Princes Risborough Phoenix Trail - CYCLE RIDE
Details
Cycle length 22 miles/35 km approx. Circular.
This bike ride is varied and largely traffic-free, using for the majority of the route a disused railway line that has been turned into a cycle and footpath lane, the Phoenix trail.
Cycle Route Descripton
The first part of the bike ride takes us from the small town of Princes Risborough north in a circuit through villages such as Ford and Haddenham until finally reaching Thame for the start of the Phoenix Trail back to Princes Risborough. Some of the villages along this route and the views from the Phoenix trail are impressive.
http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/b/6/3/c/event_233986652.jpegThe Phoenix trail is quite unusual in that its route displays a series of 30 interesting sculptures, which are supposed to be inspired by the local environment.
The sculptures where made by Angus Ross and students from Thame's Rycotewood College. In 2002 these works won an 'Arts, Business and Community' award. The trail itself has a Certificate of Distinction as a European Greenway from the European Commission.
Food and Drink: Please bring a packed lunch and water for the ride.
Meeting: Meet at Princes Risborough station from 10.45am for ride to start at 11.00am.
Lunch and Finish: Please bring a packed lunch and water for the ride. The ride should take about two and a half hours including a 30min lunch stop and maybe a pub at the end or en route, however the time may be earlier or later than this depending on the weather and pace (we have a relaxed pace which includes sightseeing and photography).
Transport:
Car: If coming by car I would suggest some of the side streets close to the station, which are free to park.
Train: The London Marylebone train at 10.09am gets to Princes Risborough for 10.53am, this is run by Chiltern Railways (http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/)
I would encourage you to seek out other members who coming from London and go as a groupsave, or seek out another member from London that has a bike rack and would be happy to take you. I will be driving or maybe cycling from High Wycombe!
Cycles are allowed on the trains See Cycle Policy (http://chilternrailways.co.uk/travelling-with-us/taking-your-bike)
I would encourage you to seek out other members who coming from London and go as a groupsave, or seek out another member from London that has a bike rack on their car and would be happy to take you. I will be driving or maybe cycling from High Wycombe!
Please make a note of the organizers numbers - Leon 07950125826 and Colin 07709305681.
RSVP:The organizers monitor non-attendance; we will ban anyonewho 'no shows' twice for our events. You are also asked to please update your RSVP at least 24 hours beforehand.
Please see our RSVP policy (https://www.meetup.com/Chiltern-Explorers/pages/RSVP_for_Walks/)
Weather
Updates will be posted; see also BBC Weather (http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/)
Please see our weather policy (https://www.meetup.com/Chiltern-Explorers/pages/Weather/)
Cycling
This is a gentle ride; however some of the paths, particularly around the Thames path and the Greenway may be muddy and uneven so I would not advise a road bike. A hybrid or mountain bike would be best.
Some of the paths on this ride are quite narrow, and walkers have priority on the Thames path, so please be respectful about this and take care.
I have a cycle repair outfit and some tools; however I am not a bike mechanic, so please make sure you have a reasonable working bike.
Cycling Safety
Cycling is a great way to keep fit and generally very safe; however it does contain an element of risk and probably more than walking. Before going on any of these cycle rides you need to be reasonably fit and be prepared to be responsible for your own safety. You must wear appropriate clothing such as proper shoes, warm and wet weather clothing and carry sufficient food and water. Some basic cycle tools and spare inner tube or puncture repair outift would be advisable including lights, as well as wearing a helmet for safety. Please see our Terms and Conditions. (https://www.meetup.com/Chiltern-Explorers/pages/Terms_and_Conditions/)