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THE OLD JAIL I'm no fan of rides in the rain but despite recent downpours, it was
dry when 6 of us set off from the library to try and perfect the route
to Downe, one of many rural picturesque villages the other side of
Biggin Hill. We've learnt a lot since our 3rd proper ride in 2005 when
we failed to get to Downe because I'd chosen a bad route and we found
23 people too many to cope with. Since then we've had a couple more
attempts but this time it dawned on me that if we do it in reverse, it
gives us over 4 miles of downhill on the way back and just two steep
short hills to climb back up.
The first part is unavoidably urban until we reach South Norwood
Country Park, a green oasis on the Croydon borders. The toilets were
open which is a blessing. Then it's back to quiet suburban streets as
we follows Sustrans Waterlink Way route as it winds towards Gatwick
and ultimately, Eastbourne. It's a steady climb through Shirley then
we cut off towards Spring Park and stopped on top of Wood Lodge Lane
hill where there's a great view of Wickham Court in the distance.
First stop was the concealed cafe at Sparrows Den. I was worried they
might be shut but we arrived just as it was being opened. The dry
morning of course proved to be a false dawn and the drizzle started.
We rode as little of Layhams Rd as possible which kept us out of the
way of the New Addington boy racers in their souped up Escorts and cut
through Coney Hall Rec and out into the lanes.
We were making good time so we stopped in Downe village to see the
Charles Darwin sundial on the church and then pulled up outside Down
House which is where he wrote Origin Of The Species. It looked pretty
busy inside but we carried on through the pretty hamlets of Luxted and
Single Street towards our lunch stop.
The Old Jail is quite a nice pub. It also has a lovely garden but it
wasn't exactly the weather for sitting outside. The bar food menu is
reasonable but it seems we were lucky to get a table as most were
reserved. Good job we'd arrived early at midday.
As we left, the rain started. We used the flat tarmac bridleway
shortcut to avoid dropping steeply down Berrys Hill for 100 yards
only to instantly climb straight back up. The lanes around here are
great but the weather was spoiling it. Eventually we were at the
highest point in Greater London near Botley Hill where we started the
2 mile descent of Beddlestead Lane. What should have been a pleasure
proved to be an ordeal with the rain stinging our faces and the cold
cutting straight through us.
Hesiers Hill is a tough climb that defeated some of us but it's quite
short and before long we had another 2 mile descent down Featherbed
Lane. The off-road cycle track proved the best way up Gravel Hill but
instead of swooping all the way down the other side into Croydon, we
stopped at the Pond Tea Rooms at Coombe Wood. I was hoping we could
sit the rain out, especially as I'd emptied water out of my shoes and
my socks were soaked and drying by the heater but it wasn't going to
let up. Instead, we went back out into heavy rain and really felt the
cold biting as we completed the descent in Croydon where we split up
to make our own ways home. Out for 7hrs, 30 miles.
Sunday 20th May RETURN TO MUGSWELL 14 riders met up at the library on this fine day to do a re-run of last month's well
received ride to Mugswell but with one big change - there was no way
we could go back to the Well House pub after they left us waiting 2hrs
for food. But before we got too far, there was important business to
attand to. The new Saturday afternoon rides from Beddington Park have
their own website and we needed a new photo for the header. After a
meander alongside the Wandle river we detoured to the park and did a
couple of run throughs to try and get the right picture. Once that was
in the bag we moved off on the scenic route through the parks and past
the Carshalton lavender fields to the rural Telegraph Track at Little
Woodcote, just outside Carshalton.
The garden centre at Woodcote Green was very busy but the cafe was
quiet enough to get breakfast or cakes (depending on your preference!)
in good time. We then followed the side streets up to the Webb Estate
village green and paused for a go on the solitary seesaw. I'm not sure
if it's the original seesaw but Webb laid out the village green in
1904 with a seesaw and also added a whipping post and stocks. The
stocks are still there.
A neat cut-through on bridleways brings you to Woodmansterne and it's
fabulous village sign designed by local schoolchildren and carved into
the fallen cedar tree. As we neared Banstead, an idea dawned - we
should try the Mint pub instead of going past the Well House to try
the couple of unknown pubs that lie beyond. This was a stroke of
genius. We pretty much filled the pub garden and although reasonably
busy inside, our food came out very fast and was of excellent quality.
Reasonably priced too. That's the difference having a proper chef in a
working kitchen makes. We'll use this pub more often.
Those that had done the ride before knew what lay in store after lunch
- a fast descent! Speeds of 37mph were reported. But a descent can
only mean one thing and the climb back out had a few walking. However,
within a mile, you're shooting back downhill again and past the Well
House to the offroads tracks of Banstead Downs where two wheelers
fared well but the recumbent trike struggled.
A puncture delayed the next descent down Ebbisham Lane. However, a
surprise awaited us at the bottom - a huge patch of sticky mud that
wasn't there before. Fortunately, the leader spotted a gap through the
undergrowth into an adjoining field which enabled us to bypass it (and
get stung to death by nettles instead). A tricky ascent of Epsom Downs
saw a few more walking for the 100 yard incline but we flew down the
other side for a stop at the Downs Kiosk, overlooking the build up for
the forthcoming Oaks & Derby horse races.
