Meet: 09:40 Brookmill Park map - 10:00 Cutty Sark Gardens map

Distance: 45 miles

Phone: Ian - 07986 872 205

An easy paced ride along the Thames Path beyond Erith across Crayford Marshes and Dartford Marshes under the Queen Elizabeth Bridge to Greenhithe. Return to London by train or ride back.

Pub lunch.

Unsuitable for racey road bikes.

Report

Eight of us met at Cutty Sark Gardens – Dave, Sarah, Teresa, Steve, Anthony, Barbara, Cathy and Ian.

A relaxed ride down to Erith was punctuated by a couple of light sharp showers accompanied by the taking of the waterproofs on and off ceremony. At Thamesmead a kestrel gave us a close up display of its stationary hovering flight before swooping and disappearing below the hedge line.

We stopped at the Riverside Café in Erith for coffee and in some cases, beans, bacon, sausages – it’s that kind of fare here.

We continued on the Thames Path from Erith down the west banks of the Darent and Cray. Just past the Darent flood barrier where the path forks and goes to Slade Green what looked like a mini oil rig had been constructed in the middle of the river. It had a JCB on its platform. Does any one know what’s going on here?

To get onto the east side of the Darent and to Dartford Marshes you have to follow the River Cray up to  Thames Road and the continue along University Way to where this road crosses the Darent. Heave your bike over the style here and the ride on top of the flood defences down the east bank of the Darent and Down to the Thames. On our right as we head across the marshes is a purpose built motocross facility. It’s good to see a lot of riders using this instead of illegally riding along the paths used by walkers and cyclists.

Be warned if you want to try this route it is a little bumpy but you are rewarded for you r efforts by close up views of the Thames shoreline and Dartford Marshes. From University Way to Greenhithe is about 4 miles. We pass under the Queen Elizabeth II bridge and go onto Stone Marshes.

Dinner in Greenhithe at the John Franklin - £7.50 for a set meal Sunday roast and desert (vegetarian option)

Five of us returned by road.

Our distance today was 41 miles.

I apologise for the photos which look a little odd – one of the settings on the camera was accidentally switched. They are here.

Ian.