Revel without a Course

With apologies to James Dean, and to you for the contrived title, but, well, it reminds me of when I secured the prestigious job of Chair of our college Film Society, by being the only person in the room when they were looking for successors.  My only qualifications were that I had been taking the money off people for our weekly film showings (sound familiar?), and being slow to think of an excuse.   My first assignment was to book the films for next term - and I quickly realised that I hadn't a clue (my film experience being pretty well limited to Mary Poppins and Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines).   So I asked the outgoing chairman to suggest a programme.   Being a film buff, he was only too happy to scribble down fifteen or so titles for me.

During the holidays, I had to decipher his illegible writing and find these films in the bulky film distributors' catalogues (several the size of an old telephone directory) .   One eluded me: my best guess was Revel Without A Horse.  Much later, I realised it was the James Dean classic, Rebel Without A Cause.   

What does this have to do with cycling?   Not much, but I decided to share it anyway.    Meanwhile, on the cycling front, I needed an excuse to come up with a different bike ride today.   I left the house without a clue (and without a course, of course) and headed to Richmond.   On the way, I decided to check whether the River Thames was still there, so my route consisted of Richmond to Ham, to Kingston, via Thames Ditton to Hampton Court and continuing on the south side of the river to Walton, where I crossed to the other side and went through Shepperton, turned right before Chertsey Bridge, (thereby missing Chertsey Abbey again), up to Laleham and Staines, almost all off the towpath (which wasn't that busy, in fact) but quite often in sight of the river.  A pretty thorough survey, I think you'll agree, but more to the point, a nice ride, 36 miles, no hills and not too many people.

Was the Thames still there?   You decide.

Still there.

Still there.

Still there.

Still there.

Still there.  But no ferry, no ice cream, and no boat hire.

Still there.

Still there.

Still there.

Still there.

Still there.

Still there.

Still there.

Staines, still -on-Thames

Swan Upping

PS.  On the way home I had to go through an annoying 4-way control set of temporary traffic lights in Feltham, which have been there for weeks.  They weren't working, and everyone was using common sense and getting by just fine.   Perhaps Stay Alert is working...?

Memories of the great plague

Memories of the great plague 

From Paul James:

As Editor of Sou'Wester, I should like to include in the next Coronavirus edition any interesting or unusual lockdown tales from members.  Have you been doing anything unusual and interesting?  Please let me know at Paulandrewjames1949@yahoo.co.uk.

What on earth have you been doing?

This is what the esteemed Editor of our Sou'Wester Newsletter has been asking (see above).  With our rides suspended,  the country in lock-down, some of us confined to barracks or shielding, from the hesitant response, it would seem: very little. That cannot be true. When he asks what unusual or interesting things we might have been doing, including solo rides, I'm sure that any lock-down disclosures will be treated with the utmost discretion. Forget your blushes and let him know what you have been up to in these bizarre and unforgettable times. I know, social distancing does make things difficult, but you must have been doing something, either solo or in a group of one + one. "What did you do during the great corvid19 epidemic of 2020, Grandad?" "Nothing." Come on, give our Editor a hand, sharpen your pencils and get the Sou'Wester presses rolling, or he'll be on furlough and the Sou'Wester history. We cannot allow that.

Jeff

Get It While You Can

Day 1 so what has changed; not a lot. The number of private cars continues to rise but it still feels like an early/quiet Sunday morning. For how much longer? 

A visit to the Great Wen was long overdue. With Richmond Park still closed to cyclists (!), I was forced along the pre-1927 A3 reached by crawling up the Rue du Croissant (as the French might say) to a newish but still incomplete cycle path over Kingston Hill. There was only one other cyclist before Roehampton where I deviated through the Alton Estate to join NCN4 on Priory Lane.

 After a detour to Hammersmith Bridge (not crossed it since it closed) and Fulham FC I rejoined NCN4 at Putney Bridge. Approaching Parliament Square, the absence of tourists and most other things (open shops, crowded buses/coaches, armed police) was palpable so I continued only as far as Northumberland Avenue before turning for home. Kings Road without shoppers is absolute bliss! For many years Victoria to Putney Bridge was a regular route home though never continuing over Wimbledon Common and Coombe Hill so take parts of the map with a pinch of salt.

Guess who worked here (1970-1985)

Agent Double O Soul

It's only Saturday but I heard tomorrow's forecast and didn't like one bit of it. I do like to explore don't you? Some you win, some you  lose.

Buckinghamshire (okay any spot north of the M4) needed checking out.  Going I used a southern (Feltham YOI / West Bedfont) route. It was quiet - I counted only two planes all day!  After Langley and Black parks, lunch was Pinewood and the return was Highway 61 (revisited) followed by our Sipson - Isleworth route and home over Richmond bridge  and Ham.

1) The last section of the B378 (Stanwell-Stanwell Moor) road is closed for three months but currently not to cyclists!

2) Anyone who uses the Junction 14 cycle route may have spotted a tunnel under A3113 Airport Way. Today I decided to find out where it led.
The straight ahead route was more prominent but appealed not thanks to a burnt off motorcycle fifty yards beyond the tunnel. Instead I made an immediate left onto an undulating track running alongside the M25  ending at Longfordmoor. Far more scenic than going via Poyle.

Old Slade Lane

3) But my next experiment was much less successful.  You cannot cross to Iver and beyond this year using the (demolished?) Old Slade bridge nor can I recommend the bridleway return to the A4; those inured to nettles may disagree. You must use Sutton Lane which leads north from the Colnbrook A4 roundabout.



4) The locals seem to have won the day. Hollow Hill Lane is boarded up so onwards to Shreding Green is your only option.

5) Despite notices stating it's closed, there's nothing to stop anyone from entering or exiting Langley Park.

