Sept 25th, 2021. Report by Ride Leader Bruce.

10 riders set off on a grey, mild day. From Peckham Square down the Canal Path, across Burgess Park and them Q7 past East St Market to Heygate St. Followed the western bypass route to Brook St, then round West Square to Geraldine Mary Handsworth Park. Stopped at the Imperial War Museum then exited across to the short cycle track on Kennington Road and turned into Cosser St with its two intriguingly named pubs – The Steam Engine and the Pineapple. Under the railway tracks out of Waterloo and into Archbishops Park. No sign of the Archbishop so exit across Lambeth Rd and back under the tracks to Quietway 5 and Newport St. Stopped briefly at the Newport St Gallery run by Damien Hirst then continued along Lambeth Walk. The planting that went in a few years back has thrived. There was a flowering oleander and a burgeoning banana tree. The plan was that local residents would look after this plantng and it certainly looks as though they are.

Next stop Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens then over the cycle crossing of the Vauxhall one-way system to S Lambeth Rd and Vauxhall Park. Stopped at the model houses. These were looking very trim. They may still be looked after by Nobby Clark, father of Harry known to some of us. Next stop KenningtonPark via the Oval. Examined the memorial to those killed in October 1940 when a nearby air raid shelter took a direct hit. Tasteful memorial, a single slab of Caithness stone with a quote from a poem by Maya Angelou, the american poet. While in Kennington Park dropped by BeeUrban where several riders purchased honey. Next rode across Camberwell New Rd and on to Eythorne Park, a new park in the Myatts Fields North redevelopment. Managed to locate the Tangerine tree. Yes a Tangerine tree. It became a cause celebre during the demolition and was saved and now rests in the new park. The tree was grown from a seed from Jamaica by a local lady and despite low expectations grow and blossomed and produced fruit. And is still doing so. Whether the fruit ever fully ripens is not clear, but a few fruit were a bit orange. The tree became such a symbol of continuity and survival that a local artist was comissioned and there is a spelndid mosaic pillar honouring the tree.

Final stretch was through Myatts Fields, back across Camberwell New Rd, quick stop on Camberwell Green then back streets to Peckham Square. Retuned pretty much on time after a satisfying ride. Route at https://bit.ly/2XmGYLS

Need to acknowledge that parts of this ride/route are based on a ride led by Harry Clark in 2016 and reported at https://southwarkcyclists.org.uk/four-parks-and-a-prison-healthy-ride-march-25th/

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