Nor’Westers Ride Report 14/1/26

 On a cold but bright morning, members of the 11’s group gathered at the Pheasantry in Bushy Park for the Nor’Westers Ride. Despite the chilly weather, there was an excellent turnout, with Tony, Pete, Liz, Gill, Geoff, Jane, Paula, Ray, Martina, Dawn, Bob, John C., Ann C., and Lillian all taking part.

The riders were divided into two groups for the day’s journey. Tony led Group 1, while Ray took charge of Group 2. As heavy rain had fallen the previous day, much of the off-road riding was removed to keep the route safer and more enjoyable. Even so, the ride provided a varied and scenic journey through some of Southwest London’s best cycling areas.

The ride began with Cobblers Walk to Hampton Wick, then continued along Broome Road into Teddington, crossing over the lock. From there the groups turned left onto Riverside Drive, followed by the narrow Cut Throat Alley. The route then went along Ham Avenue off-road, around Ham Common, into Church Road and into Richmond Park at Ham Gete.

A longer loop through the park took the riders from Richmond Gate to Sheen Gate before descending into Sheen and Mortlake. The group then used the cycle path across Chiswick Bridge, turned into Hartington Road, and followed the riverside through Strand-on-the-Green. This brought us to the north side of Kew Bridge, where they joined the C9 cycleway to Syon Park and finally reached their lunch stop at the Town Wharf pub.

The warmth of the pub was very welcome after the cold ride, especially with the landlord lighting the artificial coal fire. The menu offered a good choice and the food arrived promptly, allowing everyone to relax and enjoy a well-earned break. Although it was hard to leave the warmth behind, the group eventually set off on a straightforward return route back to Bushy Park.

After crossing the bridge, six riders stopped for tea and lingered happily at Dish before heading home. It had been a lovely ride, despite the chilly conditions.

Special thanks were given to Geoff for bringing up the rear of Tony’s group and to Ray for leading Group 2, helping to make the day both safe and enjoyable for everyone.

Tony..