Oxford Adventure 15 June

It was an ambitious plan, to get a dodgy bunch of C&M riders to Oxford, a longer than usual ride, with rather dodgy eating arrangements, and some extremely dodgy return-by-train options.

The weather co-operated.  Starting from the safe territory of Wetherspoons in Staines, the band of fourteen waved goodbye to Graham and left along familiar roads through Eton and Dorney to Cookham Dean and the first hill of the day, Winter Hill.  "Lunch" was not scheduled until mid-afternoon, so we had a strict 30 mins pit stop in the park at Marlow.    Andy had very kindly offered to lead a ride home from Marlow, but I had lured everyone else into a false sense of security with a gentle ride to Marlow, and they all decided to carry on.

Dorney Common

Miraculously, the 30 minute pit stop worked, despite it being a busy Sunday and people going to various cafes - all reappeared on time (1.15 by now) to tackle the big hills and beautiful Chilterns countryside on the way to Christmas Common.   At 240 metres high, it's about as big as Leith Hill, approached along woodland lanes with occasional pretty villages and sweeping views across the valley to divert you.

Turville (with windmill)

Approach to Fingest

Once on top, we had a double treat of a view ahead across endless (flat!) plains leading to Oxford, and a gorgeous descent to our lunch stop, the Spire and Spoke at Watlington, which serves excellent pizzas.   We had to brake as we entered the 20 mph limit at Watlington - very satisfying.   It was less satisfying to find that there was an hour's wait for hot food at the pub, due to it being Father's day.   As it was now 3pm we couldn't really wait an hour, so we settled for a variety of cakes.  It was sunny and everyone seemed in good spirits as we set off along the flat and quiet roads for the last 20 miles.   Maddie left us here to visit friends in nearby Benson, so we were now twelve.

Delicious pizza ...

... but not for us

Nearly there - looking back over the flatlands

I had previously led a similar ride for the Wayfarers A group in 2017, and the entry to Oxford through Cowley was a nightmare with miles of traffic queues.   This time we arrived at Oxford's ring road a little further north, and found a lovely quiet route to within a mile of the centre.   There was a short bit of jammed-up road works, just to prove we were in a city, but soon we were in the centre, surrounded by the golden stone of the colleges, spires gleaming in the evening sun, just as it says on the tin.   We sort of toured several colleges, well, we passed their entrances, but they were largely closed to the public as it's exam season, and anyway my team was more interested in the pub and the train home.

Education is on the menu

Bikes on the bus from Oxford

A celebratory pint of Education at Oxford for some of us, and we rode the final mile to the station, returning home in quite surprising ways.   Brian went back to his car at Staines, Lilian and Steph went via Basingstoke(!), several of us went via Reading and the Elizabeth Line, and Ruth and Jan stayed for a pizza and put their bikes on the coach back to London!

It all seemed to go well despite the risks and the no-lunch lunch stop, thanks to a great bunch of riders who were up for an adventure, to Andy for offering the shorter route option, and especially to Brian for leading a second group at short notice, and Jan for back marking.   Of course the weather and lovely countryside helped too.   Thank you all for your company, your lovely photos, and for making it such an enjoyable day out on the bike.

OUR BLOGS HAVE MOVED!

The new web addresses that you need to use from now on to access the Wayfarers and Cheam and Morden blogs are as follows:

mwwayfarers.blogspot.com
cheam-and-morden.blogspot.com

The best way to access the blogs is via our main website swlondonctc.wixsite.com/ctcswlondon which you can bookmark for future ease of access. Please note that the Beginners blog address remains the same.

Previously, these blogs have been administered by a past member of the club who has acted as sole Admin. Whilst being grateful for this past member’s work, the committee feel that it will improve management and increase resilience to bring these blogs within the control of the club and as such we have created 2 new blog sites.

The future administration will be by a minimum of 2 current active members of the club on behalf of the Committee. They will have new web links but to all intents and purposes will look and feel just like our existing blogs. You can still view all the historical blogs going back over the years since their creation on the new blog sites.

The biggest task ahead now is to sign members up to be authors on the new blogs. We need to do this in batches and we will start with those Ride Leaders who are leading rides in the next month. The rest of the membership who were blog authors previously will then be invited to sign up over the following months, followed by members who have recently requested to be authors. And should you wish to post something before you are invited to sign up, please contact Tim C or Simon L.

So what do individual members have to do now - nothing! Just bookmark the website and use this to access the blogs.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me.

~ Sue Foster: Sue.foster39@gmail.com

C&M Ride Sunday 8th June.

We shall start at The Granary Cafe, Polesden Lacey with lunch at The Assembly Rooms, Epsom as advertised on the Rides List. Afternoon Tea will be at the Canbury Secret Cafe, Kingston.

Looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday.

Jennie  

Author: David W

Plans for 15 June - C&M ride to Oxford - UPDATED

Dreaming Spires

On Sunday 16 June, I'm leading a ride to Oxford, and the weather and trains look ok.   It will be an adventure, and we are guaranteed to get home late, so here is an outline.

• 11s at Staines (The George, as per rides list).   We will depart at 10.30 prompt.
• About 50 miles, all on road, 2000 ft of climbing.  It's a lovely route and an excellent destination!
• Weird lunch arrangements:  pit stop at Marlow (20 miles) and late lunch at an excellent cyclist-friendly pub in Watlington, The Spire & Spoke. (30 miles, after the main hills, so maybe 2.30pm)
• See a few of the sights, then a re-hydration stop at a pub in Oxford
• Train home via Reading & then by various routes to Richmond/Dorking etc. (£20 to Dorking with a railcard.)  You are supposed to have a cycle reservation on many (not all) trains from Oxford, but I don't recommend this because it doesn't seem to be enforced and I cannot predict what time we will arrive at Oxford.
• Bring lights for the ride home from the station, a lock (we can't see our bikes from the pub in Oxford), and a snack, in case the pit stop in Marlow is overrun by revellers.  It is the Marlow Regatta this weekend!   (There is also a Wetherspoons in Marlow for anyone who's planning to ride home and has more time.)

