Welcome to Isis Cyclists, an informal member group of Oxford Cycling UK. We have now restarted a limited programme of organised rides: see below for this month’s programme.
If you’re planning your own ride, remember that you can find some ideas on our page featuring a selection of routes. However, please abide by the Government’s current regulations. For guidance on safe cycling from Cycling UK, see the useful links below.
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Isis Cyclists and Oxford Cycling UK are part of Cycling UK.
Cycling for me has never been boring or neutral. A male cyclist is just a bloke on a bike, but a woman appears political, independent, a bluestocking, egregiously sporty, or suspiciously saucy. – Eliane Glaser, The Guardian, 27/03/21
Saturday September 4th: A short & steady ride with a challenge!
Please gather from 9:45 in Radcliffe Square, Oxford, for a prompt 10am departure for this short and steady ride to the south-west of Oxford. We begin by riding through St Ebbes and crossing the river to pick up the towpath towards Osney. We will then use the new cycle path to Willow Walk and North Hinksey. We will ride through the village and pick up the main road up Cumnor Hill. This is where the challenge comes in! Please don’t be put off. Most hills can be tackled successfully if they are taken at the right pace for you and you can always walk if necessary. We will stop to re-group and catch breath every so often.
Once at the top, we’ll turn down Hurst Lane and return to North Hinksey via back lanes and paths. The reward for the climbing is coffee at Jericho Coffee Traders Roastery on Osney Mead. Our return will be via the towpath and South Oxford. The route is a smidgeon over 10 miles and is flat apart from Cumnor Hill. The ride leaders are Sarah Twine and Yvonne Macken.
Wednesday 8th September: Evening social ride to Sandford Lock
Meet from 17:15 in Radcliffe Square (in front of The Vaults cafe) for a prompt 17:30 departure for the last social evening ride of the summer. We will make the most of the remaining daylight by cycling along the river towpath and Sustrans track to Kennington. Here we will turn down Sandford Lane to Sandford Lock where we can have refreshments at The King’s Arms PH. Take a look at the menu
Please remember to bring lights with you as the nights are drawing in. The return route is along the unlit river towpath. The route is pretty flat and around 10 miles in length. As it is a social ride, male partners and friends are very welcome to attend. The ride leader is Lilia Bonacorsi.
Saturday 11th September: Medium ride – A wander around Woodstock
Meet in Radcliffe Square, Oxford from 10.45 for a prompt 11am departure (please note the later than usual start time!). The route will head out through North Oxford to pick up the track through Water Eaton to Kidlington. It will then continue up the eastern side of Kidlington and pass by Oxford Airport before meeting the A44 cycle track for the short hop to Woodstock. There will be an extended stop to give time for lunch/brunch at The Oxfordshire Museum plus a chance to look round the museum and/or the town.
The route back will be direct along the A44 cycle track and newly surfaced Oxford Canal towpath. The route is 20 miles long. Although this is longer than most medium rides, there are no hills and it includes a long break. It is expected that we should return to Oxford between 3pm and 3.30pm. The ride leader is Lilia Bonacorsi.
Tuesday 14th September: Midweek long ride – Social picnic ride from Cumnor or Eynsham to Chadlington (car-assisted)
This ride, led by Liz Matthews, will have two starting points:
9:30 by the war memorial in Cumnor High Street (just above the mini-roundabout with Appleton Road)
10:00 in Eynsham village centre, in front of the church
The earlier than usual start is intended to avoid the afternoon build-up of traffic between Eynsham and Farmoor, so please be prompt! We will ride out to Charlbury via Cuckoo Lane, East End and Fawler; thence to Spelsbury and Chadlington. We will picnic on the green opposite the Café de la Post in Chadlington, where you can buy a hot drink and/or top up your lunch. (If it’s wet, we may picnic instead in Spelsbury, in the shelter of the old village fountain.)
We will continue across the River Evenlode and up the valley side, with an optional detour to the tiny church at Shorthampton. The route then skirts Wychwood Forest to Leafield, Mount Skippett and Wilcote, and heads back to Cumnor via Cuckoo Lane and Eynsham. The total mileage from Cumnor is 35; from Eynsham it’s 27. The route has a number of short ups and downs, a long ascent out of the Evenlode valley and, if you started in Cumnor, a climb up Tumbledown Dick at the very end.
