Sunday 1 Sept - a Traditional Ride

This Sunday we are heading from Addlestone to Farnborough, as advertised in the ride list, and then back to Great Cockrow Railway at Lyne for tea.   A traditional ride, following a (mostly) traditional route.   17 miles to lunch, and, er, 17 back to Lyne too.   Extra miles are available if you go on the steam train.  I hope you can join us.

Sunday 25th August 2024

According to Louise Lear, the South East of England has had only 19% of average rainful for August this year.

Nice, unless you're a gardener/allotment owner.

But today felt unseasonably cool for late August as I climbed up to Walton on the Hill & the village café.

Ten of us assembled including Cecilia joining us for the first time (collecting her bike from her car at the time of this pic taken by Pete B returning from a early morning TFB off-road ride).

Geoff, Dave S & Marilyn went no further. 

For the route see the next post.

Brian returned at the Seven Stars pub, Dave & Keith left us at Horley.

Negotiating Crawley is a breeze with a Garmin & Simon took this pic in Goffs Park.

Nice to see Terry at Capel.

A couple of punctures to report, Cecilia just north of Capel & Simon in Leatherhead.

Thanks to Simon for backmarking & everyone else for their company.

Ride info - Sunday 25th August

 Hi all,

There's gas main work in Walton on the Hill, but access for pedestrians/cyclists has been maintained.

The café opens at 9am & I plan to leave at 11am sharp.

The planned lunch stop is Waitrose, Horley.

The coffee is better than you know where......& probably the food as well.

Horley BR station is a stones throw away, so folk could bail out/join us there.

Expected departure from lunch - 2.00pm.

The afternoon's ride includes some off-road, which despite the rain forecast for Saturday, should be okay..

I look forward to your company.

Ride Report - 18th August 2024 (Clandon and Shalford)

For some time I had wanted to re-visit the lanes south of Blackheath and Bramley, and finally the opportunity arose. You know what they say when you want something doing - I did, so I did. 

Clandon Park Garden Centre is a great venue for elevenses, you can park your bike safely round the corner from the outdoor seating area and they serve the best cheese scones ever. Ten of us gathered to join the ride, one gathered with us but came no further, one appeared mysteriously somewhat later and then three more turned up, as they had planned, after the ride had left. Curious but I think that's points to everyone?!  

The gathered

The ten riders took in a little shortcut over Merrow Downs before turning south through Chilworth, Blackheath and Shamley Green. After that it was a lot flatter and a lot of Commons with several high-lights - rolling fields, tree-shaded lanes, pretty cottages and of course, the horse heads visible from along Thorncombe Street ( https://www.nicfiddiangreen.com/artwork/trojan-head/ - if you'd like your own, the price is available on request)! 

Obligatory sign-post photo

 

Lilian and horse head #1

Niall and Christina passing horse head #2

Eventually we came back to the Downs Link at Bramley, and followed that along to Shalford where we stopped for lunch at The Snooty Fox (not cheap but they have a proper deli counter for build-your-own sandwiches, and a village shop a couple of doors away providing alternative options). 

Obligatory station sign photo
(without Andy's oversight, taking photos was like trying to herd cats)

Here was the point of great departure - David and Graham had not stopped for lunch, Christina and Keith decided to head for the hills, and Lilian for the train. So it was Martina, Niall, Eric and Simon who carried on with me towards Guildford, using the cycle track into Guildford before getting onto the canal path in nearly the right place. Niall and Eric left us at Stoke Lock (apparently the oldest lock in Surrey, thanks for the intel Simon!) for more off-roading while the remaining three made a beeline for Pinnock's. And that was a very good decision, as we were no sooner ordering our cakes than we were joined by Colin Q. 

My thanks to David and Simon for back-marking before and after lunch, to Graham for introducing me to these lanes nearly 2 years ago, and photo credits to Simon, Niall, Christina and Steph.  

P.S. Kudos to the late-comers....sorry we missed you! 

Thorncombe Sculptures 18/08/24

 by Nic Fiddian-Green 

Plans for Sunday 18th August

Sunday's ride will be from Clandon Park Garden Centre as published, heading to Shalford for lunch. We initially head towards Guildford on busy main roads (with cycle lane) before turning off towards Blackheath, then with two short climbs under our belt, our route gives way to a couple of undulations before becoming flat. The country lanes are delightful and not too pot-holey, but there will be some central sand / gravel to be avoided and a mile of off-road on one of our favourite disused railway lines. 

It's likely to be a late lunch at The Snooty Fox, Shalford. Other options here include the Village Store which sells pre-packaged sandwiches, hot and cold drinks or bring your own and sit on the green. 

After lunch we'll use an off-road route into Guildford (a bit more Downs Link / NCN22) and then pick up the canal path for a couple of miles. Tea will be at Pinnock's Ripley or Gail's Cobham, depending on how we are getting on. So a total of 29 miles or 34.5 miles. GPX available on request. 

I will be heading to Clandon via Epsom, Ashtead, Leatherhead and Effingham - please WhatsApp me if you would like to meet en route. 

The current weather forecast is looking good, not too hot or cold or wet or windy.

I do hope you can join me - please message if any questions.  

Thanks

Diane 

Ride Report - Sunday 4 August (North Cheam and Putney)

 

Elevenses today was at the spiritual home of the Cheam and Morden (Wetherspoons), where formerly stood the Granada cinema, starting point for our rides way back when!   Our pater familias, Richard D, remembers those days and  was one of fourteen of us who gathered for coffee.

Two made their own ways home, while the rest of us continued to lunch at Putney.    Recent rides have been relatively long and hilly, but this one was short and mainly!  We took in the unexpected sights of Mayflower Park, Worcester Park before heading for Cannon Hill Common.    At Raynes Park we made a beeline for the Beeline, then veered off alongside the A3 towards Richmond Park.   After the Roehampton Estate it was all downhill, mainly via quiet backroads, into the centre of Putney.

The Rocket was quieter than usual and we had our choice of outdoor tables with a refreshing breeze off the river.   Service was quick and efficient, but we got settled in and, as ever, it was an effort to get going for the ride home!

We dodged most of the usual traffic congestion to Priory Lane then re-entered Richmond Park and made a diagonal for Teddington Lock and tea.

Thanks to Andy for back-marking, Graham, Tony and Geoff for navigational advice (!), and to everyone else for your company!   It was particularly nice to have Niall, Gina and Ray W with us on the ride.

Sunday the 11th August

We are heading to Velolife at Warren Row.

11's at Windsor Farm Shop, Old Windsor. About 19 Miles to Lunch at VeloLife.

Afternoon tea will be at Liberto Lounge, Egham. Around 19 miles from Lunch

No real hills but some good off road.

Tony..

04/08/24 Somewhere on this map methinks

 

Plans for Sunday 4 August 2024

Sunday's ride will be as published (elevenses at the Nonsuch Inn (North Cheam), lunch at the Rocket (Putney), tea at Teddington Lock (or Hampton Court if preferred).   It will be a lot shorter and a lot less hilly than recent Sunday rides, just to ring the changes!

There will be a changed outbound route from October last year when we last did something similar, and, in particular, Wimbledon Common (and, in particular, the badly-eroded track leading up to it) will be completely avoided, but we still re-visit Worcester Park amphitheatre (if we can find it, it seemingly having disappeared from all my maps)!