We’re off to New Ash Green to take a look at a pioneering piece of town planning and domestic architecture – New Ash Green, the work of Eric Lyons and Span – recently the subject of a RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) exhibition. The Lewisham link? The practice also designed several estates in Blackheath.

Don’t worry about lectures though – no talks, we’ll just have a short mooch. If you want to learn more before or after the ride, check out:

www.span-kent.co.uk

Or start googling.

The ride is really an excuse to check out some wonderful Kent lanes surprisingly close to London and reccie the odd pub or two.

Pub lunch – maybe an extra drink later depending on the wishes of the group.

Suitable for any bike – there is a short severe off-road climb but since any of us on anything other than a mountain bike will have to walk this anyway, you won’t be at a disadvantage on a racer.

Total distance 65 miles MAX, hence relatively early start.

Opportunity to catch a train back from St Mary Cray after 50 miles if you prefer.

For folks from the east who don’t want to go back to Greenwich, we’ll be returning via New Eltham.

We’re climbing over the North Downs so some climbing, but you’ll be rewarded by a nice long amble along part of the Pilgrim’s Way we haven’t done before.

Bring lights.

Report

Six of us at Cutty Sark Gardens (Paul, Ian, Chris, Kay-E, Jeff, Kathryn), with Jane, Trevor and Andrew at Ladywell Fields. Trevor and Andrew had found out about the ride after picking up the Greenwich Cyclists newsletter at Cutty Sark Gardens.

Off down the Waterlink way, over the renovated bridge just south of Catford (thanks to Lewisham’s Cycling Officer) and down to Kent House where we picked up Jurek. So ten in all up for a 50/65 mile ride early in the year with a fair bit of climbing – our rides definitely seem to be building.

Down (well actually rather a lot of up) to Downe (watch this space for an autumn/winter ride here) where we paused to rest before the rigours to come. There were some calls for a coffee stop (and there is a handy farm cafe; again, we’ll go there some other time) but we had to get through a barrier, hit lunch on time and get folk back to town by evening.

Lots of cyclists passed us (not all from behind!) as this is an understandably popular route. Assorted pals out for a ride, The Old Portlians (or something) and the Dulwich Paragon out on their usual Saturday morning spin.

A tough climb up to Cudham before the final challenge of the North Downs, down the other side and squeezing under a barrier on a short stretch of the old Pilgrims Way that closes at noon on Saturdays. Then onto a longer stretch of the Pilgrims Way after Otford all the way to Wrotham – or “rootem” as its apparently pronounced.

Lunch at the George and Dragon – not the best beer in town but the pub is very cyclist friendly and apparently a haunt of West Kent CTC – when I reccied the ride the landlord even offered to keep the kitchen open after hours for us if we phoned ahead. Two of our more delicate members chose to sit inside - no names will be mentioned but the sharp-eyed may spot the couple missing from the pics of us enjoying the sun outside.

After lunch, over a nasty road, a clamber up a totally unrideable bit of bridleway (the wonderful shortcuts you can find with an Ordnance Survey map) that brought us to some deserted country lanes. Past another pub that we may use next time, then off into more wonderful lanes before climbing to New Ash Green – see the web link on the ride announcement under “events” if you want to learn more about this early attempt to build a new form of community and keep cars at arm’s length.

Trevor and Andrew left us here, apparently to pedal a modest distance to a pub and settle in for a few pints before training it back home.

More country lanes before we eventually hit St Mary Cray. Jane and Chris offered to lead a future cafe/cake ride before heading off back to town with Kathryn by train. The rest of us zapped up a non-too-scenic but very useful cycle lane which had us back in Lewisham in no time. We split just before Blackheath, Kay-E to pedal home and contemplate his coming coast-to-coast challenge and Jeff to get a few extra miles in for a planned Land’s End to John O Groats.

Great weather, the ride seemed appreciated. Some tough climbing early on but most after that was fairly easy pootling down quiet country lanes. May well do it again before the summer ends – it’ll be over before you know it so get out there.

Paul Taylor