Mile End to Cambridge

Saturday, 11 September 2010 - 8:00am

About 65 miles, leaving London on main roads as far as Epping Forest and then via minor and B roads. Lots of undulating countryside including the highest points in Essex and Cambridgeshire, also a stripey cycle path! Cafe lunch after about 30 miles. Return by train (between £7 & £16).
Medium pace but not many refreshment points, suggest you bring snack and a drink for the afternoon. Possible to drop out at Bishops Stortford/Audley End. All on road/surfaced path - suitable for any bike. Pick up along the route Victoria Park/Hackney/Lea Bridge Road possible or meet at High Beach Epping Forest at 09.15 - please contact ride leader in advance for these options.

Ride difficulty: 
Hard
Ride distance: 
65 miles
Route map: 
https://www.towerhamletswheelers.org.uk/sites/default/files/rides/routes/London%20to%20Cambridge.tcx" target="_blank">view on bikehike.co.uk
Ride report: 

Advertised as one of the harder rides in Wheelers' calendar (a bit longer than Brighton but not so many hills) this also turned out (unfortunately) to be the most male dominated ride in a long time – which just shows how used we have become to getting lots of women riding. Maybe it was the weather forecast which suggested light rain most of the day, although not too cold. But then again usually the women aren't put off by that.

We basically followed the same route that we used in February, starting off along main roads as far as High Beech where we stopped for tea. A lot pleasanter than the previous ride (not difficult as it was sleeting at this point in Feb!). From there we swung onto much quieter roads north of Epping, arriving at our lunch stop at Much Hadham. We had called the garden centre during the week to see if they could offer lunch and then called them en route to say how many we had in the group, so on arrival we found everything ready for us. There was a selection of pies (locally made and covering vegetarian and meat eating tastes) plus salad and bread, together with cold drinks and tea/coffee to serve yourself – with an “honesty” box for the money. Very nice, good value and comfy sofas to sit on. We will definitely go there again if we are in the area.

The scenery on this ride generally gets better as you go further north and the lanes get quieter. We reached the “summit” of the ride near Little Chishill just on the Essex/Cambridgeshire border. One more down and up to Great Chishill (not quite as high as Little) and then pretty much downhill all the way to Cambridge. After the striped cycle path between Great Shelford and Addenbrookes, we carried on into central Cambridge and relaxed on Parkers Piece with ice creams, tea or beer – so we finally made it to admire some of the architecture.

