Rapha Festive 500, London Waterways: Day 8 - Back on the Thames

Featured waterways: Croydon Canal, Grand Surrey Canal (disused), River Thames

Distance ridden: 30km 

Cumulative distance: 511km

Distance left: 0km

Terrain: Tarmac

Weather: Overcast, 0degC

Route on Strava:

Finally, I'd made it to the last day of the challenge! I just had 19km left to do, so barring a catastrophe I believed I would be able to achieve the 500km. All I needed to do was to pootle into Central London and then somewhere along the home run I would hit the magic 500km mark. I would treat it like the final day of the Tour de France when the riders traditionally do a leisurely paced ride from the Paris suburbs into the city centre. 

In fact, if I really wanted, I could stop riding at Brixton or Herne Hill and get on a train to avoid the big hill leading back into Crystal Palace. But that wouldn't be in the spirit of things really, would it? Furthermore, during these Covid-19 times I feel safer riding my bike out in the fresh air than sitting on a train with all the risk of people coughing or sneezing their coronaviruses onto me!

After a celebratory end-of-year 10km run around my neighbourhood, I had a leisurely breakfast and then set off on my final cycle ride of the Festive 500, and of 2020.

The route went through the vibrant Peckham Rye Shopping Centre, which is now traffic-free, and led me to the back of the library where I discovered another traffic-free path known as the Surrey Canal Path. What was previously known as the Grand Surrey Canal no longer exists, but this section of it has been made into a very pleasant cycle way that leads to Burgess Park. Both Burgess Park, and the site of thee Peckham library are built on what were previously basins of the Grand Surrey Canal. Who'd have thought there was so much history here - and so much water!

Glad to reach the finish line at Tower Bridge

After crossing the park and going through some back streets in Bermondsey, I arrived on the new segregated cycle lane at Jamaica Road, and shortly after that I was on the River Thames at Potters Fields, facing Tower Bridge - my virtual finish line. 

There was no champagne to pop - not even a celebratory tea and cake as everywhere was closed due to the pandemic restrictions. So I just smiled to myself in quiet satisfaction that I had achieved what I had set out to do, and the week had gone to plan without any significant hitches. 

One can never take the week-long Festive 500 challenge for granted, especially at this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere countries where the weather can be inclement and the days are short. You always hear stories of folks whose Festive 500 came to an abrupt end due to a significant mechanical problem, or sliding over on ice and getting injured. Then there are many people who just lose motivation at this uninviting time of year, get to day 6 and realise it's just not feasible to complete the outstanding 300km in two or three days! 

Talking of weather, there was no ice on the roads at the time that I was cycling, but it was freezing - literally, as temperatures were fixed at 0deg C. This wasn't the day to be standing around. One mistake I did make, was to spend a bit of time with my gloves off when adjusting my tripod, taking photos and recording video footage.

My hands got so cold I could barely change gear when cycling. It was only when I rode home and rode at near race pace that I began to regain any feeling in my fingers.

I was very happy to end my Rapha Festive 500 on the Thames - at the river in the city I call home. And Tower Bridge seemed like a majestic, backdrop as I felt like I was Queen of the Waterways - well at least for 8 days! The many passers-by and tourists gave me slightly bemused looks as I recorded my footage on the path, though to their credit they took care not to photo-bomb my pictures.

None of them will have imagined I had ridden my bike 500km over the last eight days or known that I had ridden along rivers and canals in all the corners of London and the suburbs - that was for me to quietly celebrate. 

But who knows, they might see or hear part of my stories if they are ever trawling through social media and looking for places to ride their bikes along a London river or a canal. Hopefully I will have been able to give them a couple of ideas!

I have discovered a number of new places during my rides around London's waterways over the last eight days. It has provided a different angle of London, and also given me ideas for traffic-free routes and short cuts. I only touched the surface in terms of the waterways I visited. There are many more to visit, plus many disused ones too. I hope to ride along them in the not-distant future.

Also, one tip when route-planning rides in London, is if you want to find a traffic-free area, look for a river, canal, brook or basin and you may well find that there is an associated traffic-free path or quiet road available.

So that's my Festive 500 over and out for 2020. I look forward to doing another theme in 2021.

Related posts

Rapha Festive 500, London Waterways - Day 1

Rapha Festive 500, London Waterways - Day 2

Rapha Festive 500, London Waterways - Day 3

Rapha Festive 500, London Waterways - Day 4

Rapha Festive 500, London Waterways - Day 5

Rapha Festive 500, London Waterways - Day 6

Rapha Festive 500, London Waterways - Day 7

Festive 500, London Waterways - Day 5: River Wandle (Wandle Trail)

Featured waterways: River Wandle

Distance ridden: 41km 

Cumulative distance: 318km

Distance left: 182km

Terrain: Multi-terrain: gravel, grass tracks, muddy sections, tarmac

Weather: Initial frosty patches, cloudy, 3 degC

Nutrition: Water

Route on Strava:

During the Festive 500 challenge I always think it is important to schedule in a few "easy" days at around the half-way mark. It's good for the soul, and you don't have a feeling of beating yourself up to get this done.

