Rainham Marshes from Upminster

This route takes us south from Upminster station to the newly-restored Upminster Windmill where we'll stop for a brief photo-opp. We join the off-road Ingrebourne Valley cycle route through beautiful scenery to Hornchurch Country Park, site of a WWII Spitfire airfield. Next we see the National Trust's Rainham Hall before crossing the Eurostar high-speed line into the marshes. This is a different world of birds, views over the Thames to Kent, concrete barges also from WWII and rubbish from landfill sites. We follow the Thames path to the RSPB's Purfleet reserve for our picnic lunch. We return inland up the Ingrebourne valley and branch off through the forest to return to Upminster station by a different route. This is an all-day adventure - we return from Upminster station in the afternoon. Upminster is in Zones 1-6. If coming from Pinner we take the 0800 train to Aldgate arriving at 0841 and then the 0920 from Fenchurch Street. If coming from another station please aim to arrive at Aldgate by 0841. We will need to lift our bikes up the stairs at Aldgate (people will help) but at Fenchurch Street there is a lift and at Upminster the exit is at street level.

This is a beautiful ride through peaceful countryside to a nature reserve on the Thames Estuary

90% of the ride is off-road, mainly on tarmac surfaces but some gravel tracks

We'll stop for a snack in the Ingrebourne Valley and picnic at the RSPB centre in Purfleet

Bring a picnic and plenty of water, as well as a few snacks; also credit/debit or Oyster card

First-timers welcome!