Ghosts, Ghouls and hooded shadows

Cycling in Central London with a group of fellow cyclists last week had an unexpected twist. Whilst waiting in Torrington Square, out of the darkness a woman rushed towards us spouting in hysterical tones that we must follow her. We were to hurry quickly to a terrace further along the road. 

 As we reached the spot we found police scientists studying the scene of a crime. The woman was shouting at the police saying that a murder had taken place. Someone was missing and the detective had to take action, the woman was insisting.

 

However, things didn't quite go as she planned. Rather than take heed of the warnings, the woman was arrested and led away. As she left, she shouted instructions and threw a book at one of our group. We were ushered back to our bikes by the forensic scientists and we cycled to the end of the street. 

 Left and onwards, in and out of cycle paths, overtaken by commuters who knew nothing of our urgency, all the way to Argyle square. As we propped up our bicycle against a wall another woman ran towards us urgently ushering us towards what looked like was about to be a ritual killing. 

Hooded shadows waving sticks of fire were swarming around a young female who couldn't escape. They caught her and carried her above their heads towards her fate.  Apparently we could stop this if we chanted really, really loudly. We did. So loudly that people in the surrounding houses were leaning out of their windows to watch. The girl was eventually placed on the ground, still in one piece and the hooded shadows started moving towards us.

Towards us! We lept onto our bicycles and cycled out into the night. Right turns, left turns but definitely no uturns a few miles later we reached a pair of gates leading onto hallowed ground. A nun scurried up to us and begged us to follow her along the gravelled path. 

We ran with her. It was so dark and the sky was so clear. As we reached an old oak tree a man of the cloth greeted us with great enthusiasm. He expressed his immense gratitude to us for being there and then pleaded for our help. Suddenly it seemed that we were about to be attacked by strong forces of spirits. Could we all hold hands? he asked. Indeed we could - I was terrified. 

Surrounded by gravestones in a large grave yard I could see moving shapes and shadows slowly sweep towards us. The only option was to chant as loudly as we could. Louder and louder in the middle of a graveyard. The shadows seemed to slow down a little. We carried on chanting as we ran back to our bicycles and cycled away out into the night.

We rode past cafés, restaurants, people going home - did they not realise what was happening? On and on we went. Eventually we reached our destination which in fact turned out to be the beginning! This was where it had started. The forensic team were still working but they had a new member of their team. How could this be? What was happening? What on earth was going on?

 

And that is where it ends. An absolutely brilliant evening on two wheels hosted by none other than Camden Council - bringing bicycling to the borough through a Halloween night ride. What a great way to explore Camden and a great way to spend time on a bike.

 
Thank you  Camden - that was Genius.

Two days later I found myself in Kensington's Holland Walk just as the Parks Police were locking the park gates. Standing all alone under dimly lit street lamps it was more than a little bit eerie. 

I saw two very slow cyclists go by - must be recumbents as they were so low but a bit worrying as they were cycling all over the place. As they reached me I could see their silhouettes - they weren't bicycles at all!! They were two black Labradors with red bicycle lights on their collars!

 A few minutes later I was joined by some real cyclists and not long after we were a group of 30 - all watching our host welcome us and lead us into the Park (keys were provided!) 

 

Our guests were very well dressed as we were attending a wedding and there was also a fantastic collection of bicycles! An introduction to the evening accompanied by delicious cup cakes from http://www.storminacupcake.com/ set the theme of the evening.  

At the bottom of the steps to Holland Park we learned that a certain Lord Oberwain had massive matrimonial disharmony and our assistance was required in setting things straight.  This meant cycling all over Kensington to track down people from his past who could apparently redeem his status.  

Down a very steep hill, up to Ladbroke Grove we rode, with Lord Oberwain pedaling with us as fast as he could. Along all sorts of back streets, over bridges, all the way to Little Wormwood Scrubs where we stood under a large tree to hear whether things were working out a bit better for him. 

Some of my fellow cyclists hadn't ridden a bike for about 25 years and couldn't believe how much fun it was - riding a bike, attending a wedding, exploring the borough at night and seeing it from such a very different viewpoint. Brilliant! Then we were off again!

 

Cycling across Little wormwood scrubs was a real treat. The distant hue of street lighting, the open skies and the darkness of it all. As I was at the very back of the group being the Tail End Charlotte,  I could see nothing but a glow of flashing red lights. It was an incredible sight and I realised the last time I had seen this was on a Friday Night Ride to the Coast!   

The eeriness from earlier in the week returned, it was so still even the shadows had shadows.  It was all so mysterious that if I hadn't been given a route map for my TEC role, I would have had absolutely no idea where I was, even when we left the park as we weaved our way along a lovely collection of roads

 

 Away from the main hubbub of normal London life we dropped down to a Canal and rode for a few miles along the towpath.  In the dark.  The reflection of our bicycles on the water's surface, the silence, the residents of the barges settling in for a quiet night.. It was absolutely magical.

Being at the back,  I couldn't quite keep up with the host to hear the developments of the Ballard of Lord Oberwain http://www.bikeminded.org/2013/10/fancy-a-19th-century-halloween-ride/ so I could only hope that Lord Oberwain's wedding renactment was working to his advantage.  Luckily a fellow guest who was from Totalwomenscycling.com followed the plot perfectly and wrote about it which hopefully fills in the rather large gaps I have left.  (Totalwomenscycling does exactly what it says on the tin and is so full of information that it is now bookmarked!)

As made our way to All Saints Church in Notting Hill, Lord Oberwain and his bride were wed.  A glorious wedding that caught the eye of passers by who joined in to witness the matrimonial proceedings.  The reception was held at Pedlars on Talbot Road from where celebrations were heard for miles around.  The caterers excelled themselves!  What a Party!

A brilliant Halloween in the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea hosted by their cycling arm, Bikeminded, who not only know how to host a wedding (assisted by the fantastic artistes of exquisite folly) http://www.exquisitefolly.co.uk/ but they really know how to make riding a bicycle an absolute party on two wheels.