Meet: London Bridge Station, ticket office at 09:00 for the 09:23 train to Tonbridge which should arrive at 09:57 map

Distance: 65 miles

Phone: Ian - 07986 872 205

From Tonbridge we ride to the south of the Rivers Medway and Beult, over the Weald towards Ashford and return to Tonbridge to the north of these rivers. This is a fairly flat ride that will hopefully coincide with the many orchards in this area being in full blossom.

The east west east route is never far from the Tonbridge to Ashford railway line so there are many opportunities to cut the ride short and jump on a train home.

This rolling ride with nothing over 200 feet is entirely on roads and should be suitable for all bikes

We'll find a pub for lunch.

Report

There were 15 on today’s Wheels Over the Weald Ride. 

Camille, Jane, Paul, Ian, Tim, Nicky, Rachel, Stuart, Dave, Kerry, Simon, Gary, Colin, Alan and Sue. 

Despite West Ham playing in the cup final we still managed to lure out 4 Tower Hamlets Wheelers. When 15 turned up for the Canterbury 5 Churches Ride a couple of weeks ago we were a little worried that it would be difficult to get everyone on the train. Now we know better – 15 is easy. In fact, I reckon with 8 carriages, 2 doors per carriage, and 2 bikes per doorway in addition to the 6 bikes you can get in each storage space by the bog it would be possible to get 44 bikes and riders on a train – a South Eastern train. Other railway companies aren’t as accommodating. Let’s go for it.

4 for 2 = £4.90 – train fare. I think most benefited from this. 

A little over half an hour on the train and we were riding away from Tonbridge just after 10:00. A couple of big roads a steady climb up a couple of hills. Just before we turned off the B2017 I stopped to point out an apple orchard in blossom. In the blurb for the ride I’d said that we’d be seeing a lot of orchards in blossom – the fact is the orchards were at their best a couple of weeks ago and now the flowers were fading and falling. Don’t want to be sued under the rides description act though so here it is an orchard in blossom. Hell no one cared – they all rode past me without stopping and I had to catch up. Anyway better than the apple blossom today were the blue bells carpeting the woods we passed. 

Off the B2017 we turned north onto the first of many of the quiet country lanes we were to ride today. Over the River Medway through Golden Green, over the River Bourne, through East Peckham, over the Medway again, over the River Beult and through Yalding – nothing but quiet country lanes. 

It takes a little time to get used to the roads being as quiet as they are. The real charm of a ride like this is to take your time, spread out over the road, enjoy the countryside and enjoy the luxury of being able to have a chat to the person next to you. Always keep an eye on the road ahead though and be ready to duck over to the left. There was nothing coming in the opposite direction today though. 

Every one was riding at a similar pace and Colin was looking after the back so I was confident that despite all the twists and turns we would be able to keep everyone together – over confident. As we crossed the A229 the group was separated by traffic and 3 at the back missed the next turn. We rode the next two miles oblivious that we had lost three riders. Fortunately the three realised that they’d gone the wrong way, got us on the phone, sorted out the directions and within 10 minutes they were back with us.  

There was a lot of chat about Dunwich Dynamo. There were at least 4 on this ride intending to do this legendary event. If you’re going to do it get your coach back tickets now because I hear there is a £7 discount (at the time of writing). 

We continued to skirt villages without actually going into them, the preferred option being to stay in the quiet country. So we went close to Headcorn, close to Sutton Valence close to Pluckley, 30 miles gone now, and we were getting hungry. As it happened, with a little planning, almost exactly on half way, the route took us into Bethersden. It was 1 o’clock, the pub was called The George, the weather warm the garden large, the service slow. I think 15 turning up here for dinner was a strain on resources. It took some more than an hour to get their dinner, but no one cared, shoes were removed and we spread out over the grass.

Rachel and Stuart left us to make their own way home. 

I’m not sure how long we were there, maybe a couple of hours. We were on our way back now and cycling into the wind, so it was a little harder. The route continued the way it had begun on narrow quiet country lanes. 

We passed through Staplehurst and Marden and ten miles from Tonbridge, we stopped for another drink at The Chequers in Laddingford.  

We finally arrived back in Tonbridge at 18:15, all piled successfully onto the train and were back at London Bridge at 19:15. 

Thanks everyone for coming. 

Ian Pendleton