Greenwich Cyclists Rides and Events

June 2008

Wednesday 3rd June: Greenwich Cyclists monthly meeting 7:30pm - 9:00pm Armada Centre, 21 McMillan Street (where Evelyn St meets Creek Rd, opposite the Post Depot) Deptford SE8 3EZ, 7.30pm - 9pm Map. Please ensure that you bring your bicycle into the meeting room with you.

Saturday 7th June: Family Ride - Thames Path to Erith. Follow Thames Path all the way to Erith. Return by the same route or take the train back. 10 or 20 miles, 90% off road. Picnic lunch near Woolwich. This is an ideal ride for new or returning cyclists. Suitable for children of all ages who are able to ride a bike confidently and less experienced children on trailerbikes, in trailers, on child seats or on the back of tandems. Children aged 9 - 13 who have passed a Level 2 Bikeability course may attend without a parent or carer with written consent. People over 14 do not need parental consent to join the ride! For more on family and children's cycling events see: http://www.johnballcycling.org.uk/files/fcr. Meet at The Crown, Blackheath. Map.

Saturday 7th June: Lenham and Great Stour. Riders wishing to travel from Bromley South map can get the 09:02 and change at Orpington for the 09:26 to Ashford. Originally conceived to start from the source of the Gerat Stour at Lenham the ride now starts at Ashford to avoid long travel times to Lenham. Our journey now takes us out of Ashford and follows route 18 along the Great Stour valley towards Canterbury. We travel through Wye and before reaching Canterbury we cross the Great Stour at Chatham and steadily climb the 600 ft up the North Downs before dropping to Lenham to find the source of the Great Stour. After Lenham we follow the river back into Ashford. Lunch in a pub somewhere. Entirely on roads and route 18 - should be suitable for all bikes. 48 miles. 2850 feet of ascending - hilly by our standards. (Ian - 07534 935 633 No texts please.)

Sunday 8th June: Open Gardens. Meet Cutty Sark Gardens 10.00 am for a ride to some of the gardens which are open for London Garden Squares Open Weekend. Along the river to the Brunel Museum garden in Rotherhithe, then on to the Downing Road Moorings just east of Tower Bridge and Shad Thames to walk on the barges and see the incredible plants grown on their decks. The tenants of these residential barges were threatened with eviction a couple of years ago but seem to be safe now. Then on to Trinity Church Square and Merrick Square just off Great Dover Street, which were built by Trinity House for their employees. Entry to the gardens is by ticket which can be purchased on the day at the first garden we visit for £7.50 or beforehand for £6; please see Open Squares website for details. One ticket gives access to any/all gardens visited over the weekend. Ride suitable for all bikes with a distance of about 20 miles, some main roads but also lots of traffic-free and quiet back roads. Sarah 07900 677706 no texts please.

BIKE WEEK. Saturday 14th June: Historic South London. A ride through historic South London to Dulwich and Crystal Palace. Picnic in Crystal Palace Park. Please bring your own food. 15-20 miles. Meet Cutty Sark Gardens at 10:00am. Stephen 07982 225131 - no texts please.

BIKE WEEK. Sunday 15th June: Julian's Family Ride to Surrey Docks Farm. Meet Cutty Sark Gardens at 10am for an easy flat family ride to Surrey Docks farm. Please bring sandwiches with you, or alternatively eat at the very good farm café. Julian 07771 692344. No texts please.

BIKE WEEK. Monday 16th June: River Lee. A Greenwich Cyclists bike week favourite meeting Cutty Sark Gardens at 6:30pm and heading north up th River Lee. Return to Greenwich by dusk.

BIKE WEEK. Tuesday 17th June: Tower Bridge. Meet at Cutty Sark Gardens at 6:30pm to travel through the foot tunnel while the lifts are still working, then riding off road where possible, ride west along the North bank, over Tower Bridge and then east along the South bank to Greenwich. David 020 8858 7570.

BIKE WEEK. Tuesday 17th June: Pilot Pub. Meet at The Crown on Blackheath at 4:30pm or Greenwich Cutty Sark Gardens at 5:00pm for a ride along the Thames Path, round The O2 and to the Pilot pub for beer and food. Tom Crispin 07899 757257.

BIKE WEEK. Wednesday 18th June: Terri's Tag. Meet Cutty Sark Gardens, Greenwich at 7:00pm for a mystery tag ride, where each participant takes 10 mins to lead the ride. Teri 07919 447 316.

BIKE WEEK. Thursday 19th June: Waterlink Way. Meet Cutty Sark Gardens at 18:30 for another Greenwich Cyclists bike week favourite heading South down the Waterlink Way cycle route 21 to South Norwood Country Park. Return to Greenwich by dusk. Easy paced flat ride. Andy 07890 215317.

