Sunday 4 April

Burnham Beeches - Hedgerley - Sunbury

As always, Sunday starts with parting the curtains and looking heavenwards. Today the view was not good. Steady rain from leaden, lowering clouds. The Met Office promised better. Sluggish preparations and out to the stable. Waterproofs on, undo the mooring and set sail for the the Thames at Kingston Bridge. Late start + unfriendly NW headwind = late arrival - an 11 minute penalty not to be overcome.

While I did not know the way to Burnham Beeches, I followed the virtual route that I imagined the peloton would take to Staines. At Runnymede a forced stop to consult OS Landranger 175 to plan a route. Soon it was terra incognita through historic Slough towards Stoke Poges, Farnham Royal and Farnham Common to Burnham Beeches. Great my delight to find a turf-roofed refreshment hut and a gaggle of C&Mers refuelling in tepid sunshine. The teasing group who had denied me a comforting back wheel were: Bob, Captain Dave, Ed, John G, Simon Thunderthighs and Stephanie. Ed, I must say, was looking very smart and stylish in a new black and scarlet goretex top and lusso longs.

After some much needed recovery time, Dave led us on a circuitous route to our relatively nearby lunchtime venue of the White Horse, Hedgerley. The pub was buzzing, attractive and friendly, with Sunday snacks and sandwiches and an amazing range of beers - a beer festival no less. I opted for Long Daze, to be followed by Long Knights. We sat outside and chatted about the forthcoming vote (CTC of course, not Whitehall), though the blood soon began to cool. The weather-vane atop the pub was not a cock but a folorn-looking gelding, swinging in the chill northwesterly.

Lunch over, there was no way out but up. Then via Fulmer, Pinewood, Poyle and Ashford. We stopped for a nostalgic photo outside Ed's alma mater, though the school's name had changed. It is now called Thomas Knyvett College, a newly formed Foundation School under the Howard Partnership Trust and federated with Howard of Effingham School.
Soon we were thames-side again at Shepperton Lock - the tea hut locked. A speedy decision was made to head instead for Lower Sunbury and the Walled Garden. Dave peeled off for Walton while the rest reclined awhile in Sunbury, before heading home in the late afternoon sunshine, legs well stretched by a bracing day in Bucks. Congrats to all and thanks to leader Dave.
After the watery start, the cloud had lifted, waterproofs been shed and the day ended with a modest touch of Sun Protection Factor 1. The mileage for the day from start to finish had been just over 85 miles.

Jeff