- Cemeteries and Hills
- Peckham to Kings Cross
Ride 1. Cemeteries and Hills
Eight riders with Bruce Leading on this up and down ride. Started half way up at the Round Cafe in Peckham Rye Park. Up to Nunhead Cemetery where we paused at the Scottish Martyrs Memorial, the burned out Chapel and the Scouts Memorial. Next down to Brockley and up the steep approach to Hilly Fields (well named!). Took a break at the excellent Community Cafe then down to Brockley and Ladywell Cemetery. Not as famous as Nunhead, but some nice old trees. Managed to lead through without getting lost using Google Maps on max magnification. This cemetery has a very confusing layout of paths. Next up to Camberwell New Cemetery and then One Tree Hill. This small wooded hill is easily overlooked. It is an interesting challenge for a cyclist. Very steep on all paths and lots of steps. Several of us abandoned bikes (well most locked them) about half way up. A couple pushed or carried their bikes all the way. At the top is the “Oak of Honour” planted in 1906 on the spot where, so it goes, Elizabeth I rested under an oak whle riding there. Hence “Honour Oak”. In addition there is a WWI gun emplacement where attempts were made to shoot down Zeppelins. Viewpoint is kept clear to give distant views of central London. Photo taken on the recce the previous day does not do the view justice. On the ride day in sunshine St Pauls was really clear.
Running late so finished by doing a quick circuit of Camberwell Old Cemetery. Then a couple of people headed driectly home and the remainder rode back through Pekham Rye Park to our starting point at The Round Cafe. An intersting ride. Not sure whether I will want to do One Tree Hill again, but it was fun to scale it at least this once.
Ride 2. Peckham to Kings Cross
Comments on WhatsApp. From Simon, “Capital ride, Amanda. Many thanks” and Jamie “A really brilliant and enjoyable circular ride for 17 of us to Coal Drops Yard today”
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