London to Southend bike ride, 19 July 2026

52 miles, 1750 ft climb. London to Essex! Starting West Ham Park, London, E7 9PU the ride took us out of town and onto quieter, country roads. Essex surprises with its picturesque villages and quiet lanes, winding through not-so-gently rolling countryside!

Got up at 0500, left at 0600 from Cambridge, parked my car at Stratford International, and then cycled to reach the starting point at 0715, carrying my bike inside the car after removing its front wheel.