Sunday 20 July 2014

Seven left Hampton Court this time without incident(!) though we soon ran into traffic heading to the 30th Barrio Festival in Walton. After the towpath under Walton Bridge, we were joined by the ladies in Addlestone. Brox Road and the A320 provided a northern bypass of Woking. From Pirbright it was up and over to admire the Empress Eugenie's contribution to the Farnborough skyline. Richard and Terry were at The Tilly Shilling having come via Gatwick Express.

The onward route was somewhat more urban than our norm and paralleled the mainline (and M3), admittedly none too closely. Cove, Fleet and Winchfield and a final two miles dash along the A30 brought us to The Hogget near Newnham where Bob was waiting. Prompt service meant we could depart just after one thirty on a more relaxed and more rural route through Newnham, Rotherwick, Mattingley and Phoenix Green. We rejoined our outward route in Winchfield Hurst to be plagued by high flying birds over Farnborough.

There were minor deviations from the outward route here, and in Frimley Green and Pirbright which brought us close to the relics of Saint Edward The Martyr. Bodies now began to disappear though  most reached a new teastop, Mizens Railway, northwest of Woking.

Cooler than of late but somewhat clammy with spots of rain as I crossed Kingston Bridge. 80 miles door to door at a spirited pace.