross the A316. This once again took some time but allowed us to put the lights on the bikes that were need for the rest of the journey home.

On reaching the Phesantry, we meet the remains of the 2nd group and after a brief discussion decided not to stop but to push off for home. A big thank you to Anne, Paul, Maggie, Diane, Mick, Maria, Ian, Grant and Julie for their good company and tolerance of my revisions of the route and not forgetting our backmarker for the day, Tim Court who did a sterling job of keeping all the group together.

 


The route to Uxbridge


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