It’s a social ride, which means that male partners are very welcome.
Parking:
Cumnor: We may be able to accommodate your car in our drive; if interested, please contact me in advance via my email address (if you know it already), the Contact Us page WhatsApp. Otherwise, there is a car park behind the village shop/Old School in the High Street next to the war memorial.
Eynsham: There is a large free car park at the end of Clover Place, off the Witney Road just before or after Bartholomew School, depending on the direction you’re coming from.
Refreshment stops (or lack of!):
There is no coffee stop on the outward route; however, we’ll pause for a snack en route, so bring something to stave off your hunger. If you’re starting from Eynsham, you can have a coffee before setting off; the Wholesome Earth café in Mill Street is open from 9:00. However, please be outside the church by 10:00.
This year we will be riding a gentle, more or less flat route into the Thames Valley. Coffee will be taken at Aston Pottery and lunch (after a loop taking us as far as the village of Filkins) at Blake’s Kitchen in Clanfield, where there should be plenty of outdoor covered seating. If you would prefer to take a picnic lunch, then the green is just the other side of the road, and takeaway drinks can be purchased. Assuming the weather is on our side, there will also be a picnic tea stop in either Standlake or Northmoor. There will be other short breaks along the way, so come prepared with plenty of snacks to get yourself going. Neither coffee nor lunch venue requires booking.
The circular route from Eynsham is almost exactly 40 miles long (see route below) and therefore, if you ride from Oxford, the total ride length will be somewhere between 50 and 56 miles, depending where exactly you start from. There will be two organised rides to Eynsham:
Group 1 will be led to Eynsham by Liz Weekes and will meet at the roundabout at the top of the Woodstock Road. It will take the A40 cycle track.
Group 2 will be led by Ellen Lee and will meet at the end of Willow Walk (in N. Hinksey) near where it meets the road through the village and will ride to Eynsham via Farmoor. Please choose whichever is most convenient.
Both groups will meet at their respective start points at 9:15 for a prompt 9:30 departure.
Alternatively, you can make your own way to Eynsham (by bike or car) and meet us at 10am in the square near St Leonard’s church.
Once we have gathered in Eynsham, we will take the opportunity to re-arrange into suitable sized groups to make our way to coffee. On our return to Eynsham, we will split again into N. Oxford (A40) and W. Oxford (Farmoor) groups for the return to Oxford.
The pace of the ride will be steady with regular refuelling breaks. Judging from previous 50-mile rides, I would expect us to be back in Oxford between 6pm and 6.30pm. However, as the nights are drawing in, I would suggest bringing lights, just in case.
Although there is no need to book for the ride, it would be very helpful if you can let me know (via the Contact Us page) if you are planning to take part and which (if any) group you will be joining in Oxford. I will set up a WhatsApp group for the event, so if you are not part of Bike Buddies and would like to be included, please let me know your mobile number. We have found that this is a very efficient way of keeping people informed, contacting riders on the day, and sharing photos and impressions of the ride afterwards.
Saturday August 7th 2021 – Short & Steady Rides: Oxford’s Green Spaces
Newcomers to Isis are particularly welcome to join the short ride which we will take at a nice gentle pace to allow everyone to enjoy some of the loveliest green spaces around the city.
Meet 10.45am to set off at 11am outside the Vaults cafe in Radcliffe Square. NB the later than usual start time.
A 10.8 mile circular cycle ride through Cutteslowe Park, Wytham and North Hinksey with plenty of time to stop when we need to, probably at the Fishes pub where we can sit outside. We’ll discover a new stretch of cycle path through Osney Mead before returning to Radcliffe Square along the Thames towpath.
Tuesday 10th August: Midweek Long Ride to Charney Bassett
This 36.6-mile route leaves Radcliffe Square at 10am via Folly Bridge (to avoid the roadworks on the Botley Road), Willow Walk and Raleigh Park Road (the only substantial hill). We pass through Cumnor, Appleton and Fyfield, where we cross the A420; thence through Lyford, Denchworth, Goosey and along a short stretch of the A417 before (finally!) turning towards Charney Bassett. The return route is via Southmoor (foot/cycle/horse bridge over the A420), and then back along the quiet road through Appleton and Cumnor, down to Botley and the city centre.
