Central London CTC blog

After several attempts that were rained off, Alison finally managed to lead a ride to Ware Museum. The route is almost ideal 1* ride territory being almost traffic free and flat. It starts with a complicated exit route on cycle paths from more »

Pictures from Dave Newman’s two-star ride yesterday. You can also find a map of the route here.

On Wisley airfield (click for full gallery)

Five of the 4-star hardcore joined the 09.00 train to Sevenoaks. Leaving the station in a northerly direction, we soon pick up a lively, even hectic, pace down the hill towards Riverhead. But reality bites the moment we cross the M25 and toil up the scarp of the North Downs to Knockholt. Surely one’s heart should not be thumping at so many BPM, so early in the ride? more »

Yippee! It looked like it was going to be the first day of Spring, with good weather forecast. Off I set to meet Geoff Thomas at Golders Green clock tower at 08.00., not wanting to be later for the ride out to Hertford North – which needs to be as early as possible to avoid early Sunday traffic- where we were to meet the trainers from Kings Cross.
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Normally my in-house rent-a-mob boosts my attendance record and justifies the ‘family’ tag for the ride, but this year they absconded. However, our group of six bonded into a happy unit for a day’s spin in the Hertfordshire sunshine. Two St Alban’s residents, two from north London and two off the train.

Twists and turns through Victorian streets, a walk through the White Hart coaching inn yard and the Abbey grounds, and out of the city via St Michaels and the Gorhambury estate. A short stretch on the A4147 and then onto the lanes through Westwick Row and Buncefield, over the Ver at Redbournbury Mill and up the hill to Harpenden Common.
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An unusually early train from Paddington with only two coaches, but a Birdy and six full sized bicycles squeezed on, followed by another at Ealing. We met our leader David , who had cycled out to Burnham.

A bright, sunny but chilly start and the mornings ride found ice patches on the route through the Beeches, with plenty of pot holes on the back roads. There were only Snowdrops as the first sign of Spring. We made good progress through the hills, and were ahead of schedule for the planned lunch stop, so continued to “The Whip” beside the windmill at Lacey Green.

Richard left after lunch, avoiding the hills that David had planned for the afternoon. Over Bledlow Ridge and across the grain of the Chilterns, then down into the Hambleden valley. We crossed over the weir there with the Thames in full flow, then south to Twyford.

The train back had grown to three crowded coaches. Fifty quality miles on the first ride in March, with plenty of good hills: well worth the early start.

950m total ascent!