NEXT SUNDAY ......6th September

Some folk may be aware of the sudden closure of both The Jolly Farmers at Buckland and The Fox Revived at Norwood Hill..........both pubs had been visited by the club in recent months.

According to The Surrey Mirror they WILL reopen........

http://www.surreymirror.co.uk/Shock-popular-pubs-Jolly-Farmers-Fox-Revived/story-26906856-detail/story.html

This Sunday's elevenses IS NOW Tanhouse Farm,Newdigate.

Sunday 30th August 2015

There were eleven of us at Rusper Golf Club on Sunday morning: Bob, Terry, Angie , Jeff, Neil, Lillian, Janice, Peter, Paul, Ken and me.  When Angie arrived she said she had just passed Janice on a hill approaching Newdigate.  We thought it was surprising for anyone to pass Janice on a hill until Angie explained she was in her car because of a recent back op.

We spent a few minutes choosing the most favourable weather forecast and selected one that didn’t have showers on our route. It was warmer than some of us had planned for so those that could adjusted their clothing for the temperature. Bacon sandwiches were very popular.  Once everyone had eaten nine left Bob and Angie and headed south towards our destination.

At Rusper we turned southwesterly in the direction of Horsham then right on Green Lane to aim for Warnham.  After Warnham we arrived at Broadbridge Heath where Neil suggested a cycle path to avoid the stretch I had planned on the A264.   We rejoined the planned route at Weston’s Hill, turning onto Christ’s Hospital Road before the hill itself.  We skirted Christ’s Hospital heading for Southwater, passed through Southwater and crossed the A24 bridge just before Newfoundout.  From there it was south to Copsale turning towards Maplehurst where we joined the road to take us to the Windmill.

We elected to eat outside with most having sandwiches, Lillian a ploughman’s and Jeff soup.  Jeff’s wasp arrived as we were at the table but this time didn’t invite any friends.   Janice couldn’t face lunch after her bacon sandwich so helped Peter with his chips.  It was a very pleasant pub but we couldn’t find the windmill it was named after.  Apparently it was almost certainly named after Jolesfield Windmill, an eight-sided tarred smock mill that stood in the village until the early 1960s.

The return route was more direct, starting northwards towards Mannings Heath.  I had a slight mishap while waiting after the first T junction.  I unclipped my left foot but the bike decided to lean right.  Luckily Peter had a first aid kit so we were able to patch everything up and continue on our way.  And as Janice pointed out it was lucky it was just me I landed on so didn’t damage my kit.

So we eventually passed through Mannings Heath then right on Hammerpond Road and along Grouse Road.  A couple of turns took us to Colgate where we descended towards Faygate then up to Rusper.  Another historical snippet - the Gates around Crawley, e.g Faygate, Colgate, were usually gates to medieval deer parks that the king had given his nobles permission to keep. Janice, Ken, Peter and Lillian left us on this leg so five of us arrived at Capel for cakes.

I narrowed my choice down to three cakes.  The others went for one or two.  Soon after I left Capel I realised I probably should have eaten less.  For me 75 miles door to door.

The weather stayed dry all day so we must have chosen the right forecast.

Dave S.

Sunday, 30 August

Rusper - Littleworth - Capel

Septet of Great Worth

We hope that our leader has recovered from his Leaning Tower of Pisa reconstruction to be fit enough to relate the tale of today's ride to Littleworth, which for the avoidance of doubt is in W. Sussex and not Bucks.

Sunday August 23 2015

Dave's Ride

As we waited at the start, a continuous sea of lycra rolled past. So to avoid further embarrassment we headed into the park leaving via the pool gate. After Hanworth we passed the "Young People's Estate" Feltham then Bedfont. Our Tour de Heathrow started at Hatton Cross but was cut short when we turned towards Harlington. In Sipson we joined NCN 89 but used A408 for the final miles to Good Yarn Uxbridge aka Wetherspoons. Already arrived were Alan and Irene which made ten (Dave, Don, Ken, Paul, Tony, Graham, and Ed plus a surprise appearance from Daniel).

