May 2013
Thursday 23 May
Regent's Canal - Afterworker
Meet: 18:30 "The Southwark Needle" (outside Evans London Bridge)
A jaunt up the Regent Canal to St Pancras planned, to view the grave of a famous woman and then back down to Red Cross Way, past the Crossbones Graveyard where some less famous women are buried. Then back through South East London for a quick tipple at the Angel in Rotherhithe. All welcome. Jane 07826 559 603
Saturday 25th May
Local Ride : Gareth
Meet 9.30 am at Cutty Sark Gardens (note the early start time). Join Greenwich Cyclists for a ride around the local area, starting at and returning to Cutty Sark with optional brunch stop. This is a short to medium length ride ending in the early afternoon. Suitable for all bikes, paced for all. Gareth 07533-564971 - no texts please, fine to just turn up on the day.
Sunday 26th May
Over the Hills and Not So Far Away - about 50 miles
Meet Ladywell Fields by the cafe 9.00am (If you are from out of Lewisham and unsure of this location, please contact ride leader)
Ride to Crystal Palace Station for a cheap, short train ride to Coulsdon. From here we will to ride to the lovely Farthing Down, across the Pilgrims Way and back to the borough of Lewisham (and Greenwich if people don't know the way!) via Sundridge Hill and West Wickham. We will lunch in a country pub.
This is a fairly hard ride, hills, but worth it for the beautiful Kent countryside. And remember, for every ascent there is a terrific descent and a fine view and we never leave people behind. We also don’t mind if you have to walk the hills. (Sometimes we have to ourselves anyway!)
Jane 07826559603
Wednesday 29th May
Rides planning meeting
6.30ish at the Dog and Bell, Prince Street, Deptford. Blink and you’ve missed it but we stay around drinking and chatting for a while.
June 2013
Saturday 1st June 2013
Otford to the Hollow Shore
46 miles, 2400 ft of climbing – moderate pace
Meet: Trevor Hughes @ 0845, Catford Station (not Catford Bridge) for the 0902 train to Otford – ETA 09:37 OR Andrew Fergar @ Bromley South station (forecourt) 0900 for the 0913 train to Otford – ETA 09:37
Please buy a single ticket to Otford (we will return from Faversham at the end of the day – the total return fare should be c.£15)
Join us for a relaxed, social, springtime ride from the Darenth Valley out to a 'remote' pub on the Kent marshes, once seen, not forgotten. We'll cycle across country, through beautiful and interesting villages such as Plaxtol, Yalding, and Hadlow (with its immense tower), stop for a pub lunch about half way, then gradually make our way across more nice country, past Faversham, and cycle out on the road across the marshes to the Shipwright’s Arms at the Hollow Shore by about 16:00 – it's an extraordinary weather boarded hostelry, infused with a peculiar, seafaring, somewhat Dickensian character, and it's really worth the trip. There, we plan to have a drink and perhaps some food before returning to London by train from Faversham, 3 miles away (to Bromley c.80 min's), arriving back late evening….. or earlier if you wish, as the trains are quite regular.
Please bring some lights and some inner tubes
Contact: Trevor Hughes 07775 928953
Sunday 2nd June
Downe & Fickleshole loop ride
Meet 10:00 by the cafe in the Northern part of Ladywell Fields.
Steady ride out into the edge of the Kent countryside. Very direct route down to Hayes, then up the pretty Nash valley and on to Downe with a tea break (time permitting). Then on through Cudham and along the crest of the North Downs, before turning back with a long cruise down Beddlestead Lane for a pub lunch in Fickleshole. Finally following NCN Route 21 all the way back to Greenwich. Several shortish but steep hills, in total around 60km (37 miles). A couple of rough sections of private road/track should be manageable on skinny tyres with care. Please ensure your bike is in full working order and bring a spare inner tube.
Contact – Tim 07775 654990 (texts preferred!)
Wednesday 5 June 2013
The Greenwich Cyclists June monthly meeting will take place on Wednesday 5 June. Our AGM takes place in June so we will commence the monthly meeting earlier at 7pm at the Armada Centre in Deptford: Armada Community Centre, 21 McMillan Street, Deptford, London, SE8 3EZ (The Armada Centre is near the bus stops roughly opposite the point where Deptford High Street meets Creek Road).
All are welcome and you can bring your bikes inside the building. The Armada Community Centre
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Cycling The Salient Ypres
6-11 June 2013
Meet Bromley South or Dover
Below are the details of a 6 day cycling trip to visit the battlefields of The Ypres Salient across the second weekend in June 2013, leaving London onThursday 6th June and returning on Tuesday 11th June. The Thursday and Tuesday will be travel to and from Ypres; Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday will be battlefield tours.
Joining the trip: People are free to join the trip at whatever day and time suits them, one person is coming on Eurostar (www.eurostar.com) on the Friday evening and returning on the Sunday evening, and hiring a bike in Ypres. People can also meet at Dover or drive and meet in Ypres on the first morning.
Distances: The rides will be about 35 to 50 miles each day depending on how much time we spend at the places we visit and any other stops to visit places we pass on route. Dunkerque to Ypres is about 48 miles.
