Plans for 6 September - Gravel ride from Reading

You're invited to do something a bit different on Sunday.   A ride in the beautiful West Berkshire countryside, with a fair bit of gravel riding: on bridleways, through ancient woods and returning along the Kennet & Avon canal towpath.   A third of the ride is unsurfaced, so if you don't like stony surfaces, this is probably not for you.  But if you're confident on loose gravel, it's fine on a road bike.  I've done it twice with 28mm tyres and loved it.

Elevenses at the Gorge cafe, near Reading Station, lunch at Bucklebury Farm Cafe and most of the off-road in the afternoon.   We will hopefully have tea at Aldermaston Wharf tea rooms, which closes at 4pm, before the final nine miles along the canal back to Reading.   39 miles in all and 1400 feet of climbing.

Important - Travel advice

Please be ready to leave at 11, to increase our chance of getting to the tea stop in time.   This post has details of how to get to the Gorge Cafe from Reading station.

There are no trains from Richmond/Twickenham to Reading (there's a replacement bus service).   Options are:

• Elizabeth Line from Ealing/Southall/Paddington/Farringdon etc.  Farringdon connects with Thameslink trains.
• From Surbiton/Wimbledon etc, change at Basingstoke, about 20 mins from Basingstoke to Reading.
• From Dorking Deepdene, direct, takes about an hour

I do hope you can join us!