Among the news that he was retired Dave unveiled a plan to shorten the ride due to the dire forecast. We continued north passing but not stopping at Willowbank (no surprise - Dave's far too young to recall Cyril Davies). We eased around the Denham roundabout on the pavement before sampling the village and climbing towards Higher Denham. After roughstuff in Baker's Wood we were back on the A40 which we traversed until the Fulmer turning. Some rode through the "Genevieve" ford though most used the bridge; here Alan left us. The raindrops started as we sped down the hill into Hedgerley and with minutes the sandwich eaters had joined the rest in the White Horse.

By 1330 it was time to go but still raining hard. Gypsy Lane then several outliers (Stoke Poges, Wexham, George Green, Langley) saw us bypassing Slough itself before crossing the A4 into Colnbrook in bright sunshine. Vermeulen's cafe was empty when we arrived so we dried out slowly before dispersing around 1530. Around 50 miles door to door.

Sunday 16th August 2015

 

A beautifully bright morning with warm sunshine.
 I picked a well trodden route to Horsham with the only suprise ..........my speed......a comfortable 12.5mph.
In one hour 10 minutes, we were sitting (still with warm sunshine) on the first floor of Bill's cafe.
Unusually for me it was "Bill's Breakfast" - £7.90.
The others' choice ranged from a bacon brioche to a cream tea!
We left in a south-easterly direction to Monks Gate where we picked up the lane going south to Littleworth & Partridge Green.
East along the B road and the rough stuff past Shermanbury Place where Dave punctured.
We emerged at Wineham,still travelling east toward Hurstpierpoint.
The Jack & Jill pub,Clayton appeared popular and if I hadn't reserved a table we would of been eating outside.We were now under heavy cloud with the threat of rain although nothing was forecast.
A cheese and tomato baguette for me,macaroni cheese for Janice & Dave.
Whilst in the pub it occured to me that NCN 20 was relatively unexplored this far south so with a change of tea stop I led the group directly north on a combination of quiet roads & surfaced cycle paths to a long drag past Bolney where Dave suffered his second puncture.
Costa at Pease Pottage services was adequate if a little pricey.
Home around 6pm.
An enjoyable day out,although the weather could of been better after an intial lovely morning.Relaxed stops and nice lanes........82.4 miles for me/Janice.

Fanny's Farm Shop.........RIP

According to the Surrey Mirror, Fanny's will close on September 12th 2015.
Fanny died in June and her family have decided to sell up.

http://www.surreymirror.co.uk/Fanny-s-Farm-Shop-goes-sale/story-27594504-detail/story.html

Sunday 9th August 2015

Eight were gathered at Chalk's Hill Bakery in Reigate on a sunny morning. As we were heading off leaving Bob and Terry, Richard arrived but decided to stop for a cake so Jeff, Andy, Ed, Paul, Ken and I climbed Chalks Hill towards our lunch.

We cycled along Lonesome Lane then through Salfords and Outwood before turning left at Blindley Heath towards Tilburstow.  We turned down Hart's Lane before the best bit of the hill where Ed left us. We continued towards Hurst Green and turned towards Merle Common and our destination - the Royal Oak at Staffhurst Wood. Just before arriving Jeff was the victim of a totally unprovoked attack by a wasp. Retribution followed during lunch as Jeff managed to trap the wasp (it looked like the one that attacked him)  in his soup then ground it underfoot.

After lunch we headed East for a circular ride before heading West again through Hurst Green towards Bletchingley.  This time we climbed the best bit of Tilburstow before a fast descent on Rabies Heath Road stopping for tea at Lamingtons. Ken headed home then leaving the four of us at the tea shop.

After a leisurely tea we left via Church Lane until the junction with White Hill Lane where Andy and Paul turned left towards a cycle route and Jeff and I right along the lane. Then left along Spring Bottom Lane where Jeff and I parted company as he headed towards Rockshaw Road. I turned up Hilltop Lane for a scenic ride across Farthing Down and home.

Perfect cycling weather. For me door to door 43 miles. For the others a lot more.

Dave S.