The lunch stop is at Charney Bassett (23 miles). You can choose between a pub lunch at The Chequers and a picnic on the village green (with an optional drink at the pub). If you would like to eat at the pub, please email* me by Sunday 8th August as I will need to book a table. Unfortunately, there is no suitable watering hole in the morning, so please pack an additional snack and drink for a BYO al fresco coffee stop. Leader: Liz Matthews.
* If you don’t know my email address, please get in touch via the Contact Us page on this website.
Saturday 14th August: Medium Ride: A (hopefully) sunny ride to Sunnyhill
Meet at 9.45am for a 10am start in Radcliffe Square (at the back of the University Church). This route leaves Oxford City via the University Parks cycle track and Marston. It then continues through East Oxford and Cowley, before crossing the Ring Road using an underpass at the end of Long Lane. The route now takes riders through Minchery Farm and past the Kassam Stadium before riding beside Fry’s Hill Park and through Gillian’s Park in Greater Leys. Soon the route emerges on Grenoble Road and then takes the B480 for a mile or so before turning for the pretty village of Garsington. This involves a long but steady climb and you will be rewarded with wide open views over S. Oxfordshire towards the Chiltern Hills. A left turn then takes you rapidly downhill and to Sunnyhill Vineyard where we will stop for refreshments. We return via Horspath and thence to the eastern ring road. The route finishes at the bottom of Barracks Lane on Bartlemas Close and is just over 14 miles long.
Saturday 21st August: Long Ride – Great & Little Villages South-East of Oxford
Please arrive in time for a prompt 10am start at the Up-in-Arms pub in Marston. We leave Oxford by the cycle tracks through Northway and the new estate at Barton, and then proceed to Wheatley via the cycle track alongside the A40 (noisy and unattractive, but it gets us to the open countryside faster). From Wheatley we take a clockwise route through the Miltons and the Haseleys: Greats first, then the Littles, before returning to Wheatley via Cudddesdon. The final leg back to Oxford is (hopefully) quieter and (decidedly) more attractive through Forest Hill, Stanton St John, Beckley, Elsfield and Marston. The total distance is about 29 miles and the leader is Liz Matthews.
The intended coffee stop is Little Milton Post Office (15 miles). It closes at 12:30, so if we are delayed we will visit Mill View Garden Centre on the outskirts of Wheatley instead. We should arrive back in Oxford around 2pm.
We are finally returning to something resembling our pre-pandemic programme of rides. We will be offering a basic programme of three rides per month as follows:
1st Saturday: Short and Steady Ride (~10 miles at the pace of the slowest rider)
2nd Saturday: Medium Ride (15 to 20 miles at a steady pace)
3rd Saturday: Long Ride (20 – 30 miles at a steady pace)
In addition we will be offering other rides as and when we have ride leaders available. This month there will be an evening ride and a long midweek ride. The long midweek rides may be offered on any day midweek, which we hope will mean that part-time workers can also take part from time to time.
Saturday 3rd July: Two Short & Steady Rides:
Ride #1 – Weaving around West Oxford: This ride is flat and just under 12 miles long. Starting in Radcliffe Square at 10am, we will make our way along the towpath and up to North Hinksey, returning to the towpath near the station and riding up the river again to St Margaret’s Church, Binsey. After that, we will have refreshments at Medley Manor Farm café before making our way back along the towpath and into town. We should be back by 1pm. The leader is Jane Carlton Smith.
Ride #2 – Oxford circular route: Meet from 9.45 in Radcliffe Square for a 9-mile circular ride. We will head out through Jericho to pick up the newly resurfaced canal towpath to Wolvercote before riding through Cutteslowe, Sunnymead and into North Oxford. We will stop for refreshments from the Horsebox coffee kiosk on the lawn outside the University Museum of Natural History, where we can relax and watch the swifts screaming and flying in and out of their nests in the museum tower. The route is flat and mainly uses minor roads, tracks and towpaths. The leader is Sarah Twine.
