2013-06-30 - Going Nuclear - part 1 - Bradwell-on-Sea & the Dengie Peninsula

Nuclear power! The environmental bogie man, here to kill us all with RADIATION. Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, Fukushima... Scared yet?

Who wants to go near a nuclear power station? Not if you want to have children! Better put your lead underpants on! Far be it from me to point out that if you look at deaths per TWh rooftop solar panels are apparently more dangerous. (Actually the death of nuclear will probably be economic: it's far too expensive to build then decommission power stations, but whatever).

Anyway, who cares about all that? Let's go for a ride! The great thing about nuclear power stations is that they are built in some of the most remote areas of the country. Just in case, you know, it all goes tits up. This means they are located in some of the most beautiful, eerie and empty parts of England, far away from the herds. You'll really feel like you've ridden somewhere!

For the first ride we'll head out of London on Sunday 30th June via Chigwell and Kelvedon Hatch, before pretty much drawing a line East across the county. Staying north of Brentwood but south of Chelmsford (the only way to do it), we'll head across some lovely countryside to due south of Maldon, before entering the Dengie Peninsula and stopping on the way to Bradwell-on-Sea to have a nosey at the decomissioned Magnox nuclear power station:

We'll then head back into the village of Bradwell-on-Sea, also known as Bradwell-juxta-Mare, before heading down the old Roman road to the chapel of St Peter-on-the-wall, right at the end of the Dengie peninsula - the oldest church in England:

After we've signed the guestbook, we'll check out the cockle spit right next to the church:

It's then 9 miles down the road to Burnham-on-Crouch for every nuclear scientist's favourite food - fission chips (sorry).

Finally the train home, changing at Wickford for the train to Liverpool street. If a group of 4 get a groupsave it should be £7.45 each, but if we're very lucky it will be impossible to buy a ticket until Wickford, so it might be cheaper :)

Route here
, meet at Look Mum No Hands 9am for a prompt 9.30 departure.

73 miles pretty much on the money, totally doable fixed (it's really not hilly, at all).

1. Fox
   

1. Fox
   
2. almac68
   
   

I spent a childhood of summer holidays 1978-84 on the river crouch opposite Burnham.. Wallesea Island/ Lion Creek, ha..

1. Fox
   
2. almac68
   
3. Zebs
   
   

Love that part of Essex and St Peter-on-the-wall is an absolutely magic place. You know it is possible to more or less foll the coast down to Burnham? The road is not official which is great because there are no cars

@almac - will be good to have you, I doubt it's changed much ;)

@Zebra It is a bit special. I'd heard someone mention that but forgotten, I'll look into it, sounds good. I have bad memories about the B1021 because that's where I hurt my knee overdoing it on the recce for the last time I ran this ride back in 2011, so would be happy to avoid it.

Worth saying that when I did this ride last as one of my 'Essex' rides everyone had an AMAZING time so you should all come:
https://www.lfgss.com/thread69695.html

1. Fox
   
2. almac68
   
3. Zebs
   
4. CB
   
   

thought part 2 was actually part 2 of this ride you did before!

Now i see error of my ways.

Im most likely in as i may still be working weekends at the end of the month.

This will be good practice for part2....

... obviously

If you are heading past Kelvedon Hatch and have time for a stop on the way, the old cold war bunker there is well worth a vist.

Shh! It's top secret!

This will be good practice for part2....

That's the idea... And part 2 will be good practice for part 3 :)

dd?

No. Another power station ride.

Is that the ride we talked about previously which might take a couple of days? I have some ideas for that...

1. Fox
   
2. almac68
   
3. Zebs
   
4. CB
   
5. bothwell
   
   

I was wondering where part 1 was. In.

In (though I don't think Look Mum opens until 10 on a sunday? I could be wrong)

1. Fox
   
2. almac68
   
3. Zebs
   
4. CB
   
5. bothwell
   
6. hats
   

Hurrah, people signing up!

Is that the ride we talked about previously which might take a couple of days? I have some ideas for that...

No, that's part 4. Part 4 is by invite only I'm afraid (but you're in, obvs). Think of it as the Grupetto of nuclear power station rides.

Hats you are right about Look Mum, I discovered this last time. But it is reasonably central and mutually convenient I hope.

in (though i don't think look mum opens until 10 on a sunday? I could be wrong)

9:30

1. Fox
   
2. almac68
   
3. Zebs
   
4. CB
   
5. bothwell
   
6. hats
   
7. OLC
   
   

in

nice OP pete and a nice list forming

by invite only I'm afraid (but you're in, obvs).

In!!!

Try and get some miles in this month so I can show for this.

''cockle spit''

:)

lol

You coming? Would be charmant to have you along.

Don't think I have had the pleasure of meeting any of you lot yet, but if you don't mind I think I'd like to tag along (geared I imagine - if that's ok?).

1. Fox
   
2. almac68
   
3. Zebs
   
4. CB
   
5. bothwell
   
6. hats
   
7. OLC
   
8. Wrongcog
   

braker, braker #radiocrackle... come in buddy..

1. Fox
   
2. almac68
   
3. Zebs
   
4. CB
   
5. bothwell
   
6. hats
   
7. OLC
   
8. Wrongcog
   
9. Oat
   
   

Tagging along from B&Q on Lea Bridge Road, if that's OK?

If you are heading past Kelvedon Hatch and have time for a stop on the way, the old cold war bunker there is well worth a vist.

Shh! It's top secret!

What, this one? :)

Come on HMS I see you lurking. Sign up!

am tempted.. Sunday not so easy though. Will have to shuffle some things around.