Okay, as prompted by ‘safety elsewhere today I’m extend another invitation to ride the capital ring. The capital ring is a 78 mile loop running right around the capital, linking together a surprising amout of parks and other green space (or at least the southern half that I’ve ridden does). It runs through woolwhich, stratford (right past the olympic site), finsbury park-ish (right past the Castle climbing centre if you know that), Richmond, wimbledon common, crystal palace…you get the idea. Hmm 78 miles….I’m unfit so that sounds a long way…err…social pace riding this, pootling. If we get tired we can call an early finish though and just find the nearest publich house

‘saftey’s suggestion is a start location is Woolwich. If we started there about 10 we should be eating lunch in Rcihmond about 1, and back to wolwich by 5 ish I guess…a steady 13mph with an hour for lunch…hmmm

Okay, who’s interested? And when? Next Sunday too soon or any good?

Yes yes yes.

Next Sunday’s probbly a bit too soon. I propose a couple of weeks warning at least.

I propose, right, doing the Ring in sections, suss it out, then go for the big one. Build up gradually, like.

Well I’ve done the southern half before, that is ‘sussed’. how about a Woolwhich to Richmond via the northern half ride? or a Northern section?

wonder if we can do a lap of the velodrome as we go past stratford 😀

Yeah could do.

Then there’s always the Regents Canal loop from Limehouse Basin in’t East, to Brentford in’t West. About 30 miler that one I think, plus getting to and from.

I’ll be there in spirit putting up with Elfins constant earache 😉 Importantly – Which pubs are you going to?

good point, well raised. Suggestions? We should start at woolwhich and ride away very quickly as there ae no quality pubs there. Obviously I can suggest a few at crystal palace if we go south.

I reckon you’ll get as far as Greenwich.

Well I’m sure London Tahyn can produce the odd hostelry or two….

There’s the Auld Shillelagh in Stoke Newington which could be one stop, although we’d be better off with something with a garden/outside space, unless we can get them to let us through to the back with all the bikes!

Ear, Kev; I’m coming Oop North sometime; visiting Manchester and Liverpool. Wanna come?

I reckon you’ll get as far as Greenwich.

Heh! Kev knows, he knows…

Greenwich is terrible, cos there’s so many nice pubs. Cutty Sark, Lord Trafalgar, The Union, just to mention a couple. You’d never get back on the bike.

Ah true….but Greenwich would be off piste, it’s not on the loop.

So there are some STWers based in South London then? I’m in Richmond.

How much of the Capital Ring is on-road?

Having organised and run social rides in London before myself I would be cautious about expecting a 13 mph moving average all day. Dose not sound fast but as soon as the group size gets about 4 or 5 things happen, punctures happen, someone stops in a shop, people aren’t as fast as they say they are, people get split up in traffic e.t.c.

13mph might be a tad optimistic, the bits near me (Parkland Walk, between Finsbury Park and Highgate) are nice easy track but get busy with dog walkers and families especially on the weekends. Add the inherent group faffing time and I reckon it would be good going to average to 10mph! At least on BST we’ll be getting sunset times after 7:30 so longer days for it.

I’m up for it but next weekend I move flats – and I suspect going riding while my mrs and friends put things in the van might be frowned upon.

I reckon you’d get a quarter done, tops

exactly. My ‘hmmm’ was to indicate my doubt at maintain 13mph.

small group and the whole loop is doable. bigger group, let’s do half. Half is no further than the couple of London social rides I’ve been on before managed.

Amount on road…err not sure, probably 50%. None of it is ‘off-road’ as such, it links all the greenspace up though, richmond park, wimbledon common and so on, no road stretch is more than a couple of miles, sometimes just a few hundred metres. I’d describe it as pleasant riding, not hard road nor adrenalin off road. It’s a walking route really (so bits of it are ‘cheeky’) info here
http://www.walklondon.org.uk/route.asp?R=1
and here
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/walking/localroutes/1160.aspx

I think doing sections first will be good fun, and undemanding. I agree that a fair sized group would be difficult to manage over a long distance, unless everyone is quite committed. More one for a smaller group I’d say.

The point of Pootling is to have fun. It’s more about the social aspect of cycling, than covering miles. Previous Pootles have bin good fun, friendships formed, all good.

I’m up for Neil’s suggestion of a Southern Loop. Woolwich to Richmond? How far is that, Neil? Either direction is ok though.

I reckon aP and Londonlady will be up for it too. They’re out west not far from Richmond.

Southern 1/2 loop is slightly shorter than the northern I think, so about 35 miles.

bump for the weekday crowd.

I have also had another idea. How many STW’ers work in, or close to, central London and would an evening pootle be of interest? I guess a bit of urban fun followed by a pub stop is about the most we can hope to fit in, but a pub stop is always worthwhile Hmm…Urban fun in rush hour London…err….hmmm….this activity is not guarenteed safe 😉

Why not put your bikes on your car roofs and do a loop of the M25? Cannonball Run stylee 😉

Fred – you could dress up

I’m in. Not for a couple of weeks though.

that’s cool Mark