So today, was that day - a 25-mile ride that took me along the River Wandle from Croydon to Wandsworth, and then back home via the different commons in South-West London along a largely traffic-free route.

This is quite a pleasant waymarked route, known as the Wandle Trail, so there is no need to do much in the way of navigation. It's just a case of following the white stickers with a green arrow marked on the lamp post. You can also follow National Cycle Network Route 20. 

Look for the green arrow won the whit background, or NCN route 20

From my home in Crystal Palace, I cycled down to Wandle Park, Croydon to start the route. That went through places like Waddon Ponds and Beddington Park, and then largely followed the River Wandle. I went past various residential properties, nature reserves, woodland, parkland, light industrial estates and retail parks. There is a bit of everything along this 14-mile trail. You get to see areas that you wouldn't normally visit. Even though the route passes through Wimbledon, you get to see a totally different side of this area associated with strawberries and tennis.

One pleasant find, is Morden Hall Park - a reason to go to the end of the Northern Line. It is set in 125 acres of parkland and there is a nature reserve adjoining it. Within the grounds is also Deen City Farm, as well as Morden Hall, a stately home and functions venue. 

Many walkers were out in the park with their families on this dull chilly day, but it didn't stop them from enjoying being outdoors.

Morden Hall Park

One thing to note was how muddy the place was. Now, I do remember that this park has been used as a cross country running venue in the past. There is a reason for that! This would also make for a good cyclocross venue too, which is what I ended up doing by default as I weaved around the walkers.

I was conscious about not going too far into the swamp though as I really didn't want to muddy my lovely Liv Devote too much (even if it performed well in these conditions). I am more a fan of riding bikes than washing them!

In fact, some parts of the park were so muddy that I would have feared for the safety of a small child falling in!

After Morden, my route took me around places like Mitcham and Colliers Wood, then on to Earlsfield. Along various parts of the River Wandle people were out fishing. I didn't realise it was the season to do that sort of thing; it would be interesting to know if anyone ever caught a monster carp there, like they show on the fishing programme that comes on after the Tour de France broadcasts!

For a brief section, the route leaves the parks and traffic free paths to go down Earlsfield High Street, a handy spot. Normally (when there isn't lockdown) many cyclists hang out in this area - recreational riders and club riders sitting in the cafes with their bikes parked nearby. Also, if you feel too tired to ride all the way to the end of the route, or if for some other reason you can't continue cycling, Earlsfield train station is right there.

Cake time in Wandsworth Town

I was quite happy to go all the way to the end of the route close to Wandsworth Town train station. The first thing I noticed when I arrived there was the change since my previous trip along the Wandle Trail. The "planters" had gone. Previously, Wandsworth Council had closed Old York Road to traffic, and put in plant pots and cycle lanes. With the cafes along the side of the road, it gave a pleasant "Copenhagen-like" feel. But that has all changed now. The road has been re-opened to traffic, and cyclists are sharing the roads with all kinds of users. The planters had only ever been a temporary measure, and Wandsworth Council decided to scrap these "so-called" low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) due to them causing more congestion than before.

After a quick stopover, at the popular Gail's Bakery, I trundled home via various quiet roads in Wandsworth and then through Wandsworth Common, Tooting Common and Streatham Common. The welcome sight of the Crystal Palace transmitter as I crested Streatham Common signified to me that I was near home. Once past Beulah Hill I was back at base where I enjoyed a leisurely lunch and reminisced on the pleasant morning I'd had.

Related Posts

Rapha Festive 500, London Waterways - Day 1

Rapha Festive 500, London Waterways - Day 2

Rapha Festive 500, London Waterways - Day 3

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Festive 500, London Waterways - Day 4: Regent's Canal

Featured waterways: Wapping Ornamental Canal, Shadwell Basin, Thames Path, Limehouse Basin, Regent's Canal 

Distance ridden: 53km 

Cumulative distance: 277km

Distance left: 223km

Terrain: Tarmac

Weather: Sunny and breezy (after earlier torrential rain), 3 degC

Nutrition: Water

Route on Strava:

The weather had been pretty scary in the morning, with torrential rain and very low temperatures. So I decided to defer my ride to later on, as the forecast was for an improvement in conditions during the afternoon.

Due to the late start, this was going to have to be a short ride, and also a day to avoid riding off-road given that the trails would be very muddy. So today's ride was urban, going through the middle of London. The cycleway along the Thames is a well-used route, but I decided to cycle along another cycleway through London - the Regent's Canal. 

