Meet: 09:40 Brookmill Park map, 10:00 Cutty Sark Gardens, map

Distance: 40 miles

Phone: Ian - 07986 872 205

A favourite route of mine.

This 40 miles, nearly all off road ride utilises the Thames Path, Green Chain, Darent Valley Path, Cray River Way and Waterlink Way.

The ride goes by the side of the rivers Thames, Darent, Cray, Pool and Ravensbourne and through Oxleeas, Bostalls, Lesnes Abbey and Elmstead Woods as well as countless other south east London green spaces.

Bring snacks and we'll find a pub for lunch.

Suitable for mountain and hybrid bikes. Don't forget your inner tubes and tools to remove your wheels!

Report

15 left before us to knock about with Karen leaving Ian, Tim, Martin, Sarah, Graham, Cem and Roy to bounce around in SE London’s wonderful green spaces. 

Sarah dropped out when we reached the Thames Barrier leaving 6 of us to make the climb up through Marion Wilson Park, Charlton Park, Woolwich Common, Eltham Common and Oxleas Woods to the top of Shooters Hill. A quick breather at the top of the hill to take in the view and the great adrenalin rush of the down hill, always ready and able to stop, ahem,  remembering that we are sharing these paths with walkers and dogs. 

A couple of roads and the over East Wickham Green Space and into Bostall Woods and then Lesnes Abbey Woods. Tim made it up the stairs, cycling, and Martin had a minor fall trying. 

The last of the woods at Belvedere and we emerged onto the Thames path at Erith.  

Over Crayford Marshes choking on the smoke from fires of illegally burning waste before emerging at the messy road works east of Erith mentioned by Barry. We couldn’t find our way around these to find the Cray riverside path at this point so it was onto a couple of roads before navigating onto the path further down . Just before Crayford I was disappointed to see a couple of low gates that forced us to shoulder our bikes, had been installed on the river path. It’s kind of annoying but it’s inherent in urban mountain biking.  

On roads through Crayford and then over another fence to find our way back to the banks of the Cray. Briefly we emerge onto the A2, not far from Wilmington and knocking around with Karen in Kent. Through some nameless woods over another 2 fences and we stop for dinner at the Kings Head in Old Bexley. 

Scampi, chips, peas and salad £6.50. 

Back to the Cray on the other side of Bexley where the river flows through the idyllic Foots Cray Meadows. There are lots of people picnicking here on the low banks of the river looking over the clear shallow waters. We pass a ford but know one is tempted to risk their bearings to make the crossing.  

We’re on roads now, our longest tarmac stretch of the ride, about 3 miles, to the west side of Chislehurst before joining the Green Chain for a run through Elmstead Woods.  

A pit stop for repairs, Roy a puncture and Tim a loosening calliper. Roy leaves us at Bromley Road for a road route back to Deptford.  

Five of us take on the Elstree Hill, unmade road downhill experience before going through Beckenham Place Park. Cem and Martin both fall in the park here. I didn’t see it but Cem got sideways and for several yards before being pitched off and Martin ran into the back of him, coming off worse and taking a couple of chunks out of his shoulder. Refreshments at Beckenham Place House and then back to Lewisham on the Waterlink Way. Cem and martin leave us at the Savacentre.  

As we come through Ladywell Fields, Tim remarks that the river is as nice here as it is at Foots Cray. There are plans to get rid of the fences so that you can get to it. 

Everyone seemed to have a great time. Thanks for coming. Photos later in the week. 

Ian Pendleton.