Cambridge train to London, Kingscross to Surrey

Today I decided to take a train into London rather than face the logistics of travel and places to stay. I got on at Cambridge and off in an oven.  I could feel myself cooking. 

I followed the almost familiar route down to the river and then, once I’d found the London Eye, began the official Avenue Vert London to Paris Route. 

Official photo of official beginning of official route.

Thus began the torturous navigation through the capital. I took this and that turn, the longest without a navigation point was 1000ft. Eventually I picked up the Wandle Trail and followed that south.  

First sighting of official route logo.

I was beginning to wonder just how far suburban London can go on for until I reached Boundary Road and then, suddenly London stopped and Surrey started. 

Imagine my surprise then when turning a corner I found a field filled with Lavender and tourists. There were toilets and a cafe so I stopped, washed off a bit, and had a lavender scone. Thus fortified I tackled the last larger hills* and found my hotel for the night. 

Lovely fields of lavender. I read about this farm a while ago but didn’t realise it was so near London. It was filled with a certain class of wealthy tourist.  

*speaking of hills, spare a thought for the American cycle tourists I met on the train. They’d just been to the Lakes and, assuming 1 in 3 must be an error of their map took themselves and all their kit over the infamous Kirkstone Pass.  They didn’t believe roads could be quite so steep.