Healthy Ride Reports, June-July 2016
Healthy Ride Report
Butterfly Ride from Peckham Square
July 23rd. 10am-12 noon. A repeat of last year’s Big Butterfly Count Ride with 17 riders in perfect, sunny, weather. Anticlockwise loop through Peckham Rye Park, Ruskin Park, Elam Street Open Space, Myatts Field and Burgess Park. Butterflies not as numerous or varied as last year. But still plenty "cabbage" whites, quite a few brown butterflies (Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, one Skipper). Right at the end, poodling up the Canal path, sudden shouts and yells from behind me. I wondered what had happened. But it was just that a Red Admiral had settled on my shoulder. Only briefly - but still a magical moment. Route at http://goo.gl/v14knG Information about Big Butterfly Count at http://www.bigbutterflycount.org/
Butterfly Ride from Peckham Square
July 23rd. 10am-12 noon. A repeat of last year’s Big Butterfly Count Ride with 17 riders in perfect, sunny, weather. Anticlockwise loop through Peckham Rye Park, Ruskin Park, Elam Street Open Space, Myatts Field and Burgess Park. Butterflies not as numerous or varied as last year. But still plenty "cabbage" whites, quite a few brown butterflies (Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, one Skipper). Right at the end, poodling up the Canal path, sudden shouts and yells from behind me. I wondered what had happened. But it was just that a Red Admiral had settled on my shoulder. Only briefly - but still a magical moment. Route at http://goo.gl/v14knG Information about Big Butterfly Count at http://www.bigbutterflycount.org/
Healthy Ride +, Greenwich to Trinity Buoy Wharf
July 16th, 9.30am - 1pm. Marvellous ride from Cutty sark to Trinity Buoy Wharf (http://www.trinitybuoywharf.com/). Nice sunny day and 31 riders! Report at http://southwarkcyclists.org.uk/another-record-31-riders-on-healthy-ride-to-trinity-buoy-wharf/. Track, although you shouldn't believe it completely, the tall buildings in Canary Wharf confuse it, at http://taffimai.w2.org.uk/healthy-rides/HR-CSG-Trinity-20160716.html
Photos at https://goo.gl/lsSkJk
July 16th, 9.30am - 1pm. Marvellous ride from Cutty sark to Trinity Buoy Wharf (http://www.trinitybuoywharf.com/). Nice sunny day and 31 riders! Report at http://southwarkcyclists.org.uk/another-record-31-riders-on-healthy-ride-to-trinity-buoy-wharf/. Track, although you shouldn't believe it completely, the tall buildings in Canary Wharf confuse it, at http://taffimai.w2.org.uk/healthy-rides/HR-CSG-Trinity-20160716.html
Photos at https://goo.gl/lsSkJk
Ride Report - July 9th
Cross River Loop via Greenwich and Tower Bridge
Notes from ride leader David: 21 on ride, good weather even Margo turned up. Usual crowd of regulars and a few new faces. Malcolm did a great job as back marker as he did the last time I did this ride. Got back 2 minutes early. Route at https://goo.gl/DhhUOD
Cross River Loop via Greenwich and Tower Bridge
Notes from ride leader David: 21 on ride, good weather even Margo turned up. Usual crowd of regulars and a few new faces. Malcolm did a great job as back marker as he did the last time I did this ride. Got back 2 minutes early. Route at https://goo.gl/DhhUOD
Healthy Ride July 2nd, 10am-12 noon
Dulwich to Clapham Common
Started in pleasant, partly sunny, weather from Dulwich Park, Pavilion Cafe. 13 riders headed off to the first stop, Herne Hill Velodrome. Lots of cyclists on the track and lots of youngsters on the mountain bike circuit (including one closely related to a healthy rider!). Next Brockwell Park where we effortlessly (well nearly) ascended to the top. Sorry to see the clock on the wrong time - always been reliable before. Onwards via quiet streets to Brixton Windmill looking splendid as usual. More quiet streets (LCN 25) to Clapham Common where we had a stop at the cafe near the Bandstand. Return via a loop past the Lido in Brockwell Park, then via Rosendale Rd and a bit of the South Circular to Bel Air Park. Like all the parks we visited, busy with people enjoying a fine July morning. Squeezed through the stiles and along the delightfully-named "Lovers Walk" and back to Dulwich park. Route at https://goo.gl/gcbI5s
Dulwich to Clapham Common