Sunday, 9 August

 Reigate - Staffhurst - Bletchingley

One of the little buzzards got me again!

Coffee, lunch and tea, with a bit of cycling in-between

2/7/15 alternative ride.

The route to 11's at Tanhouse Farm would have proved difficult with road restrictions imposed by the Pru Ride London. So a breakaway group, (Tony, Alan, Pam and Vic) headed for 11's at Dorney walled garden. Queues for tea/coffee were enormous but we all manage to get served,  apart from Vic who arrived late. Then where to go for lunch? Alan headed for home but the remaining 3 decided to head West towards the Walthams and maybe the Beehive pub for lunch.

Having reached the pub we decided it was a tad early so headed North to Littlewick Green and and the Cricketers pub, cycling part of NCN4 the combine harvesters were in full swing with dust clouds from them delaying our progress. We reached the pub and were welcomed and served quickly with fine fare sitting outside in the Sun.

Then the decision as to tea? The best option for all seemed to be Windsor farm shop, so retracing the last part of our route we headed off. Approaching the peanut roundabout from the West via Winkfield and then through Windsor great park on the main road into Windsor and onto Old Windsor to tea in the Sun at the Farm shop. Finding it hard to leave we eventually went our separate ways home.

Tony..

2 Aug Tanhouse Farm - Wisborough Green - Capel

The Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 was always going to draw greater numbers than a gentler ride from Tanhouse Farm so I expected this to be a rather exclusive C&M ride.

My own ride out to Tanhouse Farm was diverted over Epsom Downs and Walton on the Hill to avoid the closed roads in Leatherhead and Dorking. But I did get to have a short look at the Pru Ride near the top of Pebblecoombe before rushing off to see how many had made it to Elevenses.

Arriving late I found Jeff tucking into a bacon sandwich. Lilian, Terry and Ken were also sitting there wondering where the leader was. Mick had phoned in apologies having been obstructed by the barriers in Leatherhead.

So just five of us headed south towards Rusper. Turning sharp right on the entry to the village, we gently lost our altitude to cross the railway at Warnham Station. In Warnham we turned right into Friday Street to pass The Greet's Inn before Byfleets Lane brought us back to a right turn into Broadbridge Heath Road.

At the Billingshurst Road T-junction we usually turn right down to the Newbridge Roundabout and the main road. But today we found a traffic-free route through to the quieter lanes. Turning left and right into Church Road we found the end of the new cycle path that crosses the A264, through the new housing estates and  across the River Arun. Here it joins the bridleway up through the woods and connects with the Downs Link as it re-joins the road at Weston's Hill.

Here we looped round through Itchingfield before passing through Barns Green and on to Billingshurst. Unfortunately this left a couple of miles along the busy A272 to reach Wisborough Green.

Ken left for home (having been up since three o'clock to take his son to the Pru Ride) and the remaining four chose to stop at The Old Mill Cafe.

I then had to leave to get to Guildford for my sister-in-law's 50th birthday celebrations. But not before discussing and leaving a highlighted route to tea at Capel. I hope they all made it!

Tanhouse Farm to Wisborough Green - 21 miles
Wisborough Green to Capel - 16 miles if they didn't get lost.

Sunday 2 August 2015

Tanhurst - Wisborough Green - Capel

Neil, please put away those dentures!

Thou shalt not pass

Neil headed north to BBQ in Guildford. The orphaned lambs bleated as they watched him disappear in a cloud of dust and burning rubber, to celebrate his sister-in-law's half century with a burnt offering. But these Surrey lambs are made of stern stuff and have a built-in homing instinct. In no time they were trotting northward through Newpound, Poundstreet, Drungewick and Rudgwick. Soon they smelt the green pastures of Capel and were grazing contentedly in the cemetery. Refreshed they trotted on to Dorking where, at the Friends not so Provident, they separated to make their ways to home pastures. Here the providential barriers were down, but some soon found themselves penned in at the top of Little Switzerland. With no escape, they waited until released, not understanding the reason for their captivity.  Finally they were home after their exciting, ovine escapade. Our thanks to Neil for letting us off the leash.

Jeff