The ride heads north from Brentwood to Kelvedon Hatch. From Kelvedon Hatch we head east along Essex lanes through Blackmore and Stock, loop around Hanningfield Reservoir and head back to Brentwood. The return to Brentwood is along some of the quiet lanes we used on our ride to Southend last year and was the part of that ride which I most enjoyed.

Pub lunch.

Suitable for any bike.

Report

There were ten of us at Liverpool Street Station so that enabled us to get 2 Group Saves for 4 at £3.70 each and 2 went on Network Cards for £4.80. As Paul says, “Get there early for the best fare deal.” The train journey out to Brentwood is a little bit laboured. With no specific bike storage in any of the carriages the bikes were stashed in doorways and the frequently stopping train made it necessary to keep jumping up to move the bikes to let passengers on and off. On the return journey I was informed that if we had gone to Shenfield one station further on which is still in the Brentwood urban sprawl we could got have got a fast train that stopped less and knocked 16 minutes off the 41 minute journey time. Next time we’ll definitely do that.

Jurec, Jane, Roy, Paul, Kay-E, Cathy, Ian, Geoff, Bill and Alan.

Leaving the station in Brentwood the ride immediately climbs northwards into the Essex countryside. After that initial first climb the overwhelming impression is of a perpetual although gradual down hill all the way to Hanningfield Reservoir. Cycling heaven – it can’t be real. At Peartree Green we turn west, cross the A12 between Mountnessing and Ingatestone. The hedges disappear and the wide vistas of the rolling Essex countryside become apparent. The views from these open lanes before reaching Stock are a great favourite of mine.

At Hanningfield Reservoir we start an anticlockwise circuit of the choppy water. It’s a dam cold day, far colder than was forecast, so we duck into the visitor centre in the hope of finding a café. Well they have a coffee machine and a nice wood burning stove as part of their very nice nature watching facility as well as several pairs of binoculars and plenty of informative wall charts about the eco system around the lake so it’s a good stopping place. There are also cycle racks. Another visitor centre (this is the one on the OS 1:50000 map) is situated a mile or so farther down the road and this has a café although it was out of commission while it is being refurbished. The facility we were at is not on the OS map but is just a little way past Crowsheath Farm if you are travelling in an anticlockwise direction around the lake. Anyway, it’s well worth a stop and short stay.

We continued our circuit around the lake before heading into Stock - the half way point. I had planned to stop here for lunch but it was only midday so after getting the map out we made a group decision to head for Blackmore. A nice looking pub in Margaretting Tye beckoned but we resisted and headed on. I was very wary as we went though College Woods just before Blackmore as on a previous ride I was nearly flattened by a herd of deer that decided to cross the road in stampede style. A frightening experience, we’re not often under threat from our indigenous species. No sign of them today though.

A quick scout around Blackmore reveals 3 food serving pubs and we opt for The Bull where we are kindly invited to leave our bikes in their sheds at the rear. The main bar is full but we find a completely empty dining room to the side called, appropriately, The Bicycle Shop. The room is decorated with old cigarette cards and posters of yesteryear advertising for cycles and accessories. The room is cold but the fire is ignited on request. A large range of food is available from sandwiches and snacks, baked potatoes with fillings, a good vegetarian menu and more expensive meal options. There is something for everyone - recommended.

After dinner we head off for the not so secret, Secret Nuclear Bunker at Kelvedon Hatch. The site apart from the secret nuclear bunker signs and the military green water treatment works is fairly anonymous on the surface. We opt not to take the tour but cut across the site to the rear entrance and knock a mile of our ride.

The perpetual down hill impression comes to an end as we head up and down 3 hills getting back into Brentwood. We arrive there at 15:55. The stats below show that there was no perpetual down hill. It was only a nice illusion.

Stats
41.7 miles
1993 feet of ascending.
1994 feet of descending
6 hrs 10 mins
Sheep, horses, ducks and geese.
Not a ray of sunshine (hence grainy and shaky photos)

A good day out, thanks everyone for coming.

Ian Pendleton