Meet: Ladywell Fields 18:00 map and Cutty Sark Gardens 18:30 map

Distance: 15 miles

Phone: Ian - 07986 872 205

If you want a taste of Mountain Biking or an amble through the woods then this is a ride for you. We'll ride directly to Oxleas Woods, take in the great view, do a circuit of the woods and then head to the Pilot Pub near the Dome for a drink with Greeenwich Cyclist.

Report

Tim met me at Ladywell Fields and we were joined Laurence, Giles and Carole at Cutty Sark Gardens.

Five is a good number for an off road woods ride because it can get difficult keeping everyone together in the trees. When you don’t know quite where you are yourself, it can be difficult to find someone if you loose them. The trick is to point out a conspicuous land mark as you go by it and tell people to meet there if you get separated.

We went up through Greenwich Park and just as we were entering Black Heath Carole lost tension on her rear gear cable. It was difficult to spot what the problem was - it just looked as if it had come loose. Carole an intrepid trans-continental tourer wasted no time in fixing the problem herself and we soon on our way again.

We entered Oxleas woods through Eltham Common and climbed slowly to the top of the hill making a quick visit to Seven Droogs Castle. We paused at the top of the hill to take in the view, lots of detail today, it was very clear. We spent half an hour or so messing around in the woods, bunny hopping some logs and riding up and down the dried up river beds. Carole left us before we climbed back to the top of Shooters Hill for the fun and final descent through Eltham Common.

Giles and I decided to go for a drink to The Pilot and Tim and Laurence made their way back to Greenwich.

We decided on the green route over Woolwich Common but got a rude surprise when we found the green space behind the queen Elizabeth Hospital was locked on the northern side. It’s a little annoying to find a public right of way to be blocked by locked gates. Are the park keepers going home early, it is the middle of summer so you’d expect these sports grounds to stay open until dusk. Maybe it’s staff shortages or just good old cuts. Which ever it’s more prudent to stay on the roads after 19:30. There was nothing to be done except climb the fence.

There was a locked gate on Maryon Park and although we could have got in through another entrance we decided to take the road way around because there was no way of knowing whether the park would have been open on the other side. It turned out to be a good decision as the gates were locked on the Woolwich Rd side of the park.

There was no one from Greenwich at the Pilot. We had one drink and departed.

Thanks everyone for coming – it was fun!

Ian Pendleton