- Ride 1. Gardens & Greenery Again
- Ride 2. London Bridge to Woolwich and back using Elizabeth Line to Woolwich
Ride 1. Gardens & Greenery Again
Report from Ride Leader Jane.
11 riders met at Emma Cons Gardens on a cool and overcast morning for this 25km route, aiming to look at the recent proliferation in street planting and ‘greening’ of outside spaces as well as several established parks and gardens – all of which bring many benefits, including a more attractive environment for our health & wellbeing, reduced air pollution/improved air quality and encouragement of a diverse range of pollinating insects.
Starting out at Distaff Lane Gardens, we moved on to the Reflection Garden near St Paul’s before making our way to the Smithfield area at the edge of the city via London wall then heading westwards to the recently pedestrianised zone around St Mary Le Strand. We then picked up the route as reported in Gardens & Greenery Part 2 completed on 20th July https://southwarkcyclists.org.uk/healthy-rides/healthy-ride-reports-2024/ride-reports-20th-july-2024/ . Our first attempt to complete the tour in early July was abandoned mid-way due to persistent rain so it was heartening to see so much greenery and so many flowers in bloom as we enter September – still plenty to see and enjoy and it didn’t rain!
We returned to Waterloo ridiculously late (around 2pm), but no-one seemed to mind – we’d seen or spent time in 29 different green spaces, many of which were previously unknown to various group members. Many thanks to Jacqui and Mike for sharing back-marker duties.
Ride 2 , London Bridge to Woolwich and back using Elizabeth Line to Woolwich
The still new Elizabeth Line is the only deep line that allows non-folding bicycles. The trains are roomy and quick and the stations are all step free. So time for the Healthy Rides to make use of this new facility. (Although actually a small pioneer group did do this ride shortly after the line opened, report here).
Ten of us gathered at London Bridge then rode to Whitechapel Station. Used the step free entrance in Dunward St and paid at the ticket barrier. The first lift was used by some and others just carried bikes down the 12 or so steps to the second lift. There are 2 lifts down to the platforms and we descended in 3 groups. Took several miutes. Most riders gathered at the back end of the platform and a few choose a mddle location. Trains were not busy so no problems with the bikes. Useful that all exits were on the right side so could use space by the left side doors. At Woolwich we mostly waited for the lift at the back end of the patform althogh one rider used the escalator (not recommended). The lifts are fast and the whole group were through the barrier and at the station exit in a few minutes. Tthere we met with Denise and were also joined by Joseph, a Bexley rider, who just happened to be there and decided to come along for the ride to London Bridge.
Rode down to the Thames through the Woolwich Arsenal buildings to the steel men (Assembly by Peter Burke) and joined the Thames Path. Simply followed this all the way back apart from a short road stretch along Tooley Street at the end. Pretty much continuous cycling past the Barrier and the O2. At Greenwich stopped for coffee at the Visitor Centre next to Cutty Sark. Shocked to find tiolets there are now only accesible if you have a reciept from the Cafe. Continued refreshed past South and Greenland Docks, along the cobbled streets of ye olde Rotherhithe, then at Dockhead along Cycleway 4 (Tooley St) to London Bridge Back pretty much on time. May thanks to Mike for doing all the backmarking.
A group of 10 were able to use the Elizabeth Line with few problems even though there were quite a few push chairs and people with luggage also usng the lifts. A longer run to Abbey Wood would also be easy. And I will bethtinking about interesting possibliies on the other branch and in the other direction.
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