The original ride had gone to Nonsuch Park but as we were behind
schedule and had stopped on the Downs, we bypassed the park and tried
the London Cycle Network roads south of Sutton for a change. They're a
bit hillier than our usual route but eventually brought us out at
Carshalton ponds where the group started to disperse. About 35 miles, out for 8.5hrs.
Sunday 13th May ISLE OF DOGS It started raining as I left home and whenever this happens, I
secretly hope no one turns up so I can go home. The forecast on the
normally reliable www.netweather.tv said torrential rain at midday.
However, none of the 8 riders could be dissuaded so we set off toward
Thornton Heath in the steadily increasing rain.
We picked up the Waterlink Way, a Sustrans route from the Thames to
the English Channel at Eastbourne, in South Norwood Country Park and
came across the first of several welcome additions. A toucan crossing
for cycles and pedestrians has been installed at the barrier-free exit
from the park to help you over the A214.
Barnmead Road have some new bollards and road signs but didn't spend
any money on the surface, which is still like a cart track. The route
then ducks underneath Kent House station and into Cator Park where we
picked up another rider with his daughter on the kiddy seat. Normally
we carry straight on up the Waterlink Way but the cafe at Ladywell
Fields in notorious for being shut so we detoured to Beckenham Place
Park where the cafe has become non-smoking and far more pleasant.
A nice descent towards Lower Sydenham awaited us after a short break,
even more welcome because we barely did any climbing to get there. A
stupid 'pedal up' obstacle has been removed on the traffic-free
stretch along the railway and the wooden deathtrap bridge at Catford
now has a grippy surface to prevent tyres slipping away from you.
Everyone loved the swirly bridge over the railway and it was good to
see that Cornmill Gardens at Lewisham is nearly complete and will
offer a nice addition to the route. We caught two more riders in
Greenwich and went down the foot tunnel in the lift. Top tip - DO NOT
ride your bike in the tunnel or you'll be carrying it up the steps the
other end!
The rain had now stepped up and we met our 13th person at the other
side. Sustrans route 1 took us through the docks to the pub, a
Wetherspoons Lloyds No 1 inside a fabulous old warehouse. Food was
cheap and cheerful and there are plenty of places to tie bikes up.
We sat a little bit too long in the pub but it was still raining when
we left. However, as we progressed back the way we came, it finally
started to brighten up. By the time we'd detoured to Crystal Palace Park
for an afternoon break, the rain had stopped. As we climbed out of the
park, my heart sank. The building works that have just started in the
park had barriered right over the path. Fortunately, instead of
whizzing back down the hill and up the other side, there was a route
out over the grass. A little bit more climbing took us to the top of
Anerley Hill which gives you a great downhill finish all the way back
to the library. 30 miles, out for 7.5hrs.
Sunday 6th May CHISLEHURST CAVES The original idea for Pollards Hill Cyclists was a simple email list
where people advertised a ride they wanted to do and invited others to
join them. Although we are far more multi-faceted than that, it's
still the power of the email list that brings people out on the rides.
We only decided to go to Chislehurst last week whilst having lunch in
Leatherhead. At the height of today's ride, we had 18 people along -
not bad for a week's notice!
Using the backstreets to Crystal Palace means just two short hills to
climb. But what a day to try and go to the park. First we encountered
Billy (not so) Smart's circus tent plonked right across our path and
then it transpired we were riding the course of the Race For Life,
minutes before the actual race started. Fortunately we made it to the
cafe without getting tangled up with the runners.
Bromley has a lot of unmade roads that can be quite hairy. There was
no avoiding Crab Hill, a slippy gravel descent past Ravensbourne
station but we skipped a similiar climb on Elstree Hill in favour of
tarmac roads. A tricky ascent on Mavelstone Rd was made even more
difficult by the gravel but the quick 30mph+ decsent down Chislehurst
Rd to the caves was most definitely on tarmac.
We arrived at the caves just as the midday tour was leaving. One
person opted to join them whilst the rest of the group split with some
going to the neighbouring Bickley Arms and the remainder lunching at
the cave's reasonably priced cafe. The tour is well worth doing
although a lot of the history can be gleaned from reading the info
boards in the foyer. We fixed a double puncture in one tube caused by
a fence staple before moving off.
The trick to spicing up urban rides is to include as much greenery as
possible. Jubilee Country Park with it's own cycle track was a hit,
despite its awkward barriers that obstructed our rider with a kiddy
trailer but Norman Park is just a huge expanse of grass that provides
a welcome break from traffic. Next we moved up to Kelsey Park for an
afternoon stop. The cafe was destroyed by fire last year and has been
temporarily replaced by a food trailer and ice cream van. According to
the sign, it won't be rebuilt until at least October. We lazed on the
grass for a while.
I thought a sneaky lap of the park would be nice but although we were
riding at little over walking pace, a park warden intercepted us and
asked us to dismount. Instead of walking our bikes around the
attractive lake, we opted to leave by the nearest exit and head
towards South Norwood Country Park where cycling is both permitted and
encouraged along the gravel tracks.
By now, people were leaving the ride so it was only 6 of us that
headed past the Crystal Palace ground back towards Pollards Hill. 27
miles, out for 7hrs.
Click here for ride reports from 2008
Click here for ride reports from 2007
Click here for ride reports from 2006
Click here for ride reports from 2005