Started in pleasant, partly sunny, weather from Dulwich Park, Pavilion Cafe. 13 riders headed off to the first stop, Herne Hill Velodrome. Lots of cyclists on the track and lots of youngsters on the mountain bike circuit (including one closely related to a healthy rider!). Next Brockwell Park where we effortlessly (well nearly) ascended to the top. Sorry to see the clock on the wrong time - always been reliable before. Onwards via quiet streets to Brixton Windmill looking splendid as usual. More quiet streets (LCN 25) to Clapham Common where we had a stop at the cafe near the Bandstand. Return via a loop past the Lido in Brockwell Park, then via Rosendale Rd and a bit of the South Circular to Bel Air Park. Like all the parks we visited, busy with people enjoying a fine July morning. Squeezed through the stiles and along the delightfully-named "Lovers Walk" and back to Dulwich park. Route at https://goo.gl/gcbI5s
Healthy Ride June 25th. Peckham to The Tower
13 riders at start on a bright, sunny, morning. Headed out via Burgess Park and Walworth Green Link to New Kent Road and the Elephant. Crossed the peninsula on the south-east side, parallel to the Shopping Centre. Plenty of room for cyclists and pedestrians on a Saturday morning, so no reason why this cannot work as an informal cycle route. Crossed on the combined pedestrian-cycle crossings to the far side of the A3, then crossed back over St Georges Rd to get on the North-South Cycle Superhighway, now labelled CS6. Followed CS6 to and across Blackfriars Bridge. Then down the westward ramp off the bridge and across the Embankment to the E-W Superhighway, following this to the Tower. Went through all the junctions at Tower Hill ending up on Cable St and the start of CS3. Turned south to Hermitage Riverside Memorial Garden, a small open space just downstream from Tower bridge. The Hermitage Moorings lie alongside. These have been in the news recently as the MP murdered in Yorkshire on June 16th had her London home there. Pleased to see the house martins nesting again this year in an adjacent block of flats. We were running a bit behind time, so crossed back over Tower Bridge (not London Bridge as planned). Quiet route back via Bermondsey Spa Gardens, Willow Walk and the Canal Path. 10 miles, no hills (unless you count Tower Hill...). Route at https://goo.gl/BtzUq6.
13 riders at start on a bright, sunny, morning. Headed out via Burgess Park and Walworth Green Link to New Kent Road and the Elephant. Crossed the peninsula on the south-east side, parallel to the Shopping Centre. Plenty of room for cyclists and pedestrians on a Saturday morning, so no reason why this cannot work as an informal cycle route. Crossed on the combined pedestrian-cycle crossings to the far side of the A3, then crossed back over St Georges Rd to get on the North-South Cycle Superhighway, now labelled CS6. Followed CS6 to and across Blackfriars Bridge. Then down the westward ramp off the bridge and across the Embankment to the E-W Superhighway, following this to the Tower. Went through all the junctions at Tower Hill ending up on Cable St and the start of CS3. Turned south to Hermitage Riverside Memorial Garden, a small open space just downstream from Tower bridge. The Hermitage Moorings lie alongside. These have been in the news recently as the MP murdered in Yorkshire on June 16th had her London home there. Pleased to see the house martins nesting again this year in an adjacent block of flats. We were running a bit behind time, so crossed back over Tower Bridge (not London Bridge as planned). Quiet route back via Bermondsey Spa Gardens, Willow Walk and the Canal Path. 10 miles, no hills (unless you count Tower Hill...). Route at https://goo.gl/BtzUq6.
Healthy Ride "+" Ride June 18th.
Dulwich Park Start/finish. Loop Ride to Beckenham Place Park.
Ride anticlockwise. Out via Horniman Museum, Forest Hill, Mayow Park, NR21 from Bell Green to Cator Park. Driveway to Mansion, then ride Ravensbourne Green Way on east edge of park. Return to NR21 to Catford Bridge, then via LCN22 to Camberwell New Cemetery, Camberwell Old Cemetery and Dawsons Hill. Total distance 14 miles. Route at https://goo.gl/ThQ4IR
Dulwich Park Start/finish. Loop Ride to Beckenham Place Park.
