Meet: 08:40 London Bridge Station for the 09:07 train to Headcorn which should arrive at 10:01 map

Distance: 35 miles

Phone: Ian - 07986 872 205

Another rolling looping ride through the lowlands of the Weald. Starting and finishing at Headcorn its quiet country lanes through the villages of Smarden, Pluckley, Bethersden, Woodchurch, Tenterden, Sissinghurst and Frittenden.

Pub lunch.

This ride is entirely on roads and suitable for all bikes.

Report

Seven riders met at London Bridge Station.

Karen, Paul, Jai, Ben, Holly, Tim and Ian.

We all arrived with different reports about what the weather had in store for us. One thing was certain though, it was warmer and this was going to be the first ride since the New Year where the temperature would nudge into the teens. Under helmet caps had been put into storage, lighter gloves had been retrieved from the depths of our drawers and one pair of shorts had also forced themselves into the optimistic spring consciousness that was moving north with the sun.

At Headcorn we were greeted by a dozen or so CTC riders who were also intent on making the most of the Weald’s quiet lanes. Well they had their ride and we had ours, ours was a loop, so I had a choice of clockwise or anticlockwise. Anti it was, into the warm south-westerly wind. The first village on the route, Frittenden, was soon behind us. I’d described the ride as being entirely on roads, but I’d made a mistake and included a short section of Bridleway that took us over the fields to Sissinghurst Castle. If we’d had any objections, I would have found a way around by road, but the bridleway offered a very scenic, if bumpy route to the castle. This castle had a coffee shop and although we were only 6 miles into the ride we decided a cup. Coffee £1-60.

From Sissinghurst, we travelled South East, through Hemsted Forest (Benenden Cycle Route) and across the Kent and East Sussex Steam Railway into Tenterden. Tenterden is a very prosperous looking market town with a long high street lined with individual, independent small shops. In retrospect we probably should have stopped and looked around.

Four riders who had gone ahead, no mobile phone signals, had to be chased down after they missed the turn to Woodchuch. We ambled up the hill towards the windmill, the church and the two pubs, the Bonnie Cravat and the Six Bells. The Six Bells had a nice garden and the warm temperature and no need to lock the bikes meant that we could relax outside. Dinner and a drink cost about £10. The food took half an hour or so but they did warn us.

Dinner over, Jai decided to cut his ride short and head for Ashford. With the wind behind us, the pace of the ride picked up and we sped back to Headcorn with the ride punctuated only by football scores and clothing adjustments.

Train back to London Bridge and then to The Dog and Bell. The new bike stands work fine and you can just about get a bike either side of each one.

Thanks everyone for coming.

Ian Pendleton.