Caroline

back to Ride reports

Tower Hamlets Wheelers

  • About
  • News
  • Campaigns
  • Events & Rides
    • Ride reports
      • Ace Cafe Ride
      • Afterworker Ride 3
      • Afterworker Ride
      • Afterworker Ride
      • Autumn Apples Ride
      • Bike Week 2012
      • Bike Week 2013
      • Boundary Bike Ride for Tower Hamlets "No Place For Hate" campaign
      • Boundary Ride 2012
      • Bow Floating Towpath (2) and Lower Lea
      • Box Hill Ride
      • Breakfast Ride
      • Breakfast Ride
      • Breakfast ride
      • Breakfast ride 2 - Highgate
      • Brighton Ride
      • Brighton Ride
      • Chilterns Cycleway
      • Christmas Lights Ride
      • Christmas Lights Ride and Carol Service
      • Clone of Easy to Erith
      • Clone of Lee Valley Ride
      • Lee Valley Ride 2015
      • Clone of Ride to Cake Mountain 2013
      • Clone of Sevenoaks Ride
      • Cycle Cafes Ride
      • Cycle:MK
      • Dengie Marshes
      • East End Natural Resources & Food Ride
      • Easter Monday ride to Windsor
      • Easy to Erith
      • Essex Lanes - the Frank Haines Memorial Ride
      • Essex Lanes Ride
      • Essex Lanes Ride
      • Foulness Ride
      • Fright Ride
      • Fright Ride 2
      • Fright Ride 3
      • Hell of the East 2012
      • Ingrebourne Valley - Rainham RSPB Reserve - Tilbury
      • Islands of Essex
      • Jam Factory Ride
      • Knatts Valley and Kent Lanes
      • Knatts Valley or bust!
      • Lee Valley Ride
      • Lee Valley Ride
      • Lee Valley Ride
      • London Open House Ride Saturday
      • London to Cambridge, optional Ely extension
      • Midweek ride to Windsor
      • Mile End to Cambridge
      • Mile End to Cambridge
      • Bow Roundabout Vigil 5th Anniversary
      • Evening ride, Take Flight with the Wheelers
      • Halloween Mini-Fright Ride
      • London Sights Ride to Richmond Park
      • Mile End to Richmond Park Ride
      • Prudential London FreeCycle
      • Quietway 6 assessment ride
      • RideLondon FreeCycle
      • Walthamstow Mini-Holland ride
      • Museums of East London
      • New Years Ride
      • Open House Tour
      • Open House ride
      • Parks of North London - edition 4
      • Parks of North London Ride
      • Photography Ride
      • Quirky Ride
      • Rainham Marshes Feb 2011
      • Richmond Park Ride
      • Ride to Cake Mountain
      • Ride to Cake Mountain 2013
      • Sevenoaks Ride
      • Sevenoaks Ride
      • South London Parks Ride 2012 edition
      • South London Parks and Open Spaces
      • Southend Ride
      • Southwark Cyclists' Christmas Day Ride
      • Surrey 6 Peaks
      • Surrey 6 Peaks
      • Surrey Cycleway & Box Hill
      • Surrey Cycleway & Box Hill
      • Surrey Cycleway Ride
      • The 8th Glamour Ride
      • The 10th Glamour Ride
      • The 11th Glamour Ride
      • The 12th Glamour Ride
      • The 9th Glamour Ride
      • The Big Ride - Love London, Go Dutch
      • The Thames - ride and fly
      • Tiptree Jam Factory Ride 3
      • Tour of London Garden Squares
      • Two Rivers and a Park
      • Upshire Church Teas Ride 1
      • Upshire Church Teas Ride 2
      • Upshire Church Teas Ride
      • Upshire Diamond Jubilee Tea
      • Vineyard Ride
      • Weekend Away - Eastbourne
      • Weekend away in Kent
      • Wheelers Christmas Ride
      • Wheelers Christmas Ride
      • Wheelers Christmas Ride
      • Wheelers Cycle Ride Guidance
      • Wheelers Spring Weekend Away in Kent
      • Women's Ride 2
      • Women's ride
      • Space for Cycling Big Ride
    • Cycle Buddies
  • Workshop
  • Local Info
  • Contact
Support Space for Cycling

Upcoming rides & events

Wednesday, 10 February
Monthly meeting
Saturday, 20 February
Bicycle Maintenance Workshop - CANCELLED
Wednesday, 10 March
Monthly meeting

Rides information

Our rides are highlighted by "RIDE". You don't have to be a member to join in and we're also always looking for new ride ideas. Contact our Rides Co-ordinator for further information.

There is no need to register beforehand for a ride unless this is specifically stated, most rides are "turn up and go".

If you haven't ridden with us before please read our Ride Guidance Notes.

Please note that for train assisted rides we often cannot publish times until about 2 weeks beforehand because of the need to check engineering works. Also sometimes our ride leaders do have to change dates/times/routes at reasonably short notice. Generally this website will be up to date and also details will be sent out to our email groups, but if in doubt contact the ride leader or our rides co-ordinator to check arrangements.

Social media & email groups

Keep in touch with local cycling issues and events by joining one of our email groups.

Follow @thwheelers
Join us on Facebook
Watch us on YouTube

Copyright © 2021 Tower Hamlets Wheelers
Borough group of the London Cycling Campaign Registered Charity No: 1115789