Sunday's elevenses

 Hi folks,

Just some information about Dobbies GC.

It's probably like a garden centre that you've never been to before.

It has a restaurant, butchers & two coffee shops !

The one adjoining the restaurant is quieter. The other one near the main entrance has a creche but has a nicer outdoor seating area.

The weather looks fine but I'll decide on the day as to which one I'm going to.

My mob - 0731 209 5543.

As far a lunch goes it appears you can get "Sweet vine tomato & fire roasted red pepper soup served with fresh crusty ciabatta & whipped butter" for £5.50.

I hope that satisfies those sans lunch.

Ride Report - Sunday 27 August 2023

 

Simon, Andy, Pam, Tony, Terry, Keith, Christina, Geoff G and I met for elevenses at Clandon Park.   Sitting out on the patio it felt a bit fresh for the season but it is still a very pleasant location.   It was a relatively long ride for most of us to get to Clandon Park but we consoled ourselves with the generously-sized scones and teacakes on offer!   Not inexpensive but good value for money!

All of us opted to join the ride to lunch.   As we made our way off along the drive imagine our surprise to see Jeff T just arriving!   He decided not to join us for the rest of the ride but perhaps we will tempt him on another occasion!

This ride involved our customary annual climb along the flinty track up Merrow Downs.  The basic idea here is that people concentrate so much on the rough surface that they don't notice the gradient!   Unfortunately, someone took a tumble at low speed but I am happy to report that the only casualty was a a handlebar mirror!    Next we took the rollercoaster ride which is Halfpenny Lane in our stride then continued through Chilworth and Wonersh before another traditional annual feature of C & M rides, the footpath alongside Godalming sewage works, negotiable, but highly overgrown this year, fortunately with bracken, not nettles!

Wetherspoons at Godalming was busy but our orders arrived promptly and we were soon on our way back to tea, except for Andy, who took his own, mountainous route home.   To lull them into a false sense of security, I spared the group the stiff climb up to Godalming cemetery but then slipped in a ride along the lovely Sandy Lane through Littleton towards Mount Browne, which does end in a short but rather viscious climb, and where picturesque scenery gives way to picturesque language!  Then it was through the back-doubles of Guildford to Stoke Park where Garmin routing wanted us to ride through the Japanese garden area, definitely verboten!

There was another slight navigational glitch by the Spectrum Leisure Centre - it was my turn to be mesmerised picking my way along the rather nasty grid paving laid in the grass and I completely missed the turn!    Tony soon had us back on the right path and we followed the cycle route, now resurfaced in places witht some very rough gravel, to Clay Lane.   Then it was the usual route to Ripley, where some stopped for tea.   Christina and Geoff joined me to ride back towards Walton.  The remains of the so-called cycle path (in effect, just the very narrow hard shoulder) alongside the A3 towards Wisley Gardens have disappeared but there is now a dedicated lane for all traffic towards Wisley which makes a much pleasanter and safer alternative from Ripley to Wisley until the M25 junction works are complete.

Well ridden everyone and many thanks for your company!    Many thanks too to Geoff for back-marking all day.

C&M ride to Chalfont St Giles

Almost a perfect day for cycling. A different coffee stop for 11's, the Chaii coffee shop at Ashford. I arrived early but Dave and Simon were already sitting outside in the Sun. The others turned up in dribs and drabs. And we soon had 10 in total. Dave, Simon, Pam, Liz, Andy, Keith, Diane, Sabina, Bernard and myself.

 

As usual, plenty of banter, coffee and cake, time for the off and heading North to part circle the airport on the inner ring cycle track emerging at Longford and heading to Harmonsworth, West Drayton and on up past Hillingdon Hospital to Uxbridge.Through the edge of Colne Valley Regional Park and The Buckinghamshire Golf Club and into Denham village and a brief stop at Sir John Mills old house. Denham village is very small, but still has 3 pubs!  Back alleys and paths led us to Moorhall Road and another brief stop to view the new section of viaduct across the road for HS2.

T

he New HS2 Viaduct

More back roads and paths lead us up to, and I mean up, Harefield. Then a lovely decent, but with traffic lights at the bottom, to the canal and past the coy Carp pub. Finally reaching Maple Cross and the steady climb up to lunch at the Rowen Garden centre, Chalfont St Giles.

 

Lunch at the Rowen GC

The weather was warming up now and dining alfresco was great. We had taken a little more time than I had planned to get to lunch, so I changed the route back making it a few miles shorter. Down into Chalfont St Giles village and into Bowstridge Ln down to Chalfont St Peter, the nice climb through the private estate of Chalfont Heights. 

 

Stockley Park

It's a nice, mainly, gradual descent now down through Denham Golf Club, which has its own station, to Denham once more, back through Uxbridge and a quick stop at the Rusty Bike Cafe, it was closed, so some off-road through Stockley Park and down to.Harlington. Discussion as to where to go for tea took place and off we cycled to the lovely little Portuguese restaurant at Cranford called Saloio. It's one I often use on solo short rides, It was very warm now, so as well as tea and cake some of us even had a beer. The owner is a lovely guy and in the past has even helped me mend a puncture.

