A Grand Day out

 Hillingdon Track  Ordanary Racing

Well, what a turnout, 15 met at the Peasantry in Bushey park for the ride to Hillingdon cycle track to watch the Ordinary (Penny Farthing) cycle racing. It's not a great distance and the route I took was predominantly off-road, to avoid the traffic. Off-road is obviously slower but a more pleasant ride.

The lunch stop was at The Botwell Inn, a Wetherspoon pub in Hayes town, only 1.2 miles from the track. It was warm enough to sit outside and we were soon tucking into our vittals. We left the pub in good time and got to the track where racing had started early. It was great to see such machines in action and going at a great speed around the track.

The event was organised by the Pickwick Bicycle Club, the oldest cycle club in the world, based in East London. Nearly 2 hours were spent watching the racing and admiring the machines and chatting to the owners. One chap even travelled with his bike from Germany!

The route back was shorter and still involved some off-road. No tea stop was required and at Fulwell the group started to disperse. A great group and a grand day's ride and a rare opportunity to witness such an event. Thank you all for joining me, and thanks to Simon for back marking.

Tony.

 

 

Sunday the 25th

A ride to Hillingdon cycle track to watch the Penny Farthing racing.

11's at the Pheasantry,  Bushey park.

Lunch will be at Wetherspoons,Hayes, about 1 mile from the track. We will need to leave lunch no later than 1.45

The racing starts at 2.0pm

Tea TBD

Its a not a long ride to lunch with some good off road.

Tony..

Norwesters take a different route

Sunday the 18th of September

The Old Moat at Epsom was the 11's for this Sunday's ride. I arrived with Pam to find a crowd already partaking of various fare.

The lunch destination was the Sportsman at Mogador. Ed, Maureen, Pam and I decided to forego the pleasures of Chalk Lane and head to Charlton and the Harrow pub for lunch. We headed to Esher via Claygate, Molesey and over Walton bridge, the edge of Shepperton and onto lunch. Prior, the landlady welcomed us and even greeted me by name, she remembered me having taken the b's there earlier this year.

Lunch was good and soon served. As usual plenty of banter, then alas time to go, no one opted for a tea stop, Pam headed West, while Ed, Maureen and I headed East and along some nice off-road cycle paths, we parted company at Hampton. As the coffee machine at the Harrow was out of order I headed into Hampton Hill for a coffee at the Black Olive, my usual breakfast restaurant, for my afternoon tea stop, Being a regular, today my coffee was free, nice end to the day.

 Tony..

 

Up, Up and Away to Mogador - 18 Sept

Was it the first chilly Sunday of autumn?   Long sleeves for all eleven at elevenses at the Old Moat, Epsom.  It was warm enough to linger outdoors and chat, before six of us took off for Mogador, leaving Bob, Maureen, Pam, Tony and Ed to hold the fort (or was it the moat?).

I had struggled to find a flat route to our lunch destination at The Sportsman, Mogador, because it's on the North Downs, so a hill was required.   After a loop-the-loop around Epsom we climbed steadily and then rather sharply to Walton on the Hill.   After admiring the pond, which still has a little water in it, we crossed the golf course by a route less favoured by Diane due to plentiful roots and stones, and arrived in one piece at the pub.

Pic courtesy of Dave Ellis

Brian had to be home by lunchtime but luckily we were early, so he had time for a pint (don't tell his wife) before setting off homewards.  The menu at The Sportsman was a bit tricky having many expensive options. but luckily they had Scotch Eggs and a few other side dishes, and the hut was serving bacon butties, so I think we all found something suitable.

After lunch, we went to admire the view from Colley Hill before returning across the golf course, on the more favoured route, with a few large puddles covering the whole track, forcing us to ride on the hallowed turf of the golf course.   Up to Box Hill, because it was there, and then down to Leatherhead for tea.   A nice day out in good company - thank you all.

I met Ed on my way home, who told me that he, Maureen, Pam and Tony had gone on an alternative ride to Charlton village, so there were two C&M rides today.  Impressive!

Sunday September 11 2001

21 years ago will stay with me forever. I was headed for Sleeperzzz hostel Rogart, final training for an unscheduled Across America ride part II (5 days). With new password and plane tickets, days later I flew to SF with a choice of 27 seats. Greyhound and 100 miles of desert road brought me back to Eureka NV where part I had ended abruptly in June. 

2022 was rather less memorable. Early morning mist had largely dispersed as I headed for Lammas Park Staines where Bob was seated. Two became four with the arrival of Pam and Canadian Robert then six (Gemma and t'other Dave). 

