two new free cycle rides Sat August 2nd

[Sally Eva]

NOTE. You must register for the ride on Eventbrite so we can limit numbers, links below. 

The new rides with information here are for Saturday 2nd August, 

On Aug 2^nd we have 2 long rides. We are trying again with Amanda’s Cody Dock ride that was cancelled 2 weeks back due to an Amber weather warning.  The second ride will be a new one, Owen continuing his campaign to get us out into Essex.

Aug 02, Ride 1. Cutty Sark to Cody Dock.  < https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cutty-sark-to-cody-dock-cycle-ride-tickets-1526644116649?aff=oddtdtcreator >

Please note. Electric bikes are not allowed on the cable car. This means we cannot accommodate e-bikes on this ride. Sorry.

9.30 start (not usual 10am) from Cutty Sark, next to the tunnel entrance. Amanda leading a cross river circuit to Cody Dock. Cody Dock is run as a charitable Social Enterprise with the aim of regenerating the dock and surrounding waterways (see https://codydock.org.uk). What has been created is quite special. And it includes a Cafe where we will take a break. We plan to use the “by air and by sea” route. Outward will go to the Cable Car at the O2 via the Thames path, then fly across the river and head for Cody Dock. Return will be via the free Woolwich Ferry followed by the Thames path back to Greenwich. If short of time will return via Isle of Dogs and use DLR from Mudchute to cross the river.  Bring Travel Card etc. for the Cable car (full fare is £7). Aim is to be back by 1.30pm.

Aug 02, Ride 2. Upminster to Southend.  < https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/upminster-to-southend-cycle-ride-tickets-1526787856579?aff=oddtdtcreator >

The ride starts at Upminster library at 9.30am. We head East into the Essex countryside. Our first stop at 11 miles is Langdon Hills country park at One Tree Hill for toilets and a coffee truck.  Our second stop at 20 miles is at Hadley Park café.  At 25.5 miles is Southend seafront our destination and our lunch break.  Aim to be at Southend by 12.30. Give ourselves an hour for lunch and set off back at 1.30. Those that want to leave the ride at this point can catch the c2c train from Southend Central back to London. Trains run every 20 minutes.  The journey back traces much of the route outbound but we will have only one stop roughly half way at The Doorstep Cafe, The Knares, in Basildon. We'll then return to Upminster library after a short break aiming to arrive there about 4.30. 

Upminster station is step free. In Zone 6, longish journey on District line (e.g. Monument, 42min, £3.70). Bit quicker on c2c from Fenchurch St, 22min, £3.80). Upminster Library is 400m south of the station, mostly along busy Station Road.

Personal memories of Southend from Ride Leader Owen  I remember as a 9 year old boy, a recent immigrant from Hong Kong with virtually no English, being woken up in the middle of a cold winter's night to go fishing. After wiping the sleep from my eyes I joined my father and our compassionate elderly neighbour, a keen fisherman, to drive down to Southend to fish off the end of the pier.  Still in pitch darkness we dropped lines with about half a dozen hooks on each line into the water. When the tide came in we pulled in our lines and there were two, three, four flat fish on each line. 

Fish were plentiful in those days and the town was a major holiday destination. Southend today may not glisten the way it used to but on sunny summer weekends thousands of day trippers still pack the promenades. You hear Chubby Chequer being belted out from arcades along with the ping, ping, ping sound of pinball machines and the occasional crashing of coins as a lucky punter registers a winning line on the fruit machine. You hear choruses of screaming from those on fairground rides. Every kid seems to be holding a candy floss or an ice cream cone and every adult has a big grin on their face.  Best of all is the ubiquitous seductive aroma of fish and chips with lashings of malt vinegar and pickled onions wafting along the seafront.
Southend seafront is still an amazing place to visit. Southend still touches my heart.
What are your memories of Southend? Better still join me on my bike ride from Upminster to Southend and back.

General Information

Riders of all ages are welcome on Southwark Healthy Rides but under 18s must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Same for “adults at risk”. Always give way to pedestrians and to other cyclists so all path users feel safe.  If you cannot make a ride, please cancel so that someone else can take the place.  How to cancel: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/help/en-gb/articles/557726/how-to-cancel-or-delete-a-free-order/.  Remember finish times are approximate and it is best not to schedule something immediately after the ride; give yourself an allowance for mechanical or other problems on the ride.

These rides are part of a regular programme of Saturday rides, more information at https://southwarkcyclists.org.uk/healthy-rides/. 

 

Note. Reports of previous rides, often with photos and route maps, are posted to the Southwark Cyclists web site, yearly index at https://southwarkcyclists.org.uk/healthy-rides/.  Future/provisional ride plans can be viewed on our planning spreadsheet.