What could possibly go wrong?   If you are feeling adventurous, I hope you will join me.

If you're desirous of a smaller adventure, Andy has kindly offered to lead a ride home from Marlow passing such places as Windsor, Shepperton, Esher and Ewell.   Or you can get a train from Marlow to Windsor (actually three trains: the whole journey takes about an hour and costs £7 with a railcard), and then the world's your oyster.

Please bring:

• Lights (for the ride home from the train)
• a lock (we can't see our bikes from the pub in Oxford)
• a snack, in case the pit stop in Marlow is overrun by revellers.  It is the Marlow Regatta this weekend!   (There is also a Wetherspoons for anyone who's planning to ride home and has more time.)

Ride Report - Sunday 1 June 2025

 

It was, I'm afraid, the usual shambolic mess we have come to expect from this leader!   There was, apparently, some sort of route, but the leader was unable to load it to his appliance!   No doubt sensing trouble, Tony H and Graham H wisely turned for home after elevenses.   Loyal member  Ray W had gamely arrived suffering with a heavy cold but was definitely not fit enough to continue the ride.  Ten more did elect to continue (I think they call it 'adventure tourism'),  We split in two and Andy C very kindly led the second group (and actually managed to navigate from the alleged route)!

How we got to Hayes is a bit of a haze!   And by some miracle, at a respectable time!   On reflection, since a lot of the route followed the Grand Union Canal towpath, it would actually have been difficult even for this leader to get it completely wrong, providing he turned the right way to start with!

Restorative lunches were enjoyed al fresco in a delightful and picturesque setting  at the Botwell Inn!  Nerves steadied, we set off again, starting with a detour to the impressive site of the old  HMV factory and warehouse complex, and attendant large dog, which is mandatory when in this area, followed by a return to the towpath.

There followed a bit of ducking and diving (not actually in the canal, although one would not put even that beyond this leader's capabilities), passing a 'great barn', before we landed up on the Heathrow western perimeter cycle route, as it were.  There were ample plane-spotting opportunities before the glamour of an international airport descended into the mundanity that is Ashford!

More distant options were offered, but, unsurpisingly, most jumped at the chance to get themselves free of the leader, and chose tea at Longacres, Shepperton!

Thanks all for your company, and for putting up with it all, and special thanks to Andy for his help.

Author: David W

The Tinkerers - An Everyday Story of Cycling Folk!

The story so far - Graham having been unable to proceed with his planned, train-assisted ride to Lasham on 18 May, you will remember that Andy very kindly swopped his lead from 1 June to fill the gap.   Meanwhile, we had hoped Graham would be able to lead his Lasham ride on 1 June, but, sadly, it's got to be postponed again, to take place later in the summer, fingers crossed!

That leaves a gap for this coming Sunday, 1 June.   It's a while now since we met for elevenses at The Pheasantry, Bushy Park (and it's not scheduled for July or August), so I suggest we meet there.   The Botwell Inn, Hayes, reached via a trundle along the canal towpath, is a possible lunch stop, followed by a 'planespotters' special' return to tea at Walton Marina.

Author: David W

Ride Report - Sunday 25 May 2025

 

News that I was leading today's ride at short notice obviously hadn't reached Andy, Niall, Pam, Liz, Christina, Keith, Tony, Ann and Graham, who before they turned up, completely unsuspecting, at old C & M favourite, the Golden Cafe, Addlestone, expecting a properly-led ride!  Gina had even made a heroic, train-assisted effort to join us at the start.

To their credit, they hid their disappointment well when they discovered the horrible truth, and only Graham actually turned for home.  For the rest of the group it was the usual shambolic performance from me.    I had the idea that if we rode straight into the rather strong headwind, it would likely take us in roughly the right direction to start with, then we could ask a passer-by for directions.   I duly wetted a finger, and held up in the air, and we were away!  Some places we passed through looked vaguely familiar, and, at some length, after a pointless slog up yet another unnecessary climb, a sign told us we were at Windsor Great Park.   At last, at the top of another rise, a spectacular panoramic view of Slough opened up to our right.   By good luck, as I admired the cooling towers, I noticed what I could just make out what I thought was Windsor Castle hidden in the foreground.   That was the signal for us to alter our bearing slightly to the north, and head downhill, and, by some miracle, we arrived at the Cinnamon Cafe just after 1.00pm!

After nerves had been settled, and giant buns and copious jacket potatoes had been consumed all round, it was time to head for home.   Questioned about the return route  and likely refreshment stop, I tried to be vague.    Not surprising since my idea this time was to try to keep the wind behind us all the while, and hope we ended up in the right general area.   Don't try this at home, dear reader, but the trick worked for me once again, and, after some time had elapsed, we found ourselves, as if by magic, at Shepperton Lock.   I'm not one for riding my luck, and beat a hasty retreat before I could do any more damage, leaving the others to recover, and revive themselves over tea and cakes.

The moral of this tale - it's best never to join a ride led by me, but, at all costs, avoid riding with me on a calm day!  Many thanks to all for putting up with it, and for their company, and thanks to Andy C for very patiently back-marking all day.

Author: David W

1 Comment:

Tony 27 May 2025 at 10:38 BST

👏👏👏👏