THE WHITE BEAR AT FICKLESHOLE

Some rides will be remembered for the route or the scenery, some will be
remembered for the great lunch stop. Today's ride will be remembered by the
miserable rainy weather.

8 intrepid riders started off on what looked to be a reasonably mild day. We
crossed Mitcham Common and ducked behind the tram stop to get to the
Beddington Park path (or the Sewer Path as I sometimes call it - it skirts
the edge of Beddington Sewage Farm). The bird watchers were out in force. An
owl had been spotted.

We cut behind St Mary's in Beddington and onto the Croydon branch of the
Wandle Trail, past Waddon Ponds and through the side streets of Croydon to
the Wyvale Garden Centre and it's recommended café on Waddon Way. It's built
on the site of the old Croydon Lido and you can still see the old diving
platform.

After a relaxing tea stop, we hit the hills around the Whitgift School and
admired the houses on Croham Manor Rd as we climbed toward the Ballards Farm
Road bridleway and through to the roads skirting Littleheath Wood. We
skipped the Bridle Way path at Selsdon Nature Reserve because it's too steep
to get up when the surface is so slippy and used roads to reach the Baker
Boy Lane bridleway which was really muddy. This route takes you right into
the rural countryside at Farleigh Common.

By this time is was pouring with rain so we pressed on to the White Bear
only to find that you have to book to be able to eat! After a bit of
pleading they found us two tables of 4. I couldn't believe it - I've called
every pub we've been to since the Downe fiasco (pub refused to serve half of
us because there were "too many" cyclists) but for some reason I didn't
think I needed to call the White Bear. They also take their cheaper menu
options off on Sundays. Lesson learnt.

The route back seemed to fly by, perhaps because most of it was downhill. 2
miles of gentle downhill on Featherbed Lane and once up the short but steep
Spout Hill another few miles of downhill into South Norwood Country Park.

I got slightly confused trying to replicate last week's short cut and
brought us out on the busy Brigstock Rd by mistake but a quick nip through
the backstreets and Mayfield Park bought us out on the Pollards Hill estate.

Out for 7 hours, 27 miles

Today's Tip: If you want to know more about the places we go to, read the
report on the website and follow the links.

See the pix (before it rained too hard to get the camera out!)
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/pollardshillcyclists/sets/1791925/>

Wed 7pm: Meeting with the police in Wimbledon about bike theft. (500 gone in
the last 6 months) Reply to me direct if you want to come.

Next Sunday: 9am, great route out to Kenley and yes, I've already rung the
pub!!

Good response to Love Yr Bike, lots of hits on the website. Feb 11th. Put it
in the your diary and keep an eye on the updates page for the latest.

Think the barriers are bad in Ravensbury Park? See these into Beckenham
Place Park:
<http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/london/2006/01/331022.html>
Are councils really that stupid? It would appear so...

Mark
PHC Co-ordinator
http://www.pollardshillcyclists.org.uk
Feb 11th - http://www.love-yr-bike.co.uk
07711 688189