This is one route where you see real London life, as opposed to the Thames cycleway which goes past lots of tourist attractions. 

Shadwell Basin

Before reaching the Regent's Canal I rode along the Wapping Ornamental Canal, which until a couple of days ago, I had never heard of. It was actually suggested to me by a cycling friend, Abi Armstrong. So I headed down past St Katharine's Dock and took that route. It was quite a find. There was nothing particularly ornamental about it, but it looked pretty and the buildings reminded me of posh dockers' houses from the time when that was a big thing in London. Eventually I reached Shadwell Basin. The first thing that came to my mind about that place was how this would be a great place for open water swimming - another activity that has become popular of late. Sadly, there are lots of signs up forbidding people to jump in. Apparently the water's not lovely. 

From here I followed a few signs to get to Mile End Park, via the Thames Path and Limehouse Basin, to reach the start of the Regent's Canal.

Initially, the path wasn't so busy. But from Victoria Park onwards there was a much greater flow of people along this waterway. Along the Regent's Canal you see ordinary London life - both in terms of those based on the water, and those along the path and adjoining parks.

You pass offices, the backs of people's flats, as well as various sections of artistic facades, also known as graffiti. In some areas, notably around Islington and St Pancras, people had set up little makeshift bars where folks had gathered to enjoy a few Christmas beers. Some were also lounging on benches, or on grassy stretches. Quite a lot of barges are moored along here, with people getting on with their everyday life. One person's barge had so much smoke emerging from it, it made me wonder if the occupant had burnt their dinner as well as a few logs.

Regent's Canal

Along the stretch near Haggerston, I noted a lone canoeist who appeared to be enjoying an afternoon "stroll" with his dog trotting alongside on the towpath! That was quite a sight, though I think I was the only person to find it amusing. I think it was just normal life for folks in East London!

This canal was quite technical to ride as it was twisted around blind corners and dipped under various low bridges. A bell would definitely be useful on this stretch. There were also a couple of steep inclines at the different locks. At Islington, where the path reaches the Islington tunnel I was forced to leave the canal to get onto street level. At that point I crossed Upper Street, the main road through Angel, to reach the back end of King's Cross and rejoin the canal. 

Camden Lock

I had originally planned on riding as far as Regent's Park, but the canal path was becoming hard work to negotiate at this time of the afternoon, with many people walking along it, and the pace was slow-going. So when the path made a natural pause in the trendy Camden Lock, I saw it as my cue to leave the canal completely and head home via the traffic-light C6 quiet cycle route, and the segregated CS6 Cycleway.

I had enjoyed my stint along the Regent's Canal, though I think it is best appreciated first thing in the morning by bike, rather than on a sunny afternoon during the Christmas holidays.

Related posts

Festive 500, London Waterways - Day 1

Festive 500, London Waterways - Day 2

Festive 500, London Waterways - Day 3

Rapha Festive 500, London Waterways - Day 2: Thames Path

Featured waterways: Waterlink Way (River Pool and River Ravensbourne), Thames Path, Docklands, Limehouse Cut and Basin, River Thames (from Greenwich to Woolwich)

Distance ridden: 63km 

Cumulative distance: 143km

Distance left: 357km

Terrain: Mainly tarmac, with a short gravel section at Limehouse Cut

Weather: Sunny but cold, 4 degC

Nutrition: Water

Route on Strava:

As is the tradition for me, the second day of my Festive 500, Christmas Day is a ride in Central London. The routes vary each year, but they always pass through the central area London. I often find it a treat to cycle around London when the roads are empty compared with how they are on other days of the year.

Mind you, with the exceptional year that we have had with the Covid-19 pandemic this has meant that we have already had a number of weeks of deserted roads in Central London. If anything, the roads on Christmas Day were busier than they were in April when we were in lockdown!

These Christmas Day rides also tend to be shorter than other planned rides because I like to finish early so that I can get on with other things like seeing my family and having a leisurely Christmas dinner.

Cutty Sark, Greenwich

My route went along the Waterlink Way, which I pick up in Beckenham and travel up through Sydenham, Catford and Lewisham to reach Greenwich. There were quite a lot of people in Greenwich; most of them were queuing up outside Starbucks. That must surely have been the only café open in the whole of London!

From there, I took the Thames Path East to reach Woolwich. This path was tarmacked and you could ride through quite quickly. However, this path is popular with walkers and joggers, so I had to temper my speed especially on blind corners. There were a few narrow sections too where I had to be ready to give way to other cyclists and pedestrians.

As well as imposing vistas of the Canary Wharf complex on the opposite side of the Thames, the other big feature is the Thames Barrier. This feat of engineering is the one thing that protects London from being flooded. It is possible to do day trips there and find out more about the Thames and the London flood barriers. I've heard it's quite fascinating. That is something to look forward to once we are out of lockdown.

