Not running the marathon? Then join us on a flat 30 mile ride down the Waterlink Way west across Croydon to link up with the Wandle Trail heading north back into London and looping back around to Greenwich.

Easy paced ride. Suitable for all bikes except racey roadsters.

Report

The nine riders on this Sunday’s Ride were Gig, Tamsin, Dave, Kay-E, Mario, Ian, Paul, John and Rob.

Courtesy of the London Marathon’s road closures we had a traffic free ride down Deptford Church Street. We picked up the Waterlink Way in Brookmill Park as well as personally picking up several hundred small flies on my sun protected, oily and sticky arms, legs and face. Human fly paper.

Flies aside it was a great day for an amble down the Waterlink Way. The miles through Catford, Sydenham, and Norwood spun lazily by until the approach to Croydon where the increasing numbers of cars, busses and trams and lines make it necessary to have your wits about you.  I hate going through here, it’s one town where you really need to plan ahead to get yourself through, the motorway through the middle, the packed precincts, one way systems and trams make crossing from east to west a difficult journey. Fortunately I’ve done it several times now and a Sunday, which is slightly quieter than the frantic week days, is definitely the best choice of days for crossing town.

John left us at East Croydon to make a lone trip to Gatwick.

Across Purley Way and we reach the Wandle Trail

Follow the link below for a film of the Wandle on You Tube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHD2_hg6XOI

Waddon Ponds, fed by underground springs seems to be the source of the Wandle and the river flows for a distance of 11.4 miles before reaching the Thames. Be prepared for diversions along the path just after Waddon Ponds, the path has been closed a couple of times over the last 6 months, a wall fell down and now some kind o building work has closed the path again. Less than a mile after the river begins you enter the lovely Beddington Park with it’s lovely Dovecote.

Because it’s only 11 miles to the Thames it’s possible to really take your time enjoy the history and the natural surroundings of a London river that isn’t totally encased in concrete. How did it get away with it?

Merton Abbey Mills is an ideal place to have an outside lunch and keep a close eye on your bike. The bandstand in the adjacent market delivers live entertainment while you eat and drink although the rock ballads weren’t to everyone’s taste.

As usual I didn’t take everyone to the outflow into the Thames – I personally don’t like the one way system around Wandsworth – so I took the group across Wandsworth Common, Clapham Common, Myatts Fields in Camberwell and then through Burgess Park before returning to Deptford through the back streets of Peckham.

Photos later.

Ian Pendleton