12-08-16 - Let's go wild swimming pt1: Clifton Hampden

Let’s go wild swimming!

Thursday 16 August – Clifton Hampden

50 mile roll over the Chilterns to swim in the Thames. Quite bumpy in the middle, so gears might not be a bad idea if you’re no fan of hills.

Depart Iver Station 9.15 (trains out from Paddington 8.27 – arr 8.51 or 8.38 – arr 9.03)

Route here – with a stop at Burnham Beeches for tea and cake.
[ame]http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1531114[/ame
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Clifton Hampden is a quiet spot on the Thames, with a pub and small shop. I’ve not swum, but I dangled my feet in the water and it was lovely. Many ducks of many varieties for the duck-fanciers among you.

It’s a 5 mile ride back to Didcot with trains to Paddington around every 15 mins – fast (45mins) at 17.16, 17.29, 17.53, 18.16, 18.29, 18.27 – approx £23.

Disclaimer
These will only be any fun if the weather is half way decent – no problem with sun and showers, but if it is torrential rain, then I may stay at home. Oh, and no obligation to swim. UPDATE weather forecast for Thursday looks good! 23 degs and no rain.

the ducks sound tempting..

Sounds like a nice ride, just out of interest, does the phrase "wild swimming" include swimming on a beach?

I'm in pending confirmation of ducks (regardless of yellow/brown bills)

^^ Not exactly a beach - a shallow spot to get into the river

^ I can guarantee ducks

^^ Not exactly a beach - a shallow spot to get into the river

^ I can guarantee ducks

good, I was going to ask whether there was somewhere to get in/out easily. there are many rivers which are great for swimming, but dangerous cos It's difficult to get out!

anyway, It's in the diary pending work schedule.

list?

Let’s go wild swimming!

Thursday 16 August – Clifton Hampden

50 mile roll over the Chilterns to swim in the Thames. Quite bumpy in the middle, so gears might not be a bad idea if you’re no fan of hills.

Depart Iver Station 9.15 (trains out from Paddington 8.27 – arr 8.51 or 8.38 – arr 9.03)

1. Katy
   2.
   3.
   4.
   5.
   6.
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Let’s go wild swimming!

Thursday 16 August – Clifton Hampden

50 mile roll over the Chilterns to swim in the Thames. Quite bumpy in the middle, so gears might not be a bad idea if you’re no fan of hills.

Depart Iver Station 9.15 (trains out from Paddington 8.27 – arr 8.51 or 8.38 – arr 9.03)

1. Katy
   
2. absurdbird
   3.
   4.
   5.
   6.
   7.
   8.
   9.
   10.
   

I just swam in the Irfon river yesterday just above the confluence with the Wye. It was proper nice.
Cold mind.
After a downpour swimming as hard as I could into the current and not moving.

Just thought I'd share.
back in Londres now

Awesome idea. I'm not available for this or the Dedham run but I'll keep an eye out for more and join when I can.

Let’s go wild swimming!

Thursday 16 August – Clifton Hampden

50 mile roll over the Chilterns to swim in the Thames. Quite bumpy in the middle, so gears might not be a bad idea if you’re no fan of hills.

Depart Iver Station 9.15 (trains out from Paddington 8.27 – arr 8.51 or 8.38 – arr 9.03)

1. Katy
   
2. absurdbird
   
3. ian (doggy paddle)
   4.
   5.
   6.
   7.
   8.
   9.
   10.
   

Oxfordshire crew, get the pitchforks and forum bunting* out!
If people are staying late-ish I might be able to get back from work in time to come along and say hello.

*Forum bunting may actually be FOB's A4 piece of paper with "LFGSS Bike Parking" written on it.

Count me in :)

1. Katy
   
   1. absurdbird
      
   2. ian (doggy paddle)
      
   3. Vesalius
      5.
      6.
      7.
      8.
      9.
      10.
      

Let’s go wild swimming!

Thursday 16 August – Clifton Hampden

50 mile roll over the Chilterns to swim in the Thames. Quite bumpy in the middle, so gears might not be a bad idea if you’re no fan of hills.

Depart Iver Station 9.15 (trains out from Paddington 8.27 – arr 8.51 or 8.38 – arr 9.03)

1. Katy
   
2. absurdbird
   
3. ian (doggy paddle)
   
4. Vesalius
   
5. rob.
   6.
   7.
   8.
   9.
   10.
   

I was well up for these, until I realised they weren't weekend rides :(

@booga, not sure how late we'll be staying, but it would be nice to see you again*

*won't have any drain rods or sweep's brush with me this time

@booga, not sure how late we'll be staying, but it would be nice to see you again*

*won't have any drain rods or sweep's brush with me this time

I've asked for the day off work so I'm in!

1. Katy
   
2. absurdbird
   
3. ian (doggy paddle)
   
4. Vesalius
   
5. rob.
   
6. Booga (just paddling)
   7.
   8.
   9.
   10.
   

This sounds awesome, but I'm working 4pm to midnight that day. Reckon I can make it back by then? I'd need to be in to Paddington by 3pm to get across to Victoria and showered/suited/booted... Just re-watched that BBC documentary about wild swimming and it brought back pleasant memories of jumping in the Cam in my boxer shorts.

I may have to wait and see if I can repair my bike in time for this.. otherwise i'm totally IN.

Has anyone checked that bikes are allowed on the trains out from London at that time? Because trying to find a train from Oxfordshire to Iver that takes bikes is proving to be difficult.

It would help if farce great western's website actually had timetable pages that worked, rather than a blank page where the Reading to Iver information should be.

So the weather report for Thursday is sun! Things are looking good, team.

^^^ I'm hoping to get there for about one / half one - it's not a long ride, but wasn't planning on hammering it. I reckon you could just about squeeze in the ride (barring mechanicals etc) but it would be cutting it fine.

^^ Brilliant - I won't bring a heavy bag, I will bring food, and I won't take us down the side of any dual carriageways - this will be guaranteed 300% better than riding to Aveley.

^ I read this and interpreted it as saying that because we are going from Paddington** to** Iver it would be fine. I might phone to check.

I'm going to try looking at the timetables on my work computer tomorrow as it may be this machine playing up. Depending on the bikes on trains situation from my end I'll either meet you all at Iver or will ride out to somewhere on the route to meet the ride. I'll let you know.

Great stuff - will PM you my number.

Let’s go wild swimming!

Thursday 16 August – Clifton Hampden

50 mile roll over the Chilterns to swim in the Thames. Quite bumpy in the middle, so gears might not be a bad idea if you’re no fan of hills.

Depart Iver Station 9.15 (trains out from Paddington 8.27 – arr 8.51 or 8.38 – arr 9.03)

1. Katy
   
2. absurdbird
   
3. ian (doggy paddle)
   
4. Vesalius
   
5. rob.
   
6. Booga (just paddling)
   
7. Torontovisitor
   8.
   9.
   10.
   

^ nice one.

So I called FGW this morning and they confirmed that we can take bikes on trains leaving Paddington tomorrow morning. They say that we can only take 2 per train, but I reckon we can squeeze more on. To be safe we should probably aim to get the early train (8.27), in case we need to split.

I'll aim to be at Paddington at about 8.10 - I'm not sure group save is going to be an option as we are travelling peak time. See you there or at Iver.

Weather is for a few light showers in the morning, and sun early afternoon.

My garmin is now not working at all - I know the route and will bring a map, but if anyone can bring the route on phone / garmin as a back-up that would be great.