Eleven Loiterers followed Stuart on his first ride as leader across Uxbridge Common to Ickenham and Ruislip to Bury Street using quiet roads and some interesting paths. Stuart led us Ducks Hill (a bit of a grind) to elevenses at The Oak Cafe, Mount Vernon Hospital where we found John P. and Ray J. waiting.
Leaving The hospital grounds by a nefarious route we made our way down Woodcock Hill past Stockers Farm. with its 17th Century Farmhouse, over the canal, past Stockers Lake to the Uxbridge Road. It was then up Shepards Lane down Berry Lane en route to lunch at The Black Horse, Chorleywood Common which offers a fine selection of ales and food.
Leaving Chorleywood Common up Berry Lane to the junction of Stag Lane and Shepards Lane we stopped to admire the buildings of King John’s Farm, or was it to catch our breath.
King Johns Farm is a tudor building known to be a protestant meeting place during the English Civil War, it is the house where William Penn was married to Guilelma Springett. Penn Cottage is a converted barn and stable.
We continued up Stag Lane and on through Heronsgate to Burtons Lane en route to Chalfont Common where we stopped to admire the Gott Memorial which was erected in 1785 by Sir Henry Thomas Gott, the owner of the Newland Estate, apparently to commemorate the death of a stag during a hunt at which King George III was present. It was restored in 1879 by William Brown.
Continuing on Old Slade Lane is blocked for the foreseeable future due to bridge widening but bikes can be walked down alongside Denham Golf Cub Station to continue on to Denham Green where we stopped for tea at The Green Cafe. The final leg home took us through Denham village and across the golf course and on to Uxbridge.
A great day out.
Uxbridge to Uxbridge 27 miles.