Meet: Ladywell Fields 08:30 map and Cutty Sark Gardens prompt 08:45 map

Distance: 100 miles

Phone: Paul - 07957 209 322

Lots of riverside views and a trip through the central part of Windsor Great Park which is closed to normal four-wheeled traffic. If people are interested we may make a short stop at the Commonwealth Air Forces memorial which we pass above Runnymede. Pub lunch, probably at Eton Wick to shelter from tourists, and every chance of another pub stop on the way back. A great introduction to the highly recommended Thames Valley London to Oxford National Cycle Route.

We'll take a faster alternative route back but if some people want to shorten the day there are several railway stations to hop off at.

Since this is a particularly long ride, please bring snacks.

Suitable for any bike except full-on racers

Report

Nine met at Cutty Sark Gardens for the ride plus Lydian who had come along to take photos. Not a bad turnout for, a tad perversely, Bike Week in London means that there’s so much going on to choose from that individual rides can get less than usual.

We took it easy to Kingston through the suburbs, then hit the river on a beautiful day. After an early lunch in a lock-keepers cottage garden we continued to follow the river, crossing over it at Chertsey Bridge so we could go along the riverside at Laleham. Perhaps next time we’ll take the small ferry from Weybridge to Shepperton so that we can get more riverside in. Anne and Dave left us at Staines, where we hit an ugly bit along a main road for a while then climbed steeply to the Air Force memorial above Runnymede. I always find this rather moving but even if you’re not so inclined, the views are great – you can get up on to the roof to see London and, appropriately enough, Heathrow.

Through the inner bit of Windsor Great Park, we were in a hurry so we skipped the chance of ice creams at the village shop (cyclists welcome a CTC sticker in its window proclaims) then dropped down to Windsor for a pint. Ian left us at Windsor as he had stuff to do in London so the remaining six sped back to London on a fast road route. The miles flew by and we were back at Staines in no time. Craig, who’d rather admirably come out with us while his fellow Australians faced the hopeful Brazilians, couldn't take the torture any more and stopped off at a pub to see to the match. World Cup and Bike Week coinciding. Bad planning. Next time move the footie.

A good day out – not as sunny as we thought it would be which was probably just as well. Final distance there and back around 85 miles, not the 100 we originally posted and later revised to 90 max.

Paul