• Ride 1. Turner 250
  • Ride 2. Essex Ramble

Ride 1. Turner 250

Plaque on steak house, Maiden Lane
Somerset House, RA School attended by Turner
Thames side near where Temeraire was broken up

The artist JMW Turner was born in London in 1775. For his 250th Ammiversary 14 of us set off on a 12 mile ride to visit places associated with Turner or with the location of 2 pictures. Started from Canada Water at 10am and headed for Somerset House where Turner attended the Royal Academy Art School in his teens. Next the short distance to Turner’s birthplace in Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, passing on the way St Pauls Church where he was baptised. Then a long ride across London to Tate Britain on Millbank, Here we took a 30 min break Most heaeded traight for the excellent cafe. Several made it to the extensive Turner galleries. Suitably refreshed, culturally and metabolically, we crossed Vauxhall Bridge (like most London bridges not built when Turner was born) and worked our way to More London for a view of the Tower. Turner painted the Tower several times including a late very impressionistic painting of a great fire in the Storehouse next to he Tower. Final stop was on the Rotherhithe riverside where the Temeraire, subject of Turner’s most famous work “The Fighting Temeraire”, was broken up. From there a short ride back to Canada Water getting there at around 1pm. Bruce leading. Thanks to Nigel and Eva for backmarking. Route map at https://bit.ly/4lXFVbY.

Ride 2. Essex Ramble

7 Kings Station
View from Hainult Forest
Hainult Forest Info Board

Ambitious new ride organised by Owen for his first outing as ride leader. Here are some of his comments on the ride: “The Essex Ramble ride for me was enjoyable because we had perfect weather, nobody had a mechanical problem, nobody got lost, nobody was unable to keep up. In fact nobody even complained about the hills, at least to me they didn’t. We even finished the ride 15 minutes ahead of schedule.”

Coomments in WhatsApp from David W, “Thanks to Owen for lovely and frequently hilly Tour d;Essex or at least NE London. And from Jamie,”Congrats to Owen for successfully leading his first SC ride today using the Elizabeth Line. 26 miles of upward and downwrd slopes led to the fabulous Hainult Forest with its amazing bird song.”

For this ride we started and finished at Seven Kings Station. Riders made their own way mostly using the Elizabeth Line. There were a total of 13 riders. Start time was 9.30 and expected finish 1.30. Thanks to Geraldine and Jamie for backmarking and marshalling. Route below

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