Bike Life: Basingstoke Canal - Wey Navigation & River Thames ride

Long planned ride on the MTB.
Train to Woking then rode Woking - West Byfleet (on the Basingstoke Canal) - Weybridge (on the Wey Navigation) - Hammersmith (n the Thames) and back the same route. Dist 77.67 Miles Tm 7 hours

Great off road route to London. Very windy today from a Southwesterly direction which made the journey to London a 'breeze' (!). Coming back was a harder, especially in the more open areas. However, the Canal Tow paths often offer protection from the wind as stretches can be sunken or densely tree-lined. Despite the wind, a wonderful route and an interesting ride.

Cycled the mile to Winchfield Station and got the train to Woking. Another half mile down to the canal to start and I was on my way. Stopped to talk to people and take pictures. Beyond Kingston things got a bit busy as it was the day of the National Stroke Associations 'Five Bridges' ride.

The recently re-furbished MTB ('The Tank') ran well with only one unavoidable set back, a puncture at Teddington. A huge thorn had gone into the more vulnerable side wall of the back tyre. After a quick tube change, onward to Hammersmith for Lunch at the Old Ship Inn on the Thames.

Whilst there e huge squall came in lasting only about two minutes but the gusts removed almost everything from the outside tables and the driving rain came in horizontally! Within minutes the Sun was out again and after a re-fuel I was on the return run.

I was a bit nervous of leaving myself without a spare Inner Tube so far from home on a Sunday so I needed to get to a bike shop for a spare but without deviating from my course too much. Came off the river at Kew Bridge and down Brentford Hight street hoping something might be open there and Bingo....there was a branch of Evans open. Phew. Back to the task of getting back.

Rejoined the river and basically didn't stop for any length of time until just west of Brookwood.

Had planned to meet my friend Karen H at Frimley Lodge, with the idea of her joining me for a few miles as I headed all the way back along the canal to home. Karen & Husband Colin rode all the way to Fleet with me and then back to Frimley completing their own twenty mile round trip. Well done to them.

Once back at Fleet on the Canal, I decided to cut my losses and (rather than do the long loop round to Winchfield on the canal to home) took the road back to Phoenix Green.

I'll do this again one day. Maybe in fine Autumn weather.