Today Sue and I took the bikes to Tonbridge to ride the 5 or so miles to Penshurst place and back. This is a National no 12 Sustrans route. I have ridden this many times to meet my Wobbler friends for coffee at the Penshurst Place Cafe. Today however, was unlike anything before. It was a pleasant cycling day, it was a Sunday and due to the easing of the lockdown, the cyclists and walkers were out in their hundreds. The pathway through the sports ground and onto Hayesdown Country Park is fairly narrow as was the path through the woods on the straight mile. However, it was a pleasure to see so many out enjoying the weather today and they were all polite, keeping their distance and were by and large all very jolly with plenty of conversation.
We stopped for coffee at the Penshurst Place cafe where there were very sensible arrangements and plenty of outside tables and chairs. We deviated slightly on the way back by riding along part of the Leigh Barrier, which was built to hold back floodwater from the Medway in times of excessive rain. Plenty of people were picnicking and the youngsters enjoying the fresh air. Today’s UK Covid deaths was 32, the smallest number so far. Let’s hope this figure reduces to zero very soon.