Saturday 10th July: Medium Ride – Coasting down from Cumnor
Meet from 9.45 in Radcliffe Square, Oxford for a 10.00 departure on a ride exploring villages and lanes between Oxford and Abingdon. It is basically the route shown in the link below (minus extra loop), only we’ll be riding it backwards and the routes in and out of Oxford are slightly different and use the river towpath rather than the road.
We start by following the river and Willow Walk to North Hinksey from where we begin the ascent of Cumnor Hill. This is the only substantial hill on the route. From Cumnor it’s pretty much all downhill through Besselsleigh, Cothill, Sunningwell, Kennington and returning to Oxford along Sustrans Route #5 and the river towpath. We will take a refreshment break at Sunningwell where there is a produce sale (including home-made cakes!!!!) in the churchyard. I’m not sure if we will be able to get drinks, but we can always stop at the Flowing Well PH afterwards if we need liquid refreshments. The ride leader will be Ellen Lee.
Saturday 17th July: Long Ride: A Circular Ride Round Otmoor
Meet in Radcliffe Square for a 10:00 departure for this long circuit ride around Otmoor. We will head up to Elsfield and Beckley then follow the road up through Horton Cum Studley before joining the lanes round Otmoor to Islip, where we return to our starting place via Woodeaton. This is a hilly ride, with some good views. Please bring a flask and a snack as we shall stop at St Mary’s Churchyard for a break, where there is a bench and some nice grass! The ride is just under 24 miles. The ride leader is Karen Wolff and the sweeper is Ellen Lee.
Tuesday 20th July: Evening Ride to the Abingdon Arms, Beckley
Meet outside Costa Coffee in Summertown for a 6pm departure for food & drink at the Abingdon Arms in Beckley. We will leave Oxford via the track at the back of Barton Park and then climb up Bayswater Rd towards Beckley. Our return route will be via Elsfield.
Wednesday 21st July: Midweek Long Ride – Up and Down the Cherwell Valley
Meet from 9.45 in Radcliffe Square for a 10am departure on this 33-mile ride up the west side of the Cherwell Valley to North Aston, return down the eastern side. The route is given in the link below or can be found (along with detailed description) on the Selection of Isis Routes section of the Isis Cyclists website. The ride leader will be Jane Carlton Smith. Please let her know if you intend to come (either via her personal email address or via the Contact Us page on the Isis Cyclists website). She is hoping to be able to book a table at the Yurt at North Aston for lunch.
Now that the groups are no longer restricted to six, we are offering a single ride on the first and third Saturdays. However, we will still be dividing into smaller groups as and when practicable. We will be able to meet up for refreshments, and you can swap groups for the return trip.
Things to know about this month’s rides:
Biscuit stop on the Phoenix Trail
Short & Steady ride will be on the first Saturday of the month.
Medium ride will be on the 3rd Saturday of the month
Rides may now start from places other than Radcliffe Square.
We will need to collect your phone number in addition to an emergency contact. We will keep this information for 21 days after the ride, in case it is needed by track and trace service.
If you have a positive test for Covid within 14 days of attending a ride, you can give the NHS tracing service our general email address, info@isiscyclists.org.uk and we will provide them with the necessary contact details for ride participants.
Saturday 5th June: Short & Steady Ride – “Vaccination Circular” to Sandford and the Kassam Stadium
This short town and country ride from Radcliffe Square is a refreshing 10-mile circuit taking a lovely long towpath section southbound on the NCR 5, plus some road and cycle paths through Low Traffic Neighbourhood areas of East Oxford.
The route was planned when cycling to include the Covid-19 vaccination at Kassam stadium, which is half-way along the route.
Start: Radcliffe Square, Oxford. Meet from 9:45 for a 10:00 departure.
Saturday 19th June: Medium Ride to Annie’s Tearoom at Thrupp
We will ride out to Thrupp via Marston, Woodeaton (moderate hill), Islip and the top end of Kidlington. The return route goes through residential streets to Gosford and the track through Water Eaton to the Banbury Road, finishing on the far side of the bridge over the ring road at Cutteslowe. The total distance is 17 miles, and the leader is Liz Matthews.
Start: The Up in Arms PH, Marston Rd (corner of Ferry Rd), Oxford. Meet from 9:45 for a 10:00 departure.