Thames Barrier

 At Woolwich, I took the foot tunnel to head North of the river. According to the Greenwich Borough website the lifts were out of order, so I went into the tunnel expecting to carry my bike down and then up the steps. To my pleasant surprise the lifts were working - that must have been the Council's Christmas present to me!

Once on the North side of the Thames I headed for Docklands. Unlike the North end of the Greenwich foot tunnel where you arrive at the Isle of Dogs and there's a mini park and snack bar area, the North end of the Woolwich foot tunnel is a bit lost, lonely and desolate with various industries in the area and not much else too see. It's not particularly well signposted for cyclists - almost like the authorities don't expect anyone to go cycling there. Granted, there is no real reason to be there unless you work there, are lucky enough to live there, or are doing a project on light industry!

Royal Victoria Docks

Thankfully, there was one sign for Beckton, and to be fair, there were a few cycle paths too. So I managed to get myself to the Excel Exhibition Centre (latterly known as the Nightingale Hospital for Covid-19 patients), and to Royal Victoria Docks, a place where I have been for open water swimming.

This area had more people and even group bike rides taking place as people were making the most of this sunny Christmas Day.

After navigating through the myriad of lanes and segregated cycle paths I reached Limehouse Cut. It is when I go through these parts of East London that I really notice the contrast in the different neighbourhoods. 

For example, Poplar in Tower Hamlets looked pretty deprived and reminded me of those documentaries like "World in Action" I would watch in the 1980s, where they would talk about life in the inner city. Although many depressing high-rise blocks have been replaced with cute sized semi-detached houses, there was still a lot of graffiti around, with rubbish in the streets and beat up old cars. One small road just off Cable Street stank of urine and was full of homeless people with all their wordly goods in old shopping trolleys. Depressing. 

Limehouse Basin

Meanwhile, in the nearby Limehouse Basin were trendy, plush apartment buildings facing onto the marina, where people can just pop across the way to their gym club or a restaurant (once they are open).

I must say, Limehouse Basin was a new find for me, and it did look picturesque - as evidenced by the many people who stopped and photographed the various barges and boats moored there.

From Limehouse I did a brief unplanned stint along the Regent's Canal. By unplanned, read "I took a wrong turning and realised I'd gone the wrong way after a mile or so!"

Not a problem - I quickly wound my way through Stepney Green to reach Cable Street and head towards Tower Bridge where I picked up the cycleway to Westminster. I have probably said it before, and will say it again - this is my favourite part to cycle in London. It is great to be on a segregated cycle lane, riding past all the well-known landmarks in London. That is quite a luxury. Many people had had the same idea as I did, to go cycling along there. Cyclists of all ages and abilities, on different types of bike populated the cycle path on this sunny Christmas Day. 

The last part of my ride in Central London took me over Westminster Bridge, and along the South Bank. It was quite a treat to be able to do this, as normally this area would be heaving with people making it difficult to cycle through. Granted, there were still enough people to create a buzzing atmosphere, but the government rules around going out with just one other person, meant there weren't massive crowds. So I was able to go from Waterloo to Tower Bridge unhindered, before dropping down onto a new segregated cycleway at Tower Bridge, which took me down Jamaica Road and to Surrey Quays, from where I continued east to Deptford Creek. 

As we were getting well into the afternoon, I realised the time had come to return home as I still wanted to get back and do the normal Christmas things (well as normal as we are allowed to do things at the moment). I wasn't going to miss out on enjoying some Christmas dinner and stuffing myself with chocolates and mince pies while watching the rather aptly named Home Alone!    

It was a good day.

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Rapha Festive 500, London Waterways - Day 1

Photo of the day - 1: Cycling on the Wandle Trail

I normally do a "One day, one photo" series during the month of September. This year I have switched it to October, just to vary things. But also because I was so crazily busy in September that I couldn't get on and blog each day! So here goes:

I did a bike ride along the Wandle Trail, a mainly traffic-free route through South London that goes from Croydon to Wandsworth. The route follows the River Wandle, a tributary of the River Thames. It's a pleasant, well-surfaced 12-mile (20km) ride that goes through some less well-known parts of South London, like Beddington, Morden and Earlsfield. You pass through a few parks and go around the back of some industrial areas. I cycled the route with Liv Thrive E+ e-bike, which was very handy as I was pushed for time and wanted to do the ride quickly! This is me at the start of the trail, at Wandle Park in Waddon, just outside Croydon.  

 

Cycle route: South London to Westminster and Chelsea

Cycling through London need not be an experience to be endured. Many people fear riding through the streets of the capital, thinking that it is at best a test of battling through traffic negotiating unfriendly motorists, and at worst a pure daredevil activity.

