Lea Valley - visit to the Ragged School museum

Breeze Bike Rides in Waltham Forest

Lea Valley (Women and women with their children)   Do you love the idea of a gentle bike ride in the countryside?  Do your children love riding their bikes as well? Well, come along to this Breeze ride when we will be cycling through the wonderful Lea Valley Park, up through Victoria Park (toilet stop) then down to Mile End Park on the Regents Canal where we will visit the Ragged School Museum http://www.raggedschoolmuseum.org.uk/nextgen/.  It's all off-road and there will be a cafe stop so it's perfect for chatting to the other riders and making new friends.  

If any Hackney women would prefer to meet us in Victoria Park, meet next to the Pavillion cafe/toilets at about 1.45pm and, when you register on this website, please put "Hackney" after your family name so we know where to meet you.

Check the weather before you leave http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/8 and bring your bike, suitable clothes (your warmest gloves, if it’s cold!), a pannier or small backpack, water, something for lunch and some change for a cup of tea at the cafe. Bring bicycle lights!

If there is any further information about this ride or you have any questions, you can contact us through Facebook at http://en-gb.facebook.com/#!/groups/BreezeEastLondon/

The meeting point is the car park at the bottom of Coppermill Lane, on your left just before you go under the railway bridge. You can see the meeting point on the link below where there is a P (for car park), just beside Coppermill Playing Field http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=535403&y=188477&z=0&sv=E17+7HQ&st=2&pc=E17+7HQ&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf

If you don’t know where Coppermill Lane is, go to the bottom of the High Street, E17 (i.e. Walthamstow Market) and just continue straight on – you will find you are on Coppermill Lane. The houses will suddenly run out and you go past a few reservoirs. After that, you will go round a few bends before you get to the car park on your left. We will be waiting for you there in our red Breeze jackets.

Location

Ride Starting Point

Car park at the bottom of Coppermill Lane, Waltham Forest E17 7HQ 

Meet the Champions

• Lisa Percival Hello
  
  My name is Lisa and I love cycling. I've cycled on and off for years but only started cycling again properly 2 years ago when I wanted to get fit after having some health problems. Cycling in London is much more enjoyable now than it used to be as there are lots of quiet routes and many more cyle lanes. I commute into central London 3 times a week and also go on lots of recreational rides. I have really enjoyed Skyrides as they are great way of discovering new routes in a safe environment, making new friends and finding out what other cycling opportunities are around.
  
  When the chance to train as Breeze ride leader came up, I jumped at it as it seemed a good way of passing on my enjoyment of cycling to others who are maybe new to cycling or have not cycled for a while. As I also enjoy reading, I thought it would be fun to combine the two and start a Breeze Bookclub, the idea being that we will chat about books while riding round somewhere safe and pleasant and making new friends.
  
  If I have time, I would also like to do some "local roads" Breeze rides, helping women to find the quiet routes in their local area and I am hoping to start these some time in 2012.
• Jill Warren I have returned to cycling after many years of horrific car commuting in London. The car has been put away and I am loving the freedom and opportunity cycling is offering me. I just want to share that happy feeling!
  Am no athlete and want to have fun, local rides at a speed that will suit everybody - with links through into other Breeze rides that can be more challenging.
• Jess Dickie I'm a newly qualified Breeze Rider but have cycled for a while. I am also a novice triathlete. I love cycling and would like to encourage more people to cycle. I'm happy to cycle at any speed and distance (so long as I can get home)! :-)
  
  I live in Hackney but work in Newham so can go from either borough :-)