Going: We will meet at Bromley South station of the Thursday at 06:30 and take a train from Bromley South (ETD 07:02) to Dover (ETA 08:54), it is a 3 minute cycle to the ferry port from Dover station, we take ferry from Dover (ETD 10:00) to Dunkerque (ETA 12:00) cycle from Dunkerque to Ypres via Poperinghe. You can go direct to Dover. I will book train (£26 return less with a group booking) and ferry tickets (£30 return with cycle), please let me know if you are travelling from Bromley South or meeting at Dover.
Coming back: On the Tuesday we will cycle to Dunkerque (ETD Ypres TBC), take the ferry to Dover (18:00ish) and train from Dover (Time TBC) arriving back at Bromley South late evening.
Accommodation and eating: This trip is self supporting, I will be camping in Ypres; the camp site has excellent facilities, it is close to the town and only five minutes walk from the Menin Gate, the cost for a tent on the camping field is 39 Euros for 5 nights. The link to the camp site is here: http://www.jeugdstadion.be/E/index.php
There are also many hotels in Ypres, a full list can be obtained from the Tourist Offices – details below – there is a list of hotels and B&Bs that are known to the Tourist Office on the website, the link is here: http://www.ieper.be/ the email is: Toerisme@ieper.be There are many restaurants in Ypres.
Battlefield itineraries: I have put together four itineraries for the Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, the idea is we meet in the Ypres market square at about 08:30 for breakfast and ETD is 09:30 each day and we should be back in Ypres at about 17:30 to 18:30ish. Go back to the camp site shower change and out for dinner and a few beers.
Day 1 – Thursday - Travel to Ypres via Poperinghe
We will catch an early train from Bromley South to Dover and take the 10:00 ferry Dover to Dunkerque; cycling from Dunkerque to Ypres we will visit Lijssenthoek cemetery and travelling on to Poperinghe we visit Talbot House. Continuing to Ypres we will visit Brandhoek New cemetery were Capt Noel Chavasse a double VC is buried before cycling on to Ypres.
Day 2 – Friday
Today we cycle north to visit Essex Farm Bunker dressing station, we continue north along the line of the Leper Canal to Boezinge; from there we follow the approximate battle line of 6 June 1917 the Third Ypres to Steenstraat. From there we head east visiting the German cemetery at Langemarck, and the Poelkapelle British cemetery where we find the grave of Pte J Condon who at the age of 14 was the youngest killed in the Salient during Second Ypres, and the Canadian brooding Soldier Vancouver Corner.
Day 3 – Saturday
Today we cycle east to visit Tyne Cot Cemetery, we then follow the approximate battle line of 22 April 1915 visiting Polygon Wood, Sanctuary Wood Museum, Hill 62 and Hill 60, we return to Ypres along the line of the Ypres-Commines Canal.
Day 4 – Sunday
Today we cycle south of Ypres leaving through the Lille Gate heading to Plugstreet Wood, we visit Shrapnel Corner, Bedford House cemetery, Lankhof Farm bunkers and Demarcation Stone, St Eloi Craters, Wytchacte Military cemetery, Spanbroekmolen Pool of Peace , Ploegstreet Memorial. We return to Ypres via Red Lodge Road, Leinster Road, Daylight Corner and York Road
Day 5 – Monday
Today we cycle south of Ypres, calling into Belgian Battery Corner cemetery, Dikkebus Lake and on to Kemmel and then to Locure Hospice cemetery to visit the grave of 28 year old Pte Denis Jetson who was shot on Mount Kemmel on 9th July 1917 for deserting We will visit the private memorial grave of Major William (known as Willie) Redmond, who was an Irish Nationalist MP, and a Major in the Royal Irish Regiment.
Day 6 – Tuesday
Today we return home cycling from Ypres to Dunkerque via Poperinghe, stopping at Vlamertinge cemetery we visit the grave of Captain Francis Grenfell VC; we continue on visiting St Sixtus Trappist Abbey - the monks brew a strong dark beer which can be purchased - we will also be able to see the bullet marks in a wall in the abbey against which Pte Herbert Chase of the 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers was executed on the 12th May 1915 for desertion. We continue on to Dunkerque for the 18:00 ferry to Dover.
Regards
mobile: +44 (0) 753 334 1530 email: alanmcwilliams1@hotmail.com
Additional contact – Andrew Fergar andrew.fergar@cliffordchance.com 07717 693701
Dr Bike and Cycle marking by the Police
Greenwich Park
19 June 2013
From: 04:30pm 19 Jun 2013
To: 07:30pm 19 Jun 2013
Location: Greenwich Park, Blackheath Avenue adjacent to Charlton Way
This event will include:
• Dr Bike: free cycle safety check and maintenance advice.
• Cycle security marking: Get your bike registered by the Metropolitan Police to deter thieves and help police and retailers identify stolen bikes.
• Cycling information: free leaflets and advice, including information about considerate cycling in the Royal Parks.
Thanks are due to the Royal Parks Agency, Royal Borough of Greenwich and the Metropolitan Police for making this event possible.
Philip Benstead cycling4all@gmail.com