On Blackfriars Bridge - from one segregated cycle path to another, along the River Thames 

As someone who has cycled around London since 2001, I must say that cycling in Central London is not so bad. Facilities for cyclists have improved a lot in recent years, particularly with the advent of the Cycle Superhighways, Quiet Ways, and the Transport for London bike sharing scheme for those who need a bike.

I have been riding the Liv Thrive E+ E-bike and found it really useful for getting around London. It's particularly good if you are new to cycling and/or you don't want to exert yourself too much when riding. As someone who lives in a hilly part of London, I know what it means to exert yourself when cycling!

So here's a loop I recommend when cycling from South London, into Central London and back again.

Entrance to Dulwich Park with the Picture Gallery opposite

Start off in Crystal Palace, where you can ride up through Crystal Palace Park, and exit the park on the East side to arrive at the top of Crystal Palace Park Road.

A bus lane and an assisted crossing can get you onto Fountain Drive, where you drop down a speedy descent through the toll road section of College Road. 

I always feel good going down the road and not having to stop to pay, unlike the motorists queuing at the barrier near Dulwich College.    

College road leads into Dulwich Village, where you can stop off at the Park, the Picture Gallery opposite, or at one of the cafes on the main street. 

It's quite a nice corner of the world.

Onwards and the road continues straight on to Red Post Hill, which on the E-bike felt effortless. On a manual push-bike the climb is not too steep, and is the last climb before reaching Central London. What goes up must come down, and true to form the road drops down to Loughborough Junction - what I call the gateway to inner London. 

From here the route goes past social housing estates at the back of Brixton and Camberwell, before crossing a quiet road that leads behind Kennington Park and eventually emerging at Elephant and Castle.

The main street through Dulwich Village, which has a few cafes

Now, this is a junction, which in the past has been a place that many cyclists have avoided. But in recent years a lot of work has been done to develop a cycle-friendly passage across the junction.

And I must say, it is very good now. There is a segregated path that runs alongside the junction and cycle specific traffic lights.

Then another paths leads towards Lambeth North and you can pick up a segregated Cycle Superhighway that goes through Southwark and all the way to Clerkenwell if you feel like heading that way.

The route I took went over Blackfriar's Bridge and then I turned immediately left to ride alongside the River Thames on another segregated Cycle Superhighway that goes past all the famous landmarks of London - The Oxo Tower, The Eye, The National Theatre, right up to Westminster and the Houses of Parliament. Still following the segregated path you go across to Parliament Square and Great George Street to reach the serenity of St James's Park and Buckingham Palace.

I felt spoiled for choice to be able to either ride up the Mall or Birdcage Walk, both of which have cycle lanes. I went on the latter (as I have ridden up the Mall loads of times in the past) and then cut in front of Buck House to then ride along the side of Green Park on, you've guessed it - another segregated cycle path.

Birdcage Walk on the way to see the Queen!

 Then it was a case of going under Wellington Arch to enter Hyde Park, along South Carriage Drive, and when I was almost level with Harrods I left the park to head into Chelsea along some quiet streets and make my way back home via Belgravia and Pimlico, and over Vauxhall Bridge to regain the depths of South London.

This was a very pleasant 22-mile loop around London, with lots of traffic-free sections and rides on traffic-light roads. I would certainly recommend this route even to a newby rider.


Of course there are various sections where you can do a shorter ride and just do the section nearest to your home. Depending on current rules you may wish to photograph the various pretty sights and landmarks you will spot along the way.

Cycle Superhighway along the River Thames towards Westminster

Here is the route as recorded on Strava.


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Festive 500: Rail trails in England - Day 2

London

Stats
Kms ridden: 64
Running total: 132
Kms left: 368
Refreshments: 250ml water
Weather: dry, very cold (frosty start), weak sunshine 5 degC

Highlights: Waterlink Way; Regents Canal; Highgate Hill; Primrose Hill 


Ride on Strava
London Tour -Greenwich - Hackney - Islington - Highgate and Hampstead - Primrose Hill - Westminster - Battersea - Crystal Palace


Whenever I'm in London on Christmas day I always do a bike ride around the city. It's probably my favourite day to ride a bike.

I love travelling through this great city with hardly any traffic around, and seeing the sights and the architecture in their full glory, without needing to have too much added focus on the crazy traffic!

Also, the Christmas lights and many folks out walking with their families just adds a feelgood factor to the atmosphere.

For today, rail trails had to be put on hold as there are hardly any in London. There are disused underground stations, but that'll be for another day, and I think cycling underground might present some problems!

Regents Canal near Victoria Park

Having said that, I did find lots of traffic-free places to ride, notably on the Regents Canal towpath. It's a lovely thoroughfare where you see the different architecture and degrees of stylishness as you go along.