BIKE WEEK. Friday 20th June: Tom's Bike event on Blackheath. An afternoon for children age 3 - 11 to have lots of fun with a number of events including bicycle limbo, slow cycling, and bicycle football. 3:00pm - 5:00pm on Blackheath Common. Tom Crispin/Teri Griffith 07919 447316.

BIKE WEEK Saturday 21st June: Midsummer Madness - The summer solstice. Longest day of the year. Magic about. Meet 2am Cutty Sark Gardens. 2.30am Southwark Needle. 3am Bar Italia, Frith Street. 4am top of Primrose Hill. 4.43am sunrise! 6am breakfast at the Island Cafe, Flat Iron Square, where Southwark Bridge Road kisses Union Street. Unmissable. Barry 07905 889 005.

BIKE WEEK Saturday 21st June: Feeder ride to Bike Week BBQ. Meet Cutty Sark Gardens at 6:00pm for a leisurely evening ride to a BBQ in West Norwood where all cyclists are invited for an enjoyable social evening. There will be a small charge to cover food costs, and very nearby is convenience store to buy your drinks. Andy 07890 215 317. No texts please. Contact Andy if you would like to join this ride in Dulwich Park, or make your own way to the West Norwood venue.

BIKE WEEK Sunday 22nd June: Brighton. We'll take mostly minor roads, face the challenge of Ditchling Beacon (everyone will be waited for and it's no problem if you choose to walk it, we'll be glad of a breather at the top) and return by train, probably after a drink/fish and chips or whatever by the beach. Pub lunch but as always bring snacks. There is a short off road bit which might cause full on racers a few issues but any other bike will be fine. 60 miles. Paul Taylor - 07957 209322 - no texts - talk - it's good for you! Meet 9:00am Cutty Sark Gardens or 09:45am in Forest Hill Station forecourt.

Sunday 29th June: Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge. Meet 10am Cutty Sark Gardens for a leisurely canalside ride to Springfield Marina for tea, followed by more canal to QEHL for lunch. Spot the William Morris connection. 30m. Suitable for families. Ride leader Ray: 07963 349 993.

Sunday 29th June: Chingford. From Greenwich, Cutty Sark Gardens, through the Isle of Dogs, onto the canal to Springfield Marina for tea break. Then further up the canal until we leave it at the North Circular to use mostly quiet streets to get to Chingford. Lunch will be next to the hunting lodge or any other option that you might want as there are several.
Return - You can take the train back to Liverpool Station if you wish. Otherwise, depending on time and inclination, may wander a bit into Epping Forest and then return by the same route or if I figure out an equally nice route, back by that. May come back via the Greenway, over the ferry and back along the Thames Path.
Start: 10am, Cutty Sark Gardens
Distance: somewhere around 30 miles or so.
Pace: casual (hard to race on the towpath)
Hills: yes a bit of climb up to Chingford, but we will miss the 10% grade hill and go up a quiet cycle route through a graveyard. Not all that spooky.
Busy Streets: A bit on busy streets around Chingford but will try to minimise this as much as I can.
Bail out: Access to train stops off the tow path in Hackney or Stratford, The train goes from Chingford to Liverpool Street.
Question to be answered: What did William Morris have to do with the Hunting Lodge in Chingford and what was he known to do riding around Epping Forest? For those of you who went to Red House this is an opportunity to expand your knowledge of William Morris.

July 2008

Wednesday 2nd July: Greenwich Cyclists monthly meeting 7:30pm - 9:00pm Armada Centre, 21 McMillan Street (where Evelyn St meets Creek Rd, opposite the Post Depot) Deptford SE8 3EZ, 7.30pm - 9pm Map. Please ensure that you bring your bicycle into the meeting room with you.

Sunday 13th July: Cycle orienteering. Meet at 9am Cutty Sark Gardens for bicycle once-overs before ambling up through Greenwich Park, loo and ice-cream stops if time allows, then off to John Ball for 11am meet-up with the wonderful Tom Crispin and some of the children from the five schools where he teaches cycling. Thence to Manor House, SE12 8QG for a spot of cycle orienteering. Tom is on 07899 757 257. Teri will lead from Greenwich to John Ball: 07919 447 316.

Sunday 20 July: Science Museum. Meet 9am Cuty Sark Gardens for fast ride there. After we have all had a look around a more leisurely ride back. 20m in all. Entrance to the museum is free, it opens at 10am and closes at 6pm. Only suitable for older children accompanied by parents. Ride leader Teri: 07919 447 316.