Traffic was heavy on the Wraysbury road until we continued past the station and into Horton. The Colnbrook A4 roundabout "improvements" saw us weaving carefully through a stationary mass of motorists. With no recce NCN61 was joined close to Langley station. Langley Country Park led us to the dual A412, never pleasant but down and across got us to Black Park. Flooded Chapel Lane provided a brief "we've never been here before" moment. The B416 was busy so we used the parallel Duffield Lane to reach the Fox And Pheasant from the west. Though warm my roast was probably cooked well in advance!

The return was all too familiar : Fulmer, Genevieve ford (flooded), Pinewood, Iver, Old Slade Road. The eastern A4 queue stretched beyond the incinerator and so more weaving were needed to enter Colnbrook down Mill Street. Junction 14 was noisy with regular visitors, some sporting helmet liners! We went various ways in Ashford. 50+ miles door to door - a fine day for cycling.

PS Be sure to carry a machete if going via Moor Lane

Sunday September 11 2022 Change of 11s

I'm not expecting a large crowd so I'm moving next Sunday's 11s to Lammas Park Staines, a more manageable mileage (13 rather than 18) for me.

Happy to start outside TK-Max on Kingston bridge at 0930 - please email if interested.

Lunch unchanged but we'll pass Langley and Black parks, both of which have cafes. Notionally tea could be Notcutts Staines.

Changes to our September/October Programme

Please note changes to to the programme.   The online rides list has been updated and supersedes the printed version.

25/09/22 - Ride changed to meet at The Pheasantry, Bushy Park for elevenses.  Destination will be  'ordinary' racing event organised by the Pickwick Club at Hillingdon Arena.

9/10/22 - Ride will now meet at The Queen Stage, Effingham with lunch at The Herbert Wells, Woking.

16/10/22 - Ride will now meet at The Golden Cafe, Addlestone, not Heather Farm, Horsell, other details unchanged.

Ride Report - Sunday 04/09/22 (Stoke d'Abernon and Epsom)

 

Bob, Diane, Simon, Mark, Tony, Terry, Ed, Maureen, Graham, Geoff and I met for elevenses at Squires, Stoke d'Abernon.

Maureen made her own way home from there but the rest of us continued to lunch at Epsom.   The route I had planned took us across Bookham Common, then Ashtead Common passing The Wells.   Diane kindly offered to navigate us on a different route into Epsom via the Stew Pond and Stamford Green and displayed a natural talent for leading!

After lunch at The Assembly Rooms we went our separate ways home.   Thanks to all for your company, to Simon for back-marking, and to Diane for navigational assistance!

Along The Wey

An unhealthy six took the train to Guildford 'Spoons where Dave was waiting. Plan A would have taken us along the Wey to the Cranleigh Line / Wey South Path / Downslink but was scuppered by a towpath closed near Guildford and a fallen tree. So Plan B took us up and over the A3100 to Peasmarsh.

 After a quick halt to admire the aforementioned fallen tree we joined the Downslink. Bramley and Wonersh station saw us heading to Thorncombe Street and beyond passing now three horse sculptures. After the A281 briefly came Run Common Road where the boring badgers and great crested newts are gone. We now sought out the Farley road so as to enter Shamley Green from the northeast. Dave departed on a mercy mission to water his potatoes  (or similar). After only 12 miles lunch was early with the already arrived Terry tucking in outside the Red Lion.

At Norley Common Pam and Terry were dispatched along the main road whilst I led the remnants on a pointless straight up (to Blackheath) and straight down (to Wonersh). Shalford was bypassed using the level crossing. In Guildford I offered to shepherd the diminished flock along the A3 path to Ripley and Pinnocks for tea. With several newbies in tow it was time to introduce them to Muddy Lane where the signpost was nowhere to been seen - do I have the only photographic evidence that it existed?  Three became one at Lower Marsh Lane and 10 minutes later I was home. Almost 50 miles door to door.

Restoring WhatsApp on a tablet(!) seems to have fixed my Windows 10 PC problem!!

 

28/08/22 Train Assist Change of 11s

 I'll be travelling on the 27th and 29th so

next Sunday's 11s will be The Rodboro Buildings (aka Wetherspoons) Guildford.  Shamley Green is the intended target for lunch; under 30 miles returning through Guildford (where I'll likely catch the train).

Ride Report - Sunday 21 August 2022

You have to try new things occasionally and Heather Farm Cafe, Horsell seemed a like bet to fill the gap in our elevenses programme left by the closure of the Fairoaks Airport cafe on Sundays.   Some of our members have previously visited Heather Farm and impressions were good, so Bob, Christina, Pam, Tony, Graham and I optimistically met for elevenses in this new setting.    If you don't like dogs you certainly wouldn't like it there, but that aside, some of our food orders never arrived.   In fairness, the management did make generous recompense, but it was a disappointing experience!