Industrial ride

I joined the towpath at Mile End, over in East London, and continued past Hackney and Victoria Park (the people's park). These areas were quite industrial-looking with urban graffiti, with some parts looked a little bit run-down. I have to say, I like these scenes though because there is character in these places and there are always interesting stories to find out about the history of these places - something else to do for another day.

Then as I got nearer to Islington the path became more stylish as I went past the backs of design studios, and hip cafes.

I did leave the towpath at Islington to head North to Highgate and Hampstead, but rejoined it later on at Regents Park, where this section of the towpath had a regal feel, particularly as it passed near some of the most affluent parts of London like Primrose Hill and St John's Wood.

I finally left the canal at Little Venice, which must make for one of the most alternative addresses to have, for the folks who live on the boats moored there.

Little Venice

For this London loop I had considered riding all the way up to Alexandra Palace, but given the time constraints I just went as far as Highgate. Once again my ride included another pretty arduous hill - Highgate Hill.

Living in Crystal Palace, I am no stranger to hills in London, and I always thought the that the steepest hills can be found in and around my neighbourhood.

In fact, Highgate can't be discounted as having the steepest hills in London. This hill went on for about a kilometre and was a real grind. This should not have been a surprise to me as this hill runs parallel to Swain's Lane, a road I have competed on in the past for the Urban Hill climb. So therein was the clue that this road wouldn't be flat!

Beautiful Belsize Park

Once the road levelled off I was able to "recover" by doing a stretch across Hampstead Heath. One of the great things about having the Cube Nuroad gravel bike is the freedom to get onto gravel trails at will, which is what I did on the heath.

Even at times I completely off-pisted it by riding across the sodden grass. The tyres aren't specifically adapted for riding on wet or really muddy trails, but the Nuroad still coped over those short stretches - as it had done along the River Avon trail yesterday.

After these capers I then made the homeward run via the sumptuous neighbourhoods of Belsize Park, Primrose Hill, and down through Chelsea to get home and enjoy some Christmas dinner.

One really interesting find for me during this ride was the Waterlink Way - a traffic-free, tarmacked cycle route very close to where I live, that goes through Sydenham, Catford, and Lewisham, all the way to Greenwich. It is a very pleasant ride that basically follows the River Ravensbourne.

I almost feel ashamed that I didn't know about this route earlier. It is a much more pleasant way to get to Lewisham than on the road route, and I would highly recommend it.

I guess that's the thing about a Christmas ride in London - it is the chance to discover new places and new routes that I generally feel too much in a rush to bother looking for during my busy schedule at other times of the year.

Rail trails resume tomorrow.

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Somme bike ride!

My plan had been to ride from Abbeville to Compiègne, but because I hadn't managed to ride around the lovely medieval town of Saint Valéry sur Somme the previous day I wanted to get that in first before advancing further inland.

It wasn't going to take long to get back to the coast, as Saint Valéry was only 11 miles away, and there was a convenient cycle path along the river to use as well.

So I set off from my lodgings, a nice studio apartment (La Vie est Belle) in the centre of Abbeville. A few chores I had to do got in the way and I ended up hitting the road at almost lunchtime.

I didn't take the canal path to get to Saint Valéry, preferring to save that for the return journey to Abbeville, while going along the road on my outward ride to the coastal town. In fact the roads might as well have been traffic-free given that once I was on the D3 from a village called Cambron there were hardly any vehicles. It was a very quaint sleepy village with practically no one around. Further along the road were a few cows that looked a bit startled to see any other form of life passing by!

The country lane undulated and twisted and turned through woods, and although the general direction was towards the sea, there was hardly any sign of it. It wasn't until after I reached the roundabout approaching Saint Valéry sur Somme that the coast came into view.

Saint Valéry was a very touristic place, as you would imagine. People were headed just for the main feature, the medieval city, making the paths crowded so on the bike it was a bit of a faff getting round everyone. There was a road, but it was cobbley, and with the load on my bike I think that would have been a bit too much for the frame as well as my bones!

To visit all of the medieval city you need to have lots of energy and comfortable shoes for the uphills as Saint Valéry is set on different levels. I had neither. What energy I had was being saved for my ride to Mont Didier, near Compiègne.

So my visit was confined to the highest point I could feasibly ride to, which was conveniently near an old church, the Eglise Saint-Martin, and a café thematically named Au Velocipède.

Eglise Saint-Martin opposite Au Velocipède café, St Valéry sur Somme

Although this wasn't the very top of the town where the abbey is situated I was still high enough to get a panoramic view across the bay, where Le Crotoy was situated. That town had been on my list of places to visit, but time had run out, so a visit to Le Crotoy would have to be for another day.

