Short Ride to Greenstead Green 22/07/2026
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
A friendly, easy-paced social ride with a café stop
Ride Details
Date | Wednesday 22nd July 2026 |
Meet | 10 am Weavers Park, Braintree |
Café Stop | Martha’s Tearoom |
Distance | Approximately 19 miles in total |
Pace | Easy social pace at 9.5 mi/h, no one left behind |
Ride Leader | Bill T, supported by Lawrence |
Weather | Cloudy, 18C. Felt like 19C. Humidity 70%. Wind 1.6 mi/hr from NNE. |
Elevation Gained | 1,010 ft |
About the Ride
This was a relaxed short ride to Martha’s Tearoom in Greenstead Green; a steady, sociable outing on local roads and quieter lanes.
The group set off from Weavers Park on time and soon negotiated the hilly ascent from Bocking to High Garrett. Thankfully, traffic was light as the group was stretched out, the e-bikes leading the way. Once in the countryside, riders relaxed more and chat was the order of the day.
Surprisingly, there was little bird song as we cycled through the countryside. This was unlikely to be due to the weather which was mostly cloudy with a noticeable chill riding in shadowy areas and along any tree-lined lanes. When the sun did shine, riding was glorious and warm, a great time to enjoy the company and the countryside.
Such changeable weather makes for tough decisions as to what clothing to wear: how many layers, do I need a jacket, etc. However, cycling at the back I was grateful for the high-visibility jackets worn by the majority. When seen from distance, they kept some of us at the rear on the right road. Of course, they serve an extremely useful safety purpose as well!
We were catered for very well at our café stop; eating outside, with just an occasional wasp causing us any difficulties. Our ride back to Braintree took a different route, via Burton’s Green and Stisted, and once again included one or two lengthy hills that were best conquered by those riding e-bikes!
Overall, riding was at a comfortable group pace, stopping occasionally to allow riders a drink or to catch up. Most importantly, we all enjoyed riding the route, the weather, the social chat.
Remember, if riding you’ll need:
· A roadworthy bike and helmet
· Spare inner tube or puncture repair kit
· Water and any personal snacks
· Money or card for the café stop
· Clothing suitable for the weather
Lawrence Smith
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