Beat the clocks to Windsor

[Norm]

Nope, Staines was fine..

I was asking about west of Staines, not in Staines, but I guess the red has started to bite.

 

[Davywalnuts]

Ahhh, oops, i thought you was talking about the west side, in'it, ayyeeeee! Haha.

Its more north/south Maidenhead area like...

And yeh, hello second bottle...

 

[Davywalnuts]

Ahhh, oops, i thought you was talking about the west side, in'it, ayyeeeee! Haha.

Its more north/south Maidenhead area like...

And yeh, hello second bottle...

 

[redjedi]

Ahhh, oops, i thought you was talking about the west side, in'it, ayyeeeee! Haha.

Its more north/south Maidenhead area like...

And yeh, hello second bottle...

Good work Davy but it appears that second bottle is repeating on you

 

[Davywalnuts]

Oooooopss. Am seing double!

 

[Aperitif]

Oooooopss. Am seing double!

Is that why you only wrote one 'e' ?

Thank you for your company through those treacherous avenues of metal box attack, Davy. Datchet? Windsor by the back to Eton (where I fell over whilst not minding my own business , Maidenhead (except for the nice man getting adults and children to do bee impersonations
It was lucky we had each other for company as café after café succumbed to the stare of the recce group. As Davy mentioned, The Jolly Farmer stops serving food at 14:30, so plan your arrival for 12:00 - 12:30 for best effect Luke. We did try to find some interesting variations but alas, my spatio-directional difficulties came to the fore. Besides, Davy was leading - using Lukemaps. I got hit by a van (elbow) a millisecond before Davy, in front of me, yelled that rustic expletive "Oh, I say!" - and it missed him by a good 200mm...
I cycled 95 miles, not really doing anything apart from drinking a fine pint - and the sun did its best but the efforts were cloud constipated.
There were hints of Royston Vaisey as we trundled away from Cookham towrd Maidenhead, with the 'shootists' in the fields + a bloodied duck hanging from a farm gate. Definitely 'gimme six' (™ Adrian) territory. Could be good fun next week people, if one of the shotgun wielders takes a fancy to a cyclist with plumage! Davy on his zebra was lucky to make safety.

 

[ianrauk]

Guy & Gals.
Sorry I'm now out of this ride.
I double booked myself with babysitting duties whilst loved one goes to her hairdressing appointment.

 

[mistral]

Going through Bushy Park from Kingston to Hampton Court is quite a gravelly route. Probably a puncture risk. Not terrible, but easier to just go down the road next to the park.
Mark

Mark

Couple of options here

As Teef mentioned we did the one along the river last year without any problems ... no guarantees this time though!

The other is to exit RP at Ham Gate, crossing the river at Teddington Lock, walking over the footbridge, and then through Bushy Park, on the road, to Hampton Court.

River Route

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/199920

Via Teddington

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/199918

Both options manage to avoid downtown Kingston during the Saturday scramble for car parks.

I hope to make this one and see you all on Saturday

 

[dellzeqq]

we rode through Windsor on Saturday, en route to Wiltshire. We went from Streatham Hill to Richmond, then by back roads to Hounslow and then up to the A4, past Heathrow, before branching off to Datchet and Windsor (and then on to Twyford, Sonning, Caversham, Theale, Newbury, Hungerford and Ramsbury).

I've ridden to Windsor any number of ways, but although the Lower Shepperton Road has its virtues, going down the A4 was far more fun. No Staines (sorry, but it's less fun than Hounslow), a few river crossings and some riverside bits (if you do Lower Sunbury Road then the best bit is Ferry Road on the return trip), and, best of all, no Kingston!

For £1.50 you can cross the Thames by the foot ferry. I've taken the Cheam and Morden across this http://hammertonsfer...uk/default.aspx

 

[Davywalnuts]

Dellzeqq, you went through Hounslow and lived to tell the tale... yikes!

Am with Mistrals first part, the river route..

