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Is there a bridal path or similar around the reservoir, if so how far is it ?

the reason i'm asking is that the missus has come out of the blue with a suggestion that she'd like to ride some where !!

this took me for six so i need to put a few things in place:

1) make my old bike a little more woman friendly - had the offer of a female seat to borrow, that'll do !
2) make it some where not so busy
3) make it some where long enough to push her through the 'fed up cant be arsed' barrier
4) by making sure there is a meal at the end LOL

Hanningfield has a restaurant so im thinking one lap, its somewhere she doesn't know so will be remotely interested and in essence were just riding in a circle heading for a meal, hopefully not too taxing

any other advice ??

No you can't.
I have been up there about a week or so ago and its just a foot path no bikes allowed sort of place, its a serious nature reserve.

try hylands park, bedgebury etc

hainult park, hollow ponds, all reasonably easy going

Bedgebury has too many hills i reckon, it needs to be flat.

I'm sure i've seen bikes plodding around the reservoir, bugger.

whats the deal with hylands park, just park and ride off ? is there a cafe ?

My local loop lots off land for bike friendly and unmade trail for bikes and the odd dog walker.
the loop is country road but only a car speed limp 5 or 10 never had a problem.

Only on the long straight road Middlemead Roadies don't say hello, one drive spit at me and the pikeys sometime race horses now and then all that over the last four years.

I'll add map with highlight of Pub and the two centre.
I just hope I'm over there next time your not sitting on my bench.

Pubs: The Three Compasses
The Old Windmill - More welcoming
Pymmings farm lane is unmade track start at leather bottle hill and just round corner from Three Compasses.

Edit



ESSEX Water land own a big lump of land ( 32 hectares) very nice over there I may see two people over there very quite. Park car here the ride round it''s just wooded fields &my beach.


Makes a nice evening ride when I need silence.

You can ride around hanningfield on the road or the grass verge but not in the woods as such.
he cafe there is nice.

Perhaps a bit of tow path riding down to papermill lock is a better idea?

Hylands park, pull in to the right hand side car park at the top of the road and just go into the woods for a ride about, not a proper loop as such but plenty of riding to entertain both parties.
Then ride up to Hylands house across the park and there is a nice cafe, its not set up for bikes as such but if you have a cheap loop lock you'll be fine.

http://www.cycle-route.com/routes/Essex-Routes-76.html

lots of routes here

Toe path to paper mill could be good, but where does it start from ? only want her to ride about 6miles (ish) really as first time out !

How about Jamie's Fitch way? flat & you can grab a cupper!

Paper mill lock is perfect you could start in Sandon spin down to the lock for a cuppa and back to the pub for a meal

Yea but you forgot to tell him about the hill, ok on way their as it's down... Not so good up..

He's only just got married poor sod so won't be used to the nagging syndrome yet...


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Took my wife out for a bike ride when we first got married, and at mile 15 she had a sense of humour failure and strop... Oh how I still laugh about it today...


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My sentence is 9yrs this month
My missies likes a leg spin more center parcs and flitch way than Cwm carn

Thames sea wall at Rainham, park at the RSPB and ride the wall towards rainham, its about 3 miles then come back either along the path beside the service road or back along the wall café at RSPB does sandwiches etc.

Bit far from southend but the Lea Navigation towpath from Waltham abbey towards Hoddedsdon is quite pleasant and there are pubs along the route. Various car parks to park at and ride from. Its part of route 1 national cycle route so gravel/tarmac all the way

I was at Wickford recently and put in co-ordinates to go from there to Danbury (instead of riding from South Woodham) and it showed a couple of routes and one of them was past Hanningfield and the resevoir, was about 8-9 miles and looked good route but didnt end up doing it.

Theres not bad routes, Laindon/Thorndon area but Im not an expert on that area.

It is a bit far, but I agree it's a nice ride - I took my wife along there once for a picnic! - I carried a couple of beers and sandwiches in my Camelbak and we had a nice easy ride. The next time SHE suggested that we go to a pub so we rode along to the Crown at Broxbourne which has a big outside area overlooking the Lea, unfortnately we ended up having more than one drink and had to ride back in the dark without lights - it was fun though and hasn't put her off the odd bimble along a tow path as long as a pub stop is included.

Apart from being a bit far from Southend - I think you'll need to ride 5 or 6 miles before you get to the first pub unless you turn off at Cheshunt, by the station. I think the Crown would be close on 12 miles round trip. Having said that - Parsons Restaurant in Waltham Abbey is quite nice but you may feel a bit under dressed if you're in your cycling gear!