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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