Okay, the findings...

If were going via Richmond Park, via Chelsea Embankment/Putney, then the Upper Richmond Road, West Bound is out of action, so the route through Roehamption is the fine alternative.

The river route around Hampton Court Palace was fine and quite glorious. No worries with ground service. There was some path/road works going on at the beginging but that was it.

Does anyone want to go past Shepperton Studios? If not, were just divert through Shepperton, after lower Sunbury that is, and hang a right at Chertsey Bridge and along the river till St Aines.

On approach to Windsor, both me and 'teef are of the reckoning we take a left, Albert Road, Kings Road, up over and past Windsor Castle and over to Eton than the Datchet route. We both got caught out at the roundabout that takes you to Datchet so a slight lapse of concentration, as you have a give way, on a round-a-bout, and your a squashed frog me hearties. Plus that road is the worst of the two evils.

Eton Wick road onwards to just before the Bath Road, A4 is fine. We were chatting a to a fellow cyclist so, looking at Lukesmap, we forgot our turning and carried on up past Marshgate Trading Estate & Burnham instead of Dorney and Taplow.. but am sure that way will be more interesting that the way we took.

Bourne 'Supremacy' Road to Headsor 'ache' Hill Road and down to Cookham was fine. We did take a wrong turn, but it was a road sign turned the wrong way that caused such distress, no Garmin nor bad map reading to blame.

Cookham to Cookham Dean and to Lunch was a very nice part of this world. However, tooo many quaint pubs brewing warming and sweet smelling lunch feasts was very distracting, and then rather annoying that we had missed out lunch stop by a few lousy mins...

Maidenheads a bit, well, shoot, to be honest and I thought I was in Sluff (Slough) for a while what completely disorientated me, nothing whatsoever to do with a liquid lunch. The sooner we get out of there, the better.

This is were we then went off lukesmaps route as I wanted to try an alternative route to Winsdor park. However, I think we should stick to lukes route through Bray & Fifield but this is where I say we should head South-East to Cranbourne rather than through Oakley Green and then drop down to Windsor Great Park rather than through the smoggy towns where we will hit traiffic and stupid one way systems and inpatient bus drivers..

After work tonight, am going to reccie that about section and find out what it is like and report back tomorrow.

However, I hope this all makes sense and please feel free to suggest alternatives as please remember, whats good for me may not be good for others or a group.

PS. I may still be out Friday night so I could well be very worse for wear and will not have any sense at all..

PPS. Next time we have a cycle, can we just all go on an magical mystery tour, no planned routes, no garmins, no maps, we just cycle in one direction, stop and eat when hungry and head back? Much more fun me thinks!

 

[Norm]

This is were we then went off lukesmaps route as I wanted to try an alternative route to Winsdor park. However, I think we should stick to lukes route through Bray & Fifield but this is where I say we should head South-East to Cranbourne rather than through Oakley Green and then drop down to Windsor Great Park rather than through the smoggy towns where we will hit traiffic and stupid one way systems and inpatient bus drivers..

After work tonight, am going to reccie that about section and find out what it is like and report back tomorrow.

Take care on the B383 from Winkfield up to the park, Davy. That's a very busy road which passes Legoland, so, as well as carrying all of the commuter traffic south from Windsor, it has a lot of impatient families who just want to get a decent cup of tea. It's only a mile or so but I always ride it northwards because at least I get some benefit from the slope there.

I'd also do Datchet rather than Windsor, even though you do have that one confusing Give Way, although, if you went through Datchet as well as coming back through Winkfield, it would, ironically, mean that "beating the clocks to Windsor" didn't go through Windsor at all.

Maidenhead is shoot, and that route comes down the Cookham Road which is possibly the shittiest bit of it. I was considering heading back from the pub and following the Lower Cookham Road, which runs through Widbrook Common and alongside the Thames at Boulters, which is a delightful road and was part of my commute. If we didn't travel so far up to Cookham, that would definitely be a preferred route.