Ride anticlockwise. Out via Horniman Museum, Forest Hill, Mayow Park, NR21 from Bell Green to Cator Park. Driveway to Mansion, then ride Ravensbourne Green Way on east edge of park. Return to NR21 to Catford Bridge, then via LCN22 to Camberwell New Cemetery, Camberwell Old Cemetery and Dawsons Hill. Total distance 14 miles. Route at https://goo.gl/ThQ4IR
Healthy Ride June 11th 2016
Canada Water to Dulwich and back
17 riders at Canada Water for the June 11th ride. Warm, rather humid morning, and no rain threatened. Headed off round top of Greenland Dock (photo) then south to Millwall Stadium where we noted the new path branching off to the right, part of Quietway 1 (photo). Continued to Nunhead Green via Bridgehouse Meadows and Queens Road station. Stopped briefly at The Green, next to the Old Nuns Head pub (see heading photo). The Green is the new Nunhead Community Centre where Southwark Cyclists are currently holding their monthly meetings (every 2nd Wednesday, 6.30-8). From Nunhead we headed uphill to Peckham Rye Park, then the long haul up Friern Road and then down to Dulwich Park. Everyone pretty warm by now, so layers being shed all round.
Canada Water to Dulwich and back
17 riders at Canada Water for the June 11th ride. Warm, rather humid morning, and no rain threatened. Headed off round top of Greenland Dock (photo) then south to Millwall Stadium where we noted the new path branching off to the right, part of Quietway 1 (photo). Continued to Nunhead Green via Bridgehouse Meadows and Queens Road station. Stopped briefly at The Green, next to the Old Nuns Head pub (see heading photo). The Green is the new Nunhead Community Centre where Southwark Cyclists are currently holding their monthly meetings (every 2nd Wednesday, 6.30-8). From Nunhead we headed uphill to Peckham Rye Park, then the long haul up Friern Road and then down to Dulwich Park. Everyone pretty warm by now, so layers being shed all round.
A brief "comfort" break at the Pavilion Cafe, then back on the bikes and down to Peckham Square via Crystal Palace Rd and Rye Lane. This, like Dulwich Park Cafe, is one of our regular start locations for Healthy Rides. From Peckham down a familiar route via the Canal Path, the Blue and Southwark Park. Diverted slightly at the roundabout at Galleywall Rd where there are awkward temporary lights. Back a few minutes after 12 noon having completed 10.5 miles. Route at https://goo.gl/IWkKmN. Thanks to Natalie for the photos
Healthy Ride June 4th 2016
Dulwich Waterlink Way Loop
8 riders at Dulwich Park Cafe for a hilly ride. Started with the steep climb up the initial part of Overhill Road. Then across to Horniman Museum where we were told off for cycling in the park. We were going really slowly and there was no-one about. Down to Forest Hill station where the Station Underpass, including steps, was safely negotiated. Quieter roads next to Mayow Park and down to Bell Green. this brought us to the best part of the ride. Waterlink Way to Catford, a traffic free, flat ride alongside the Pool and Ravensbourne rivers. Next the clinb up to Blythe Hill Fields where the usually great views were disappointing. There was haze - maybe even mist. You could make out the central London skyline, but only just. From Blythe Hill across to Camberwell New Cemetery and Camberwell Old Cemetery and the final climb of the ride - Dawsons Hill. Successfully scaled that and carefully descended the steep zig-zag path. Back at Dulwich Park on time at noon. Only 8 miles, but quite hilly so we did do a bit of walking. But note that this was the first time a group had taken this route and actually ascended all the hills. Map at https://goo.gl/McwQj0
Dulwich Waterlink Way Loop
8 riders at Dulwich Park Cafe for a hilly ride. Started with the steep climb up the initial part of Overhill Road. Then across to Horniman Museum where we were told off for cycling in the park. We were going really slowly and there was no-one about. Down to Forest Hill station where the Station Underpass, including steps, was safely negotiated. Quieter roads next to Mayow Park and down to Bell Green. this brought us to the best part of the ride. Waterlink Way to Catford, a traffic free, flat ride alongside the Pool and Ravensbourne rivers. Next the clinb up to Blythe Hill Fields where the usually great views were disappointing. There was haze - maybe even mist. You could make out the central London skyline, but only just. From Blythe Hill across to Camberwell New Cemetery and Camberwell Old Cemetery and the final climb of the ride - Dawsons Hill. Successfully scaled that and carefully descended the steep zig-zag path. Back at Dulwich Park on time at noon. Only 8 miles, but quite hilly so we did do a bit of walking. But note that this was the first time a group had taken this route and actually ascended all the hills. Map at https://goo.gl/McwQj0