From Heather Farm all of us except Bob continued to lunch.    Initially we headed off-road for Youngstroat Lane, eventually re-emerging onto tarmac at Fairoaks.   We continued through Chobham to West End where we went off-road again on Priest Lane, and, new for us, across MOD ranges at Greyspot Hill towards Lightwater.  En route the high fences, generous razor wire and warning signs made us feel more than welcome!   Lightwater to Bagshot involved interminable pedestrian crossings to circumnavigate the M3 roundabout - when we next come this way I already have plans to sidestep this horrible junction by a route over High Curley and through Lightwater Country Park.

The Kings Head at Bagshot has previously proved to be a good choice for lunch and did not disappoint today.   The morning had been cool and cloudy but by now we were able to sit in pleasant sunshine in the pub garden.   From Bagshot it was a standard route back to Lyne from where we went our separate ways.

Thanks to all for your company and for putting up without complaint with my 'experimental' routes!

14 August - Six Go To Callow Hill

Chaos at Shepperton.   The power had just failed and the baristas were thrown into confusion.   Baristing simply wasn't possible.  Customers didn't know what to do either - how on earth were they going to spend their morning?    Luckily C&M regulars knew what to do.  Cold drinks were still available (for a limited time), and David and myself kindly helped out with their Tiffin, which was at risk of melting in the ongoing heatwave.

Eight of us were at Nauticalia for not-coffee and not-airconditioning, but luckily chatting was still just as successful as ever, so we had an enjoyable stop.   In view of the heat, the ride was short and seeking shade, which partly worked.  Bob and Ray went home after elevenses, and Pam, Tony, Diane, David, Graham and myself set off along the Thames all the way from Chertsey Bridge to Staines.   Then up Tite Hill, as it's cooler at higher altitude.  A bit around Windsor Great Park before popping out near the traffic lights at the top of Callow Hill; a short ride to the Rose and Olive Branch.

After a good lunch under the trees, David abandoned us for his allotment, and it was downhill all the way to tea, apart from the uphill bits, which were accepted mostly in good humour by the group.   An inventive choice for tea - Shepperton - but the lock rather than Nauticalia: where the fridge was working and well stocked with ice creams, so we happily sat and watched the world go by for quite a while before departing home.  Thanks all for your company and foolhardiness for daring to come out on such a hot day.

Blooming Tony!

Sunday 14 Aug - change of lunch destination

Our lunch destination on Sunday will now be the Rose and Olive Branch, Virginia Water, which gives us a shorter and shady ride, with an option of a detour into Windsor Great Park for those who would like to do that.

Elevenses is still at Shepperton, Nauticalia, as published.   I hope you can join us.

Ride Report - Sunday 7 August (Horton Park and Putney)

 

Quite a few Sunday regulars weren't available today (surely there can be no connection with the challenging ride the week before), but we still mustered a respectable seven riders (Bob, Ed, Simon, Graham, Steve D and I) for elevenses.

Over-familiarity with The Sportsman at Mogador and the related golf club track decided us on a complete change of direction for lunch and we duly set off for Putney!   Bob left us at elevenses and Ed joined us for the first part of the ride only.   Graham kindly piloted us on short detour to admire Pete Mitchell's memorial seat, then we took a slightly circuitous route via Barrow Hill, Green Lane, and Cannon Hill Common towards Wimbledon Common.

The common was busy, dusty and sandy but there was some welcome shade and it made a nice change for a Cheam and Morden ride!     We the drifted down a maze of back streets eventually emerging in Putney High Street right near our destination, The Rocket.

The Rocket wasn't too busy and we were lucky to find a a shaded table with a cooling breeze.   It was difficult to drag ourselves away but from lunch Simon and Graham led a slightly longer route home via the Thames while I took a direct route across Richmond Park on a humanitarian mission to save my tomatoes!   

Many thanks to all for your company!

Ride Report for Sunday 31 August 2022 - a Bridge Too Far?

 

Until now I have never been quite sure of the meaning of the phrase 'howls of execration', but after today's ride I have a much better understanding!   The morning started off peaceably enough with Bob, Simon, Lilian, Ed, Diane, Dave E, Graham, Pam, Geoff G and Ray W joining me for a very pleasant elevenses, al fresco, at Squires, Stoke d'Abernon.

We left Bob at Squires and set off over Downside Common and Wisley Airfield towards Ripley where Lilian and Ed left us.  The rest of made towards Send Church where I thought it would be a good idea to introduce the group to the delights of the footpath to Sutton Green!