 

[dellzeqq]

+1 on Maidenhead. But, pound for pound, Sonning is worse.

 

[Davywalnuts]

Take care on the B383 from Winkfield up to the park, Davy. That's a very busy road which passes Legoland, so, as well as carrying all of the commuter traffic south from Windsor, it has a lot of impatient families who just want to get a decent cup of tea. It's only a mile or so but I always ride it northwards because at least I get some benefit from the slope there.

I'd also do Datchet rather than Windsor, even though you do have that one confusing Give Way, although, if you went through Datchet as well as coming back through Winkfield, it would, ironically, mean that "beating the clocks to Windsor" didn't go through Windsor at all.

Maidenhead is shoot, and that route comes down the Cookham Road which is possibly the shittiest bit of it. I was considering heading back from the pub and following the Lower Cookham Road, which runs through Widbrook Common and alongside the Thames at Boulters, which is a delightful road and was part of my commute. If we didn't travel so far up to Cookham, that would definitely be a preferred route.

Thanks Norm.

The B383 was not a problem when we went through it, what was about 4pm.. but I was thinking the same. The only ugly bit was coming into Windsor after then..

Do you mean Windsor rather than Datchet? Yup, indeed. But when do the clocks go back, is it this weekend?

Sure is. Whats your reckoning about coming through Pink'knees' Green and the back streets to Harvest Hill Road takes us till Hibbert road and then into Bray that way? Or was your way suggested along the A4094? Ive done that before and quite liked it.

Thanks,

Davy.

 

[Davywalnuts]

I'd also do Datchet rather than Windsor, even though you do have that one confusing Give Way, although, if you went through Datchet as well as coming back through Winkfield, it would, ironically, mean that "beating the clocks to Windsor" didn't go through Windsor at all.

Ah, just re-read what you said and am with you now. Altough, ild still prefer carrying on around to Windsor that way then, 'Windsor road to Kind Edward Ave' than divert through Datchet.

 

[Norm]

The B383 was not a problem when we went through it, what was about 4pm.. but I was thinking the same. The only ugly bit was coming into Windsor after then..

That depends which way you go. After you turn left onto the A332, when you first enter the Park, there's a gate on the right called Cranbourne Gate. Cut into the Park there and you are pretty much at the Village and onto the quiet glory which is available on the traffic-free roads inside the Park.

Do you mean Windsor rather than Datchet? Yup, indeed. But when do the clocks go back, is it this weekend?

Nope, I did mean Datchet, but it's kinda 6 vs. 2x3, I'm not bothered either way.

Of possible interest is that the Albert Road has one of the few decent shared use paths that I know and I use it regularly. Following that, up Sheet Street past the Guildhall and down Thames Street does put you into the middle of Windsor, which is pleasantly traffic-free most of the time.

Sure is. Whats your reckoning about coming through Pink'knees' Green and the back streets to Harvest Hill Road takes us till Hibbert road and then into Bray that way? Or was your way suggested along the A4094? Ive done that before and quite liked it.

I was thinking of the A4094, I've just ridden it and it is fairly bloody pretty at this time of year. Pinkneys Green itself isn't too bad but the drag after that through Boyn Hill is a ball-ache unless you cut out to the west and go through Woodlands Park / White Waltham then up the hill to Paley Street. There is some lovely riding round there, Shurlock Row, Binfield, Warfield etc, but it's a fair way out just to avoid a few minutes riding through Maidenhead. TBH, I'd suggest back-tracking to Cookham and following the A4094 then the B3028 and on to Holyport.

If pictures speak a thousand words, I'll stop writing and hope that this works.

BTW, Davy, you weren't riding through Cookham at around 1830 today were you? It was getting dark but the chap going the other way was going into the wind at a fair lick when we exchanged greetings. I didn't spot The Zebra but the rider had a shirt with short black and red sleeves.