The Bedford Park Bicycle Club Rides Out

Inaugural trip to Chiswick House finally possible

Bedford Park Bicycle Club outside Chiswick House

After its launch earlier this year the Bedford Park Bicycle Club was hit by lockdown and unable to carry out the programme of rides it had planned for the spring and summer.

But finally 30 riders met, in a socially distanced way, this Sunday (23 August) outside the Postroom Cafe (which is offering 10% discount for members). There they were divided into groups of 6 by organisers Peter Murray and Ed Seaton, Chair and Secretary of the new club. The ride was nice and short (4 miles) to encourage children and nervous cyclists to attend.

Each group then set out. First they cycled a loop through Bedford Park itself, then along some of Chiswick’s newly quietened roads – Fishers Lane, Devonshire Road – to Chiswick House, taking in a small stretch of the High Road.

The riders fulfilled the aims of the new Club, comprising a few experienced leaders with a following of inexperienced or nervous riders who, while they could ride, were reluctant to venture forth alone. The youngest, Marlene, was only three (and required an emergency ice cream stop en route) while older cyclists in their seventies also enjoyed the opportunity to tackle the High Road with some guidance.

Cyclists of all ages participated in the ride

Some of the groups went down part-way towards Hammersmith along the river (Chiswick Mall), before looping back and cycling to Chiswick House Grounds where they had a photo in front of Chiswick House and then took coffee outside at the cafe.

Jeremy Vine and his wife also attended, although the famous penny-farthing made no appearance.

Membership of the BPBC costs £10 pounds and joining now will extend membership until the end of 2021. Details of how to join are on their website.

The next outing is planned for Sunday 6 September and will involve a ride which will end at the first Chiswick Flower Market.

The club has been revived by a group of local enthusiasts who discovered it had been very active in the 1880s but that its membership declined during the 20th century as cars took over as the main means of travel for Chiswick residents.

August 24, 2020