Sunday, 9th November

Norwood Hill - Smallfield - Fanny's Farm Shop 

A select sextet was drawn by the magnetic pull of  a 9.15 am start at Ryka's. The polarity was not quite strong enough for all; Janice docked via the West Humble underpass, while others followed a quite different, magnetic field to Norwood Hill. With elevenses less than a 6 mile crow's flight away, the leader assumed a generous licence to meander. Our serpentine route took us via Punchbowl Lane to the still glowing embers of the Brockham bonfire, where we adopted a lonesome Mike Morley warming his spirits, then down to Parkgate, where an independent-minded Angie broke loose and did her own meander, before rejoining us aglow at the Fox Revived.

Here our numbers swelled, many eager to experience the flavour of a new for us mid-morning venue. Andy produced vouchers for a Revival Breakfast, with time in hand to explore the menu. The response I think was positive, though a forgotten wallet left me salivating like a hungry hyena at the sight of Terry's generous bacon sandwich. A kindly angel slipped a groat into my pocket.

After a pretty relaxed stay, we rose; some to return home, some dirty dozen game to meander further, the promised 6 mile pancake-flat promenade to lunch now tripled. With Smallfield due east of Norwood Hill, we headed south through Charlwood and Ifield to skirt the perimeter of Gatwick Airport. Here, Neil discovered the limits of his Poundland light set and Geoffrey, rather cheated by the lack of altitude and effort, keeled off to visit the Evans' Cycling Treasure Chest to find some woolies to keep him warm. The undaunted others pressed on via Shipley Bridge, Copthorne, Turner's Hill and Rowfant to rediscover magnetic north and coast effortlessly down Turner's Hill Road to find Mill Lane. Here we were overwhelmed by the Proustian waft of school dinners, drifting evocatively from Copthorne Prep School, to take us back to early memories of boiled swede and turnip. Do you remember? Effingham and Downlands Lanes took us to Plough Lane and our target of  Smallfield's Plough and Furrow.

 

 Despite the season we dined, (well, most of us),  in bright sunshine beneath an almost cloudless sky. The P and F is a welcoming and cycle-friendly pub, warmly to be recommended. We left, with the sun still quite high in the sky, to head due north towards Bletchingley (not Redhill as promised in the programme). Ken soon struck off towards Redhill, as did Paula and Andy and Terry at the A25. The dwindling rump pressed on for an early tea at Fanny's. We lingered over tea and cakes; Fanny conscripted Paul for potato hauling duties, for which he was rewarded with an apple. What more might he ask?

With the sun now sinking and the temperature dropping, we headed home, our cycling having been enhanced by an almost perfect sunny November Sunday, which I hope was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Jeff