Seeing as it was now afternoon I made a beeline through the town to try and pick up the cycle path back to Abbeville. This is where I wasted a lot of time. I couldn't seem to find the start of the path, and at one point I joined the main N940 road and ended up cycling over it, feeling a massively frustrated as flew over the bike riders below me, not knowing how to join them. It took me almost an hour of faffing around in Saint Valéry before I was able to join the path. It was a relief to see the sign and know I was finally on the right track and I could look forward to getting back to Abbeville, grabbing a bit of lunch, and continuing onwards.

This path was really pleasant, with a smooth surface, and regular points to stop for a picnic on the various benches, plus little cafés as the path crossed various hamlets. This path, also part of a Eurovelo network, is popular, with all types of cyclists - organised recreational groups on hybrids, couples, friends, families with children, and club riders looking for a quick work-out. If this cycle path was anything to go by I would be in for a treat on the section along the River Somme to Amiens, as that would be a meandering path through woodland, as opposed to this path which was completely straight along a canal. The route from Saint Valéry to Abbeville was 15km (9.5 miles) so it wouldn't be long before I would be stopping for lunch and a photo opportunity at the big church.

Unfortunately, things didn't go to plan, when I got a puncture about 3 miles from Abbeville. What a heartsink moment when you know that even though you can sort it out, it is nevertheless going to delay you further. Also I never feel confident that I can pump up my tyres to sufficiently - particularly when I need high pressures to support my ever expanding panniers!

Well, my worries about pumping up tyres just got worse when I took out my pump only to discover the piece to attach it to the valve had snapped off (God knows how) so I had no pump at all!

Feeling somewhat folorn, I reattached the back wheel to the bike, reloaded the panniers onto the rack, and then wheeled everything, with difficulty to the nearby cafe. Although there were lots of cyclists riding by I didn't feel comfortable interrupting their rides to borrow their pump so I preferred to see if either the café owner or a cyclist on their café stop could help me. Luckily that worked, and I was able to get a pump from two Belgian women who were cycle touring.

If I was worried about the load I had on my bike, I shouldn't have been. They looked like they were each carrying a house on their bikes. Everything but the kitchen sink was piled high. When they offered to give me their pump I had to wait more than 5 minutes while they onloaded their stuff to find it! They were doing a circuit around Northern France before returning to their homes in Antwerp. Between us I don't know who was more impressed with whom - they admired how I was managing to find my way round France alone, while I was impressed at how much they could balance on their bikes. Once back on the road I was soon back in Abbeville and at a bikeshop that I had sighted the previous day as I rode from the train station to my lodgings (Vélo
80).

Just to be sure that I wouldn't have further problems I got a new rear tyre fitted, as I realised it was a little worn and I just didn't want to take any risks.

By the time all this was done though, it was going to 5pm, the sky was looking threatening, and I wasn't sure if I really wanted to ride in what could be a heavy storm. Perhaps I could just ride to Amiens and then catch the train. Looking at the timetable, the train would leave Amiens for Compiègne, where I was headed, at 7.30pm, and according to Google it would take me 2 hours 30 to cycle to Amiens.

They guys in the bike shop reckoned it would take an hour and a half, but they also mentioned that part of the cycle path was closed, and I would need to take a diversion via Eaucourt and Pont-Remy, but if I could ride at 25 kmph (16 mph) I would be fine. I wasn't sure I could average anywhere near that speed on undulating ground, and I often stop to consult the map on these rides. It would be touch and go as to whether I could reach Amiens by 7.30pm. The train after that would be at 8.30pm, meaning I would get to my lodgings in Compiègne at almost 10pm. Not what I wanted. I didn't want to do a stressful ride where I would be up against the clock either. This was meant to be a holiday after all.

Perhaps I could do a leisurely ride up to a village called Longpré, pick up a train from there, change at Amiens, and then get another train for Compiègne. In fact that was my intention. But when I saw that there had been heavy rain in Eaucourt and the sky still looked threatening that made me change my mind about cycling over there, and return to Abbeville from where I could get the train. It is wasn't really what I wanted to do but I feel it is always important to travel in a way where you have a fall-back plan.

So my cycle ride ended just outside Abbeville, with less than 60 km on the counter, and not much further along the road through France than I was at the start of the day. There was no pleasant ride along the River Somme, no chance to see the wonderful cathedral at Amiens, and no regal entrance through the Compiègne forest into the former royal town. It really felt like a wasted day.

Eglise Saint-Vulfran, Abbeville

I really hate that feeling of having missed out on seeing something that I had just assumed I would get to see. I had been looking forward to getting to Amiens. Maybe I shouldn't have gone to Saint Valéry, but then that was a place I had really wanted to see too. And in any case why should I have had to choose between the two? It was perfectly possible to ride to both. I wanted to berate myself for not planning properly. And I cursed at the fact that I had packed so much stuff, which had meant that my bike was just too heavy for me to ride at a decent pace. But then again, given that the first part of my day was an out-and-back from Abbeville, I could have left my luggage at my lodgings and then done a quicker load-free ride. Perhaps I should return to the area in a couple of weeks so that I can just ride those parts that I missed. There were so many thoughts going round in my head.

