Meeting Places :

Catford (NOT Catford Bridge) Station by the tcket machine - Meet Trevor Hughes at 09:15 for the 09:32 train to Eynsford

Or Bromley South Station Forecourt - Meet Andrew Fergar at 09:25 to catch the 09:43 train to Eynsford that the Catford contingent will already be onboard

Ride Details : 26 Miles basic length with 2033 ft of ascent and descent .

The ride starts with a six hundred foot climb towards the Fox & Hounds at Romney Street ...quite a long pull ..so be ready for it!....This first bit is much the longest ascent ...and we do get a magnificent 4 mile downhill run through the Knatts Valley towards the end .....villages passed through include Stansted , Hodsoll Street , Ridley and Ash ....where I intend to have our lunch stop at the Anchor & Hope .

After lunch we progress towards Knockmill then get to race down the beautiful Knatts valley part of the ride before arriving in old Farningham village then down the lane back to Eynsford once more .

If you wish to join us  ...Trevor Hughes and I will probably find a pub at the end as well .....as it will be nigh on Christmas ...for a drink or two .

Report

Two of us at Catford Station (Katie and Trevor) boarded the train, and were joined in Bromley South by Andrew (Our Captain) and Bill, newcomers Fran and Richard (apologies if I may have called you Steve!) alighted at St Mary's Cray and at Eynsford our final two were Ian and other newcomer Oscar.

Starting at Eynsford, we were soon out of its limits and teeming into the countryside and up through a succession of hills. Not many miles in, and ascending up a gentle slope Andrew and I met with a Post Office Delivery van, who wound down his window and said, 'beware of the dog'. It was just before the Horse and Hounds that we were suddenly accosted by a very small dog, although Andrew did his best to ward off said dog, yelling 'Yella, Imshi!' it still wanted to bite our ankles off. Retreating from the little dog's bared teeth we came upon another Post Office van who informed us that the hares in our group were just up ahead and tapping their watches.

Once we were all re-united we set off towards our lunch stop at Ash by undergoing a set of punishing hills (over 2000ft of hills in 26 miles is a lot of climbing) but the downhill going underneath the M20 was bliss. We were liberally being sprayed with much mud, but the weather was extremely mild, and the landscape (plus the beautiful Shetland ponies at one location) made us forget the hills (hopefully).

Lunch was at the??? pub, where a genteel hour was spent quaffing the brew and talking about the main subjects of the day: recession, the credit crunch and jobs, Strictly Come Dancing, Little Dorrit and the Xmas Party Season.

Post lunch it was a mere11 miles of the ride left and we were promised much reprieve in the hillage department, but unfortunately the hills had had their effect on poor Fran, who as a beginner had covered amazingly the hills and the miles, but was suffering. Step forward Bill, who was extremely encouraging and had Fran soon whooshing right past me!

By then we had wended our way back under the M20, near West Kingsdown, back through Knockmill and down through the Knatts Valley (controversial discussion continued about this in the pub later). In just a few miles we were back in Farningham, my second favourite village in Kent and we stopped to admire the River Darent and the fabulous buildings. It was finally onto our last little hill, past the WW2 monument and the Castle, and then on into Eynsford! Bidding adieu to Ian and Oscar, the majority of us repaired to the Plough, but not before The Legend that Continues, Bill careering through the ford at Eynsford.

Many Thanks to Andrew Fergar for leading the ride and to Ian for taking pictures and to everyone for making it a memorable day! Merry Xmas to you, one and all!

Katie Collis - Bromley Cyclists Reporter