What to do. No time to plan a new short ride so go back to the tried and tested. Lots of car free, great coffee stop and pub OK. Tick, tick, tick. Nothing to go wrong. What happens? Route barred by bl**dy BEAVERS! At Paradise Fields the paths are gated and shut and miles of new perimeter fence erected to keep humans out. It may be paradise for beavers but it's more like purgatory for cyclists. The nearest accessible path takes you down to the most stupid cyle gate ever designed but a little trek through the undergrowth gives access to the canal. Fortunately the bridge over the canal is outside the beaver's perfumed garden so onward up Horsenden Hill free of marauding wildlife. Mind you you are only a half mile from the Gruffalo trail hereabouts so best keep a lookout. The Black Horse now has a competitively priced lunchtime menu which was well received. It also has a sign under a horse chestnut tree saying "Beware of Falling Conkers". Now if Isaac Newton had been similarly forewarned would the laws of the motion of the planets remain undiscovered? We had helmets so no serious damage was done The return route was via Northwick Park and Harrow where some of the more foolhardy members of the group took a turn on the new BMX track. The ride dispersed at Ruislip Manor.