The path starts off innocently enough but soon sinks into a deep rut, then nettles close in on either side, then there is a barbed wire fence on one side and the river Wey very close by on the other, but once you have crossed the narrow, awkward, steep-stepped bridge you have passed the worst...until the stile at the top of the steep bank across the meadow!    Anyway, everyone took this character-building, assault course-type route in their stride and there were no visible injuries, or more importantly, damaged bikes!    

From there it was an easy ride through Woking Park to recover in the haven that is Wetherspoons!   After a good lunch we took the usual route back to Walton Bridge via Sheerwater, West Byfleet, Addlestone and Weybridge, no off-road sections by request!

Many thanks to everyone for putting up with my dastardly outbound route, and to Geoff for very kindly back-marking all day.

IMPORTANT - Change to Programme for Sunday 31 July 2022

With regret, Sunday's planned train-assisted ride from Horsham is cancelled as there is national rail strike the previous day and train services early on Sunday morning will be disrupted.

Instead, elevenses will be at Squires Garden Centre, Cobham.   A possible destination is The Herbert Wells, Woking, which we have not visited for some time.   There are some interesting route possibilities!

Ride Report - Sunday 24 July 2021 (Weybridge & Longford)

 

Bob, Tony, Diane, Lilian, Ed, Ray, Graham, Maureen, Pam and I met at Morrisons, Weybridge's least expensive elevenses venue, and duly regaled ourselves with the sundry delights on offer!   Bob, Ed, Graham and Maureen made their own ways home while, once baggage was safely stowed in the overhead lockers and all seatbelts fastened, the rest of us took off for Heathrow!  In a radical break with tradition, our route took us in an anti-clockwise direction!   Some thought they saw similarities to a previous route of Simon Lambourn's - pure, blind coincidence, I say!

There were one or two surprisingly picturesque corners en route to Hatton Cross, after which we weren't sure 'who was zooming who' - as we circumnavigated Heathrow we passed an army of plane spotters  watching the planes, as we, fascinated, watched them and their elaborate equipment!

Our 'refuelling stop', The White Horse, proved once again to an excellent place for lunch, with a very welcoming and helpful landlord, and delightful floral decorations.   Once replete and on the road again we kept the airport on our east side and took a fairly direct route to the end point at Shepperton.   The sky turned increasingly hazy as we travelled south, and the strong, acrid smell of smoke from a large fire on Hankley Common made it a distinctly unpleasant and stifling ride, but we survived!

Many thanks to everyone for your company!

Hot Pursuit to Guildford - 17 July

Hot

A great turnout at The Queen Stage, Effingham despite the amber warning of hot weather (31 degrees).  And not just the ten C&M riders but a constant flow of other groups of cyclists kept the place buzzing.    Great to see Mark back on his first outing after his broken shoulder.  Bob was heading home while Pam and Tony chose to do a shorter ride in view of the heat.   Very sensible.

Missing Pam, David & Tony

There he is!

Chat

The rest of us, not so sensible, headed to Guildford after a referendum chose the higher-level route, involving more shade but starting with the climb up Green Dene.  Once ascended, the only way was Down, along the North Downs Way to be precise.  (What is it called in the other direction?  Surely it can't be Down in both directions?)  We were worried about hordes of walkers but they were strangely absent - perhaps they had heard something on the weather forecast?

Rachel

Pewley Down

Keith left us after admiring the views at Newlands Corner to ride back along NCN22, and we continued to Pewley Down where more views were admired, including a pretty clear view over the whole London skyline from Wembley to Docklands, just near the semaphore tower.   The remaining six of us found a shaded table at The King's Head and had a very enjoyable lunch.  I was half expecting everyone to get the train home due to the increasing heat, but in fact it was quite pleasant in the breeze, and only Mark and David made their own way home. 

Up-market doggy bar

The return route was seeking shade, along the Wey Navigation and north where we were pleased to find that Jacob was in his usual good health - the signs saying Jacob's Well were out as usual.  Does he never have a bad day?  The temptations of Woking station came and went, so we dodged the War of the Worlds fighting machine onto the canal (towpath, that is) to make our way back to New Haw and on to Walton, where Lilian kindly bought Rachel, Graham and myself ice creams - thank you!   In the end the temperature was around 29 degrees at Walton in the shade, with a nice breeze making it bearable.  Thanks to all for coming out on a hot day and for your company.

Ride plan Sunday 17th July

We are meeting for 11s, as advertised, at The Queen Stage, Effingham (just on the corner of the double roundabouts), which has some air conditioning.   I still plan to ride to Guildford, and we can either go across the top (off road but all under tree cover) to Merrow Downs Pewley Hill, or perhaps do a lower-level route.  Lunch destination in Guildford will be by referendum, probably somewhere shady where we can rehydrate.

