Willesden ride starts from Willesden, Shock

Yes, there is a real place called Willesden and the 15th June club run will start there, sort of.

I will be leading a ride that will take us through several of the London Royal Parks and two of its cemeteries, it will feature the Thames, canal tow paths, a grand stately home, Soho, a quick blast around Regent Park and a visit to the Mausoleum of Richard Burton, the explorer, that is.

There will be a couple of bits of lifting bikes up and down a few steps and there maybe one or two short stretches along the Thames on earth/gravel (I can’t remember to be honest as its a while since I have cycled them), but it’s mainly roads, with some tarmacked cycle paths.

Arrangements

09:15ish Coffee/Tea/Biscuits
09:30 The ride will set off from my house
09:45 Official start from Willesden Junction station forecourt.
We’ll take a break when we feel like it. I have no particular place in mind, but there’s plenty en-route.
Around 2pm Finish at Three Bridges behind Ealing Hospital
Return to cars and Willesden Junction. We’ll pass Ealing Broadway and Ealing Common Stations en-route.

Getting to the start

My address is 68 St Dunstans Avenue London W3 6QJ.
The last bit from the A40 to my house is a bit convoluted. For those of you without GPS, here is a routesheet (see map). It starts at the second set of lights after the Hanger Gyratory underpass – there are swish offices on the corner. Parking on-street is free and pretty safe. 68 is the one with a mature red Volvo Estate outside, come down the side with your bike to the back garden.

Acton North, Ealing North and Acton Town are all handy Underground Stations. Acton Central on the Overground is very close. Acton Mainline has no Sunday service.

You can of course wait at Willesden Junction if that’s handier – I’d not be so comfortable about recommending parking there.

The ride route (it may change a bit) – can be found at http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4954176