The first rider to turn up was on an out and out road bike with slick tyres. A silent sigh of relief issued forth as I heard the words “Are you here for the Ride Against Climate Change?” I explained my relief, only to be told that he rides all the time in Epping Forest – keeping to the main paths. And I believe it, the bike handling skills that some people have are amazing despite the named purpose of their bike – I’ve seen it.

No racing bikes today though. I set off with Ray on our trust y mountain bikes with huge tyres on the most direct route we could find to the forest – up through the Isle of Dogs, over the Lee Delta, up Manor Road, through Stratford, up Leytonstone Road and at Green Man Roundabout we hit the lower edges of the forest on Wanstead Flats. It only took a couple of revolutions of the pedals once we hit the mud to indicate that the going was heavy and slippery.

Anil had phoned me on the way up so we made our way to the tea shack by Hollow Pond on Whips Cross Road to rendezvous. It was eight Miles to this point and 50 minutes from Greenwich. Half way through our egg and bacon sandwich Anil turned up, we finished our tea, coffee and off we went on our Northwards journey.

I don’t know what find of knobbly tyres you need to get grip on this clay like mud, but caution soon got the better of me as I slithered around seemingly spending as much time going sideways as forwards. It was a shame that we couldn’t really take advantage of the strong tail wind and make quicker progress.

A steep muddy bank that takes you on top of the covered reservoir at Waterworks Corner presented Ray with his first big challenge. Anil and I took one look and decided to walk up. I’ve ridden up this slope in the dry of the summer but calculated that I wouldn’t be able to manage it today. It was still early I didn’t want to take a mud bath yet. Anil and I waited at the top for Ray’s big effort. I think he got about half way up before the tyres lost grip and were just spinning. There was a lot of effort going in there to get no where and just stay upright. One more go . . . . didn’t make it. Walk up, spend 20 minutes cleaning the accumulated mud off the tyres and brakes. I had slipping gears that needed adjusting and then we were on our way again.

It was time to get off the beaten track, into the denser woodland. This did the trick. There was far more grip to be had on the lesser used single track away from the main routes. For me this is the fun part, fording the streams, bunny hopping the routes and brushing the holly bushes never quite sure where you are going and getting a little lost. Where were never going to get very lost today because Anil really knew his way around.

At about 12:30 we emerge at Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge. There was some kind of children’s party going on so it wasn’t appropriate for us to go in. Next time.

We made our way to The Owl on the western edge of the forest just south of High Beech for lunch. On the way up there we remarked on how many leaves were still on the trees. The autumnal colours are still predominant and a pleasure to see.

After lunch we mad our way over to the River Lee. The mud had been fun but had sapped our energy. Just before we hit the Lee we detoured around Meridian Country Park. Anil and I both took falls on the lethally wet wooden decking that took you out to the centre of the lake and hidden positions to watch what I assume would be heron nesting sites. No nesting birds at this time of the year though.

Ray and Anil left the Lee at Hackney Rowing Club and headed off to east London. I stayed on the Lee for a leisurely ride on a gradually deflating tyre back to Greenwich.

Back at 16:10 – 38 miles.

Thanks Ray and Anil for a fun day. I’ve got to clean my bike now.

Ian Pendleton.