free social cycle rides Sat July 3rd

[Sally Eva]

Two short social cycle rides: first one two hours, the second two and a half. Both free and open to all. Only caveats, you must book via Eventbrite and please cancel if you change your mind. Both from Peckham Square between the library and the leisure centre

Peckham to Lewisham and the Quaggy River

Easy-paced 2 hour ride, this one mostly quiet roads with a few path sections through parks. Some gentle hills, nothing extreme. Start/finish Peckham Square (next to Peckham Library and Peckham Pulse Leisure Centre, SE15 5RY).

The Quaggy meets the Ravensbourne close to Lewisham station where much new development is taking place. The opportunity has been taken to open up this built-in water feature as ?Confluence Park?. The ride will follow the Quaggy, mostly hidden behind buildings in a sad concrete culvert. At Manor Park the river emerges, but is still hidden away to start with, although at the south end of the park you can get close on natural banks. Then to Manor House Gardens where the Quaggy is kept in a channel, behind railings. In contrast to the Ravensbourne in Brookmill Park looks like a real river. Lots of information about the Quaggy on the web site of QWAG (Quaggy Waterways Action Group, https://qwag.org.uk/river-quaggy/) whose ?goal is to demonstrate that rivers can be major assets to an urban environment ? bringing natural beauty, educational facilities and wildlife into urban lives.?

Route is at https://goo.gl/svHy65. Outward leg will use the northern, less hilly route via Bridgehouse Meadows and Fordham Park to Brookmill Park. Return leg goes past the Lewisham Leisure Centre, Brockley Station and Nunhead. 16.5km, just over 10 miles. Last did this ride 22nd Feb 2020, see report https://southwarkcyclists.org.uk/healthy-rides/healthy-ride-reports-2020/peckham-to-lewisham-and-the-quaggy-river/

Peckham to Beckenham Place Park.

10am to 12.30. Start/finish Peckham Square (next to Peckham Library and Peckham Pulse Leisure Centre, SE15 5RY). Jean leading. Will take a break at the park and view the Mansion and perhaps stroll down to the swimming lake, maybe even get a coffee if the queues are not too long. Route will head up to Peckham Rye and via LCN 22 to Ladywell Fields. Join lovely traffic-free Waterlink Way (National Route 21) and follow Ravensbourne and Pool Rivers to Lower Sydenham and on to Beckenham Place Park. Return by different route that starts with quiet streets followed by a very short stretch of busy road at Catford where we rejoin the outward route at Ladywell Fields. Then follow outward route back to Peckham. About 12 miles. Route map at https://bit.ly/2SOiQMs.

These rides are organised by Bruce Lynn on behalf of Southwark Cyclists, who are the borough branch of the London Cycling Campaign. Our website is here: https://southwarkcyclists.org.uk/ and the LCC website is here: https://www.lcc.org.uk/. Any queries you can text Bruce on 07729 279 945