Time was marching on, so across Hounslow Heath and along the scenic path by the river Crane, at various points from here on people left the ride to head their own ways home, Along Hampton Hill, stopping at the entrance to Bushy Park where the group finally dispersed.

A really lovely day on the bike and a big thank you to all, especially Simon for back Marking.

Tony..

Ride Report - Sunday 13 August 2023

All was going well until the Thursday before the ride.   I had a nice off-road route planned (I thought) across Walton Heath and then out to Reigate Hill and beyond.  Then, only by the merest fluke I happened to hear that the Women's Open Golf Championships were taking place nearby and it gradually dawned on me that this might affect my plans.   I checked and it did - all local bridleways were closed for the event!   It was back to the drawing board, or, more accurately, sketching pad, because only the vaguest replacement route resulted!

Anyway, Sunday dawned rather uncertainly with troubled skies, a stiff headwind, and heavy showers about into the bargain.   There were brighter interludes, fortunately, and Diane, Andy, Dave F, Keith and I all duly turned up at Walton Village Cafe (the C & M's first visit there, I think) ready for the ride to lunch, while Carolyn and Maureen gamely battled up the hills to join us for elevenses only.   We were also very pleased to see Jeff T make a very welcome return to a C & M elevenses, but no battling up hills was needed in his case as he conveniently lives nearby!

Come eleven o'clock and the brave (or foolhardy) five of us set off on what turned out to be one of the C & M's occasional (fortunately!) and unintentional 'off-road discovery days'!    We rode the delightful, quiet lanes of Mugswell and Chipstead then made as if towards Reigate Hill roundabout, but cunningly veered off down Crossways Lane, a farm road which gradually deteriorates into a narrow and precipitous, stony track, at least for a bit, before burrowing under the M25.

It was a bit of a gamble since it transpired only two of us had ever tried this route before, and neither recently, but luckily got away with no casualties!   We then found ourselves opposite one of the entrances to the Royal Alexander and Albert School, and to continue through the grounds seemed a no-brainer.   Dave F expressed an interest in exploring the fabled track across an amazing and unexpected landscape towards Gatton Park Road, and this proved to be an excellent choice and a first for all of us except Keith.

After all the excitement it was then an uneventful sort of ride through the back-streets of Reigate to Reigate Heath and Leigh, our lunch stop.  The Plough proved to be excellent as ever, with very friendly service, a great choice of food, even on a Sunday, and a lovely garden.

The sky looked a bit threatening at times but we dodged any rain and it was sunny and warm for our ride back to Brockham (where we too early for tea) and Leatherhead.

It proved to be quite an interesting ride and one worth repeating, or even expanding on in the future, but probably not after wet weather!   Many thanks to all for your company and for your route suggestions and advice.

Sunday August 6 2023

When I arrived at The Queen Stage it was half full; no doubt a victim of the concurrent Tour of the Surrey Hills. Already seated are Andy, Dave, Diane, Liz, Pam, and Steve. We were soon joined by Ed, Maureen and Terry.

Having traversed New Road (Claygate) I had to assume roughstuff would be a hard sell and so it proved. All but Ed and Maureen meandered via Effingham Junction, Drift Road and Horsley station where the trackside path led us to West Horsley. After a freewheel to Jury Farm (almost missed), we now faced its broken concrete bridleway. For some Tithebarns Lane couldn't come too soon.

Halfway along it is a newish posh estate now connected by a tarmac'd footpath! leading to the A3. No idea why but 550 future homes are being built on the other (north) side of the bridge. Send Church, Cartbridge, Old Woking and the Leisure Centre took us to lunch in 'Spoons,  and the end of the ride for Dave and Terry.

Wey/Basingstoke junction (Andy)

The afternoon cuesheet couldn't have been simpler: Basingstoke Canal Woking to M25, Wey Navigation to Coxes Mill/Black Bridge. I had to stop twice to clear the mud between my mudguard and front tyre. For a change we continue on the Wey towpath to Thames Lock and another photo shoot. 

Thames Lock (Pam)

But NCN 4 was a path too far and a minor rebellion saw me last to arrive at the Wilde Brunch. Only  a trace of rain at tea to add to the deluges of the preceding days. Around 22 miles from 11s to tea.

I can't remember a ride with 50%+ off-road but that's what I'm hoping for this Sunday. By mid July everywhere was dry but now puddles and mud are reappearing, and more rain is forecast. We can discuss a Plan B at 11s.

To save the leader's legs there are few hills, Orestan Lane is unavoidable. But I've removed patches of demolition rubble (eg near Jury Farm), ferocious plants (Ockham Mill and elsewhere). Now the worst are  tree roots (Wey towpath Coxes Mill).

11s to tea at Walton would be under 25 miles so pm could be entirely off-road! 

It might look like this