Another Saturday morning riding under pandemic restrictions, keeping to max groups of 6 plus ride leader.  Sunny day with chilly easterly wind.  Total of 27 riders, including ride/group leaders.

Dulwich Park to Wimbledon Park. 

15 mile return trip. Route at https://strava.app.link/G7flaOBkHfb.  11 riders. Jean leading overall with Philippa leading a second group.  Route went across Brockwell Park, Clapham Common, Wandsworth Common, and Wimbledon Park. Lovely sunny day though the wind got up a bit for the return. Lots of people in the parks and too many cars on the roads!

Jean provided fun fact in each of the parks.

  • Queen Mary used to enjoy visiting the American Garden at Dulwich park where there are magnificent rhododendron bushes flowering in May.
  • The MP who opened Brockwell Park when it was brought into public use – had a heart attack & died on the steps at Brockwell Manor House.
  • Clapham Common has the largest bandstand in London.
  • Wandsworth Common celebrates 150 years in public ownership this year.
  • Wimbledon Park – original landscaped gardens were laid out by Capability Brown.

Photos at https://www.facebook.com/groups/553896211918871

Canada Water, Greenwich, Tower Bridge Loop. 10 mile loop. Simon leading overall with Jamie leading a second group. 10 riders.  Simon reports:

Perfect weather for cycling. The Little Red Train was the busiest I’ve known it for a long time, a number of other cyclists were using it.  At Canary Wharf Jamie and some riders went for  refreshment, I carried on with 4 riders. David showed us a very pleasant canal route back to Tower Bridge. We missed some of the riverside views, but meant we avoided the pesky cobbles. 

Jamie reports: “A really great and expertly led ride by Simon today who has mastered the perfect DLR route from Greenwich mainline Stn to Mudchute which cleverly dispenses with all those tiresome lifts.

Great to see that Simon has finally seen the light by riding a splendid gold Brompton folding bike and ignoring the tirade of insults about his small wheels.” (Not completely sure about the veracity of the second para – Ed)

Canada Water to South Bank, CW1-CW14 Loop.

 9 miles. Bruce leading. 6 riders. A ride where you can compare the quality of different routes. The part of CW1 from the Millwall Stadium to Tower Bridge Rd is good.  CW14 from Blackfriars Rd to Jamaica Rd is variable. We also used the new CW4 along Jamaica Rd.  This is very good.  South Bank was busy so took a couple of photos (see https://www.facebook.com/groups/553896211918871) and headed back to Upper Ground to start the return.  Took it nice and slowly to suit the newer cyclists. As the others said, gave time to see more.  Route at https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1guNc2gr6zS2uydHlSVejGZGPa_PLhgYn&usp=sharing

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