Central London CTC blog

This ride captured the true meaning of CTC (cafe to cafe).   We started at Welwyn Garden City due to engineering works on the East Coast main line.  I had arrived early and managed a coffee.  Then Paul said he was taking us ‘for a bacon sarnie’ in Hertford because it would be a late lunch.  The Rose Cafe in Railway Street, near Hertford East station is well known to many cycling groups.  On to lunch in Standon.  Tea at Leader’s in Tewin, and back to Welwyn.

In between these significant events there was some cycling along quiet lanes, some tracks.

These pictures were taken in the afternoon between Puckeridge and Great Munden — map of the day’s ride here.

David had completed his 40km warm up ride by cycling out from London while the rest of us, Richard, Paul, Alex, Derek and Aidan all met up as planned at Beaconsfield station.  We set off with a cold and blistering wind biting our heels as we headed North West towards Holmer Green. A red kite was spotted circling overhead on the outskirt of the village as we continued on to Little Missenden. After a brief spell on the A413 it was a climb up the narrow Hyde Lane to Hyde End. more »

Flooded lanes in Hertfordshire, on Michael Belcher’s two-star ride last Sunday.

Walking along Icy Lane

Today was one of those crisp winter days with barely a cloud in the sky, and the illumination of the low sun brings out the texture in the landscape.  However, wet weather earlier in the week had washed debris and hedge clippings onto the lanes, and they were still wet last night when they froze under a clear sky.  The result was not simply a hard frost, but icy surfaces.  It was a beautiful day, but we had to proceed very carefully.

Instead of the planned 45 mile circumnavigation of Stevenage, we managed 11 miles to Lilley.  We were also hampered by three punctures, and so the last contingent didn’t reach the pub until well after opening time!  However, the Lilley Arms are well versed in the ways of cyclists, and looked after us very well.

The temperature never got above 5°C all day, so the road conditions didn’t improve after lunch.  A late departure from the pub dictated a direct route back to Harpenden.  However, at least the B road through Kimpton had been treated and was ice free.  We got back to the station as the sun set.  Only 24 miles, but we all got back in one piece. Oh, and somebody got a pheasant for their Christmas dinner!

Pheasant

Conduzca Por La Izquierda

Bill Bailey, of the West Kent CTC Hard Riders section,  led an excellent 45 mile ride at a brisk pace along the Medway Valley with the promised elevenses at the cafe in Yalding and tea at garden centre at Hale Street near East Peckham, climbing the ridge to have lunch in the Swan at Sutton Valance.

The group included a new rider on a titanium Brompton who I am sure is a candidate for the 4* rides, and whom we all agreed would have no problem on a 3* ride on the Brompton!

The photograph is of a sign near Golden Green.  I believe it translates as ‘Keep Left’.  I don’t know what it is doing on a quiet road in Kent!

On Sunday Peter Turner led a two-star ride from Beaconsfield through the heart of the Chilterns, lunching at the Whip Inn (overlooked by the windmill at Loosely Row) and with afternoon tea at Great Missenden Church.

Here is a selection of photos by Elaine McKnight: more »

2* from Beaconsfield 27 July

11 people left the train at Beaconsfield and after a brief ‘find the leader’ moment we all joined up and set off riding north up the first of many ‘moderate’ climbs in the lovely morning sunshine.

Along the first of many lanes to Penn Bottom where we turned east and headed to Holmer Green and to the lovely village of Little Missenden. There we admired the Georgian Manor House and the St John the Baptist Church, a place of Christian pilgrimage which dates back over a 1000 years. A busy stretch of the A413 followed with a sharp right turn under the railway bridge and up Hyde Lane to Hyde Heath. We stopped at the
common in Hyde Heath for our first mini break and to take on some water supplies in the ever increasing heat of the day. Then it was down Copperkins Lane into the northern outskirts of Amersham where we dropped down the hill to meet the River Chess in Chesham. Riding along the Chess valley we turned north at Latimer and climbed up to Flaunden. more »