- Greenwich to Beckenham Place Park
- Dulwich to the Wandle
Greenwich to Beckenham Place Park
Report from ride leader Eva. A group of 8 cyclists ventured out despite the grey and cold weather. Starting from Cutty Sark Gardens we went along the long and winding road – the Waterlink Way – to Beckenham Place Park. After a short comfort break we took the Downham Woodland Walk uphill towards Catford. Zigzagging through suburbia we came to the Excalibur Estate, the last remaining collection of prefabricated post-war housing in the UK, sometimes referred to as “working class Blackheath” due to the largest gardens. Lots of quiet roads and small passage ways, uphill and downhill, were to be mastered on the way back via Blackheath proper before we could enjoy the race down Greenwich Park.
Some additional comments. The pre-fab estate is amazing. A total time warp – especially with the old cars as well. Well worth a visit. Postcode SE6 1RX gets you into the middle on Persant Rd. The Downham Woodland Walk, part of the Capital Ring walk, was a new path for me. About a mile, quite narrow, but a marked contrast to the surrounding suburbia. Great route, on Komoot at https://www.komoot.com/tour/1036710423?share_token=ajtzrH1jbqX9cYhuTdKlE1Fh3GRjhzzuJVRxtykA84McpmWny5&ref=wtd
Dulwich to the Wandle
Report from Ride Leader Jean: We had a good – if challenging ride today as we left Dulwich with 19 riders! A lot to keep moving and hold together. John did a great job as back marker. Slow but smoothly to Brockwell park, Clapham Common and Wandsworth Common. Down the hill of Magdalen Road to Earlsfield. We were glad to get to the quiet pathway alongside the Wandle. But all too soon we were stymied by a locked gate at Plough Lane preventing us following the riverbank. Undeterred we found our way via Hayden’s Road to pick up the river again at Merton Abbey Mills. The track has now been nicely re surfaced all the way to Morden Hall Park . This includes a new much broader bridge just before the tram crossing ( avoiding a previously precarious muddy left turn over a narrow wood bridge) at the point where the lovely Gruffalo mural is. We had a coffee break at Morden Hall National Trust cafe .
Coming back we followed the A24 along the CS 7 superhighway through Colliers Wood, Tooting, and Balham to Clapham and then retraced our route through Brockwell park and Herne Hill to Dulwich Park – arriving bang on time at 13.30.
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