It's forecast to be 26 degrees at Effingham at 11.00, and 28 in Guildford at lunch time, so please bring plenty of water.  31 degrees by tea time, so the option of returning by train might appeal to some or even all of us by then.

Way Out West (10/07/22) - The ride

The mercury was heading for the low 30s as I left home.  The slightly delayed train at Whitton was crowded. At Staines it emptied (presumably Thorpe Park visitors). I continued to Datchet to join Dave and Simon in a quiet Royal Farmshop. We waited for 30 minutes but nobody came. 

From the A308 roundabout we rode along the southern edge of Windsor. Just after the aging "Brenda and Keith" in Fifield I tossed in a minor surprise by switching to the Drift Road. Thus was Waltham St Lawrence reached from the south. At the A4 in Hare Hatch we ran into a sportive (or at least signs of). Wargrave was skirted before we started the only climb of the day so Warren Row was reached from the northwest.

The Velolife cafe was busy and hot  whereever one sat.  Its menu is brief: toasties and/or cakes which suited us. As temperatures rose visitor numbers dwindled; we were amongst the last to leave well before two. 

We now had a tailwind. I pointed out the onetime RSG6 as we descended to Knowl Hill where  NCN4 was rejoined close to The Royal Oak. We left it as it entered the Maidenhead suburbs. After Bray the cycleway beside the widened M4 Thames Bridge is still unfinished  two years after opening! Dorney and Eton came next.

The wait at Datchet station was under five minutes which proved too tempting for Dave who joined me to Ashford (Surrey). His excuse: an 80 mile ride the previous day to Hastings. I was for a final surprise at Whitton - the next train was for Kingston! New to me so I took it.

As described 32 miles (or 66 miles if ridden from home).

Way Out West (10/07/22)

Sunday's ride starts (and notionally ends) at Windsor (Royal) Farm Shop [SL4 2RQ / SU981751 open 1000-1530]. It's 30+ miles topping out at a heady 340+feet. NCN4 is much used (lots of it tarmac). On my recces I was not ambushed by nettles, brambles and the like. 

Lunch could be Velofile [RG10 8QS/SU812807] , a cyclists' cafe. Its menu reads toasties and cakes (in my experience when available). So a mile or so further on the ride will pass the Royal Oak Knowl Hill [RG19 9YE/SU825794] which has a fuller menu according to Facebook. We'll decide on the day.

I'm no A308 fan so I may use the half hourly service to Datchet and cycle the remaining mile or so to 11s.
 

Ride Report - Sunday 3 July (Clandon and Catteshall)

 

It is a long ride to Clandon Park Garden Centre for some of us, but Bob, Terry, Simon, Keith, Diane, Bernard, Sabina, Ray, Ed, Lilian, Graham and Sunday newbie Dave E all made the effort and had a very pleasant elevenses.   Very acceptable cheese scones were available!

Simon, Graham, Lilian, Ray, Keith, Diane, Graham and Dave E then joined me for the shortish but rather hilly ride to lunch at Catteshall, which also had a number of offroad sections.   Ed set off to make his own way to Catteshall, but, unfortunately, mechanical problems led him to end his ride at Guildford.   

At Blackheath we paused at Simon's suggestion to have a look at the rather unusual 'arts and crafts' church, St Martins, and we were very lucky to be given a brief but comprehensive guided tour by the church warden.   The church is always open in the daytime and is well worth a visit if you are passing.    

Stepping onto consecrated ground brought out my sense of Christian charity and I relented in my intention to take the group along the rather rocky bridleway from Munstead Heath to Catteshall, substituting instead another (untried) track described as 'easy'!   Well, the surface was much easier, and so was the gradient, but there was a high stinging nettle factor instead!

All I can say of Catteshall Boathouse Tearooms (aka Hector's Bistro) is that you are guaranteed a welcome!   It is rather idiosyncratic, and perhaps a remnant of England gone by, but it is in a nice setting and although the menu is simple, the food is good value. You may wait a while but you can while away the time on the bank trying to spot fish in the backwaters.

After lunch, we headed for NCN22 to sample the brand new tarmac surface.   It is a considerable improvement, but sadly we could not try it all as one section was closed for work, so it was still a case of lugging our bikes down the steps.   At Guildford, some of us headed for the station while the main group continued for tea at Ripley.

Many thanks to Simon for back-marking and suggesting the church visit, thanks all for your company, and thanks too to Graham for supplementary information.