It was a damp start to the day with rain falling outside, which it had been doing all night!
After sitting around in the tent for a couple of hours waiting for the rain to stop I got bored and decided to get on and pack up!
My destination for today was Crystal Palace and knowing that it was only about 50-miles away I knew that there wasn’t any rush to get moving!
Once I was all packed up, I set off in the rain and immediately came upon my first problem, while sitting around waiting for the rain to stop I found a route on the map that ran beside the Basingstoke canal and to get to it was just across the road from me! But could I get to It? The route I was going to take was a private right of way, or so the stern lady at the entrance to it told me! You’ll have to go round the corner there’s a small footpath you can take, she said. Small! It was narrow muddy and went up an incline there was no way I was going to manage that! So the road it was then!
Because I’d worked out my route (for once) using cycle routes and paths I didn’t have an idea of where to head for!
In the end, it was a mixture of cycle routes and roads. One cycle path that I did find and which was very good was the Thames Path that ran alongside the river Thames; it was nice cycling along the river albeit a bit bumpy and muddy in places!
Eventually, I made it to Crystal Palace and met up with Kay and Rick the only reason I went there! Their working on a Caravan club site, so I thought why not visit them and camp there for the night!
Unfortunately, as it turned out, they’re not open for tents until May! They did offer to put me up in their motorhome, but me being old and grumpy and liking my own space, I declined their very kind offer, it wouldn’t have been fair to keep them awake with my snoring anyway!
Maybe I should have phoned ahead, but then that would have meant me being organised!
I’d already made my mind up that if they weren’t in I was going to go home by train! So in the end after having a cup of tea and chat, I set out across London and caught the train home!
A nice little ride around, with little being the operative word! But it was still good, and I enjoyed myself! Unfortunately, this might be the only one I get for a while if I have to go in for this hip replacement! Which I’m hoping will be very soon!
Total miles covered 164 not that it’s really worth mentioning!
Hey man! That was an interesting little trip. I thnk you are a bloody good navigater and you always come up with some good pics. I can’t believe they wouldn’t let you put your tent up. So, you like your space – that explains a lot. That path along the Thames looked inviting.
Very little! It was still enjoyable though.
You don’t realise what a nightmare I had trying to get from Greywell to Crystal Palace!
The Thames Path was a good route although it does get a bit busy in places.
Well done Spike!! Funny enough I also passed through Basingstoke today on my way to Reading. Yes the rain certainly made it a miserable journey. x
I don’t suppose we should expect anything else really, after all it is spring!