Well, I guess one can go on about all the if-onlys, buts, perhaps etc, but I guess in these situations it is better to just look forwards. It's also good to look for the positives. The puncture happened when I was near others who could help me, rather than on a completely lost and lonely lane. I didn't get caught up in the pouring rain, where others had been on that day, I had taken some nice photos at Saint Valéry, and the big church in Abbeville.....

My trains got me to Compiègne on time, and I was met by a very friendly, bubbly lady called Véronique who showed me into a rather stylish studio right in the centre of Compiègne (Studio Centre Ville Compiègne).
Between that, and arriving to a very picturesque and pretty town, I felt like my day had not been so bad. It was a shame I only got to see Amiens train station, but I have been to Amiens in the past and I am sure I will be there again some time in the not too distant future.

Here's the route I did.


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Rail trails galore!

I recently wrote a 6-week series on rail trials around the UK for Total Women's Cycling website. The great thing I learned was just how many traffic-free trails we can enjoy by bike (or on horseback or walking).

We have Dr Beeching to thank for that. Following the closure of around 5,000 miles of railway lines in the late 1960s various authorities converted these disused railway lines into off-road, traffic-free cycle routes for our enjoyment. With around 1,200 miles of rail trails around the country that's a lot of traffic-free fun!

The trails are variable in length, surface, quality and difficulty. For instance the Alban Way between St Albans and Welwyn, in Hertfordshire is fully tarmacked, 7 miles long, and is designed so that children can ride from home to school safely. By contrast, the Downs Link, which starts near Guildford, Surrey, and runs down to the Sussex coast is around 40 miles long and is essentially a mountain bike route (though doable with a cyclo cross bike), so that one is more for the fitter, experienced cyclist.

The selection of trails I wrote about are on the women's cycling website and they include the Tissington trail in the Peak District, Forest Way in Sussex,  and the dramatic Cinder Track that goes between Scarborough and Whitby on the North Yorkshire coast.

One that isn't on there which I would recommend is the Hudson Way rail trail - a 10-mile trail between Beverley and Market Weighton in East Yorkshire.

I like this trail because it runs from one pretty market town in Yorkshire to another one. It is interesting to see the gradual change of landscape. When starting in Beverley you are on pan flat terrain in the outer reaches of the Humber Estuary, surrounded by arable fields. The area is pretty flat and it is possible to see far across the East Yorkshire plains. In fact, to the right you get a good view of the Sledmere grounds, with the Tatton Sykes obelisk rising up in the distance. By the end of the route the landscape has morphed into rolling hills of the Yorkshire Wolds.

There's pleasant woodland along the way, as well as a convenient stopping point at Kiplingcotes disused station, which still has a station house (now residential property), platform, and benches for a well earned picnic stop.

On the outskirts of Market Weighton is St Helen's Well, an ancient well that dates back to Roman times. I didn't have time to visit it, but it is an object of interest for the history buffs among you, particularly as it has been recently restored.

What was quite interesting to me were all the various colourful ribbons hanging from the branches of the tree near it. Leaving a piece of ribbon on the tree apparently brings you good health and good luck. I didn't have any ribbon on me, so I guess that's me doomed!

Still, it was a good afternoon. I was out on the Raleigh Mustang Sport gravel bike which I have been loaned for testing and I must say, it was a very comfortable ride. It certainly liked playing on the dirt track, and there were a few bits of single track where my skills were put to the test.

This felt the right bike for the job as it was robust and held it's place when trying to stay in the groove of the narrow track. Once in market Weighton I could have done another rail trail to go towards Bubwith and Howden, but time ran out on me so I just took the road route down to Brough and then got on a train to Hull. Again, being on the Mustang Sport was handy because although I had spent my afternoon on trails, which it does well on, it was still just about light enough to ride it quickly - which is what I needed as I was in a rush!


I will be back in the area to explore more trails in the near future, and will take some ribbon with me for the tree at St Helen's Well!

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Over the years I have come across lots of traffic-free cycle routes up and down the UK and abroad as well. I think they are really good ways for people to get into cycling. Even for experienced riders they make for a refreshing break just to be able to ride and not think about motorists and lorries.

As it happens, in the UK thanks to a report in the 1960s that led to the closure of thousands of miles of railway lines, these disused lines have now become the cyclist's gain. We now have lots of pleasant cycle routes around the country that we can enjoy at our leisure with our families and friends on sunny bank holidays like today.

I have started writing about these routes on Total Women's Cycling website. The first one in the series is on Forest Way, a 7-mile route from Groombridge, near Tunbridge Wells to East Grinstead.

I enjoyed this ride. I hope you do too! Look out for more routes that I will be writing about over the coming weeks.