Ride in search of Turpin's Cave

Dick Turpin is probably the most legendary highwayman of all time, and his rapid flight from London to York is the most famous part of this legend. Mention the name of Turpin to most people, and they will tell you he was a daring and dashing rogue who famously rode this trip of two hundred miles on his faithful mare, Black Bess, in less than fifteen hours. In so doing, Turpin actually got to York before news of his misdemeanours in London. However, there are doubts as to whether this is true. He,was finally caught an hanged on 7th April 1739 in York. Various inns that still stand along the original route of the A1 (at the time called the Great North Road, the main road connecting the north of England to the south), such as the Roebuck Inn, Stevenage, claim that Turpin ate his lunch there that night, or stopped off there for a brief respite for his horse. If he had really stopped at every inn that makes such claims then he wouldn't have had time to ride anywhere. Yet the legend persists. He is thought to have used Bostall Woods as a refuge from the King's troops seeking retribution. He reputedly waited in the woods for a signal from the local barmaid Fanny, who shone a lamp from the window of a public bar in the Wickham Valley when danger from the troops had passed. This is a ride where we will seek out the hollow in the side of Bostall Woods that is named Dick Turpin's Cave. But don't be disappointed - it is probably just a disused tunnel running from the side of a chalk pit, from which chalk used to be extracted to repair the roads. Children used to play inside the cave, but this is no longer possible because it has been permanently sealed off by Greenwich Council with many tons of sand for healthy and safety reasons. We meet for this ride at Cutty Sark Gardens and start off by cycling along the Thames Path via Woolwich and the Ridgeway to Lesnes Abbey. We will then head for Bostall Woods and try to find the location of the unmarked cave. We then continue on to Oxleas Wood, where will stop off for a refreshment break at the cafe. On our way back to Cutty Sark Gardens we will pass by Severndroog Castle and through Greenwich Park. Distance of the ride: 21 miles. Ride Leader: Nigel Bee (tel 07415 315 690, email [email protected] ) For more details see http://www.hampsteadhorticulturalsociety.org.uk/greenwichcyclists/node/166