Meet: Cutty Sark Gardens11:00 map or Ladywell Fields Cafe at 11:35 map

Distance: 25 miles

Phone: Ian - 07986 872 205

An easy paced ride around the Green Chain. We'll go down the Waterlink Way, through Beckenham Place Park, over to Elmstead Woods, turn north to Eltham and go through Oxleas Woods before dropping down to the Thames by the barrier and return to Greenwich.

Lunch or snack at the cafe in Oxleas Woods

Suited to hybrids,  mountain bikes and adventurous tourers.

Report

There were 9 of us at CSG today for the Green Chain Ride

Simon, Susheel, Brenda, Teresa, Cathy, James, Ian, Anthony and David.

I looked a little anxiously at Cathy’s narrow road rims and skinny tyres and wondered if it would be OK on today’s rough at times route. However, with flat handle bars and a hybrid/mountain shape frame (both good for balance and bike handling), dry weather and most importantly an adventurous rider, the scales were tipped in our favour.

We followed Route 2, The Waterlink Way, out of Greenwich down Norman Road, crossing onto trendy Creekside over the Ha’penny Hatch Bridge into Deptford. Over Deptford Broadway and Deptford Creek becomes the River Ravensbourne in Brookmill Park . James had heard a rumour (on a BBC radio program some years ago) that there is the wreck of a U-Boat in the creek that can be seen on the odd occasion – its news to me and neither Anthony nor Teresa, both locals, knew anything about this. Does any one else have any information on this?

Following the Ravensbourne through the new Elmira housing development in the heart of Lewisham onto into Ladywell Fields , a call back to Susheel that she would need a low gear for the spiral bridge. I needn’t have worried about Simon and Susheel though as both were veterans of the MB UK Roughride annual event. The Roughride in only its 3^rd year attracted 900 riders. I’d considered taking this on myself before banging my ribs back in February dented both my body and confidence – both are well on the mend now though.

The Ravensbourne joins is joined by the River Pool just after Catford and we follow the Pool down to Sainsbury’s at Sydenham before turning off to go to Beckenham Place Park . We have our usual stop for coffee and to take in the view of the beautiful woods beyond the golf course.

On through Beckenham Place Park and onto the first unmade road by Ravensbourne Station this is just a warm up for the stiffer climb up Elstree Hill another unmade road a mile a way. This is really urban mountainbiking. Idea for a ride – Bromley’s Unmade Roads – whatever would their affluent residents think?

With the rough roads behind us we cruise easily along the splendid Park Avenue and then skirt Sundridge Park before climbing New Street Hill to Elmstead Woods . From Elmstead Woods we enter Chinbrook Meadows There are a couple of new additions here, an annoying barrier at the top of the hill and a nice café at the bottom. From the meadows we cross Mottinham’s sports grounds and then have to traverse/take on the A20 Sidcup Bypass. Instead of putting new barriers, there were a couple more before the A20, how about spending some money on a signal controlled crossing where the Green Chain crosses this ‘motorway’?

We shoulder our bikes and cross the railway footbridge on the other side of the A20 – this footbridge could do with one of those grooves so that a bike can be pushed up.

More barriers and up King John’s Walk for a great view over London to the north. Down the hill to Eltham Palace . From the palace we go down North Park and cross the playing fields at the foot of Avery Hill. Past Falconwood Station we enter Shepherdleas Woods and cross the road at Welling Way into Oxleas Woods and climb to the café for the view and dinner.

Eggs, chips, tomatoes and a coke £4

After dinner we part company with Brenda who is making her own way back to Woolwich and we descend through Jack Wood, past Sevendroog Castle through Castle Wood over Eltham Commom, Woolwich Common , Horfair Park, Charlton Park, Marion Wilson Park (the location for Antonioni ’s Blow-Up tennis court scene) and finally cross Woolwich Road to the Thames Barrier.

All the way from the Sainsbury’s Saver Centre at Sydenham to the Thames Barrier the route is signed as part of the Green Chain Walk . There are other spurs to the Green Chain, so you have to have an idea of where you are going.

We amble into Greenwich by the Thames Path. Today the riverside path by the naval college is open and a May Day Fair inside the Naval College is in full swing. Back into Greenwich at 16:00

27.5 miles

Thanks everyone for coming.

Photos on the web site tomorrow.

Ian Pendleton

Lewisham Cyclists