6) Black Park  is even odder. It too is closed; the Peace Road (roughly opposite the main gate of Langley Park) is padlocked. But further east it's a wooden "chicane" and from Pinewood the Link Path is a open gate. Even more bizarre within the park are large (2 metres?) posters warning of the need for social distancing.

7) And on the same theme, check out how many folk observe social distancing on the Thames Path:Northern Bank between Isleworth and Richmond where significant sections  are (just over) two metres wide.

Time Has Come Today

Time has come when I can leave the house, shop and be back indoors before 0830 leaving the rest of the day free. High teens and light easterlies suggested a longer trip to northwest Surrey which I call Goveland. Much will be familiar; I could have turned at Windlesham and/or Chobham but decided to continue to Lightwater where a north-south bridleway leads towards Bisley. I've never dared to include it in an organized ride.

The first section runs beside Greyspot Grenade Range (quiet). It yielded one fast disappearing roe deer and a "Soldiers in training Please clean up after your dog" sign. The surface is heathland and stony not improved by a top dressing of one inch clinker in places; definitely easier N-S.

In contrast the next section can be watery and/or muddy but not today. It was a Flytippers’ heaven but “FC” gates may stem the flow of new material though not scramblers. Ford Road has no ford so after the new build of the east end of West End I detoured past an abandoned(?) caravan site to a ford many will recognise. Chobham, Ottershaw, Weybridge, etc rounded off the day.

Group Riding

 Dear All,

Prompted by an earlier incident, Dave Vine has posted the following advice to members on the MWW website. As it is relevant to all of us, I have copied it here for the attention of all, in what are trying times for everybody.

Let's look forward to the unlocking of lock-down.

Jeff

Group Riding

I am sure you are aware that the government is considering what to do next about the current lock-down, and there may be some announcement next Sunday. However, there is no guarantee that there will be any early change which affects our riding.

The committee is considering what our next steps will be, following government advice and CUK guidelines.

In the meantime the rules are quite clear. No group rides, even informally organised, even with social distancing. Only solo riding allowed. Anything other than solo riding will not be covered by CUK insurance.

I can understand many members are keen to get out on club rides as soon as possible, but please contain your enthusiasm for a while longer. All members will appreciate how difficult this period has been, but will thank everyone for their patience and for keeping others safe. Your wellbeing and the lives of others may depend on it.

Posted by Dave Vine on the MWW website.

Sunday C&M solo ride. A pleasant day to cycle. I wanted a bit of elevation to get the legs going so ventured to Claygate and a nice loop round.

Claygate Church

Then off to Esher, then Hersham and upto Seven Hills road, as the Burwood estate now has no access with security on the gate. Down to the Walton Common roundabout and back roads into Wadebridge. Onto the A3050 to Walton then the Lower Hampton road and home. Only 25 miles and 500 plus foot of climbing, does mean I will enjoy my Sunday dinner and a glass or two of the good stuff even more.

A  very pleasant ride. Noticeably many cyclists, joggers and walker out.

Tony..

Who's That Lady

I avoided the usual humilation of Hampton Count Road and beyond by entering Bushy Park at Cobbler's Gate and exiting at Hampton Hill. Roads remain quiet but with an  increasing number of cars  (usual occupants: one male). I took my alternative route to Staines over the Hanworth spiral, past BP and the newly demolished Ashford sorting office. Near the prison I took to the footpath which runs alongside the aqueduct towards Knowle Green. At best it's a 3 seasons route so some muddy patches after recent rain.

It was not the brightest or warmest of days and  no encouragement to continue. I headed south to join the Thames near Notcutts Laleham. NCN 4 was surprisingly quiet. Having been missing for a couple of hours cyclists reappeared in their droves at Chertsey Bridge (understandable) or climbing Woburn Hill (beats  me!).

plotaroute.com is an excellent planning tool but sometimes it produces oddities like today's invite to visit the Hersham Sewage works. As an "expert" I know this to be long gone and inaccessible. it's underlying opensteetmap data that's wrong provided by folks like me so I won't complain too loudly.

Dull all day and light drizzle on the return though not enough to dampen my clothes. 25+ miles

For SL read Patterson's footnote. Henry VIII nicked most of it for his Oatlands Palace in Walton

An Outing to Thorpe Park

Well .. to the outside at least.   I set off on an afternoon that could have been summer, to find the mythical footpath to Thorpe.   I'd never been there, having read enviously about several B rides that went that way.   Hard work against the wind to Chertsey, and then down Willow Walk, a little lane I remember from my early days with the Wayfarers, narrowly missing Chertsey Abbey, which I will have to go back and explore at a future date.  Past some delightful houses, and then onto the track over the M3, which was ridiculously well signposted, but not in a good way.

There was a lake to get past: my careful research told me "keep to the left" which was a mistake.  The path was churned up by horses hooves and then sun-baked.   Emerging the other side, I found a nice track had gone round the other way.   Then my research told me "stay near the M3 to get under the Staines Road".   Unfortunately the version of OpenCycleMap I was using must have been rather out of date, as it then led me on a narrow path through nettles to the rusty skeleton of a bridge over a stagnant sort of moat.  On foot I might have tried it, but there was no base to the bridge, just holes between the iron framework, so I retreated, prepared for a return to Chertsey.

Luckily there was another way round, and I found myself on a delightful, if shady, path along the perimeter of Thorpe Park, with intermittent views of trains, old Wild Water rubber rings, and some of the roller-coasters towering overhead.

Thorpe's a pretty village to emerge in, and so I meandered down what I thought was a dead-end road leading to the river, only to find myself on the main road between Chertsey and Staines again, across the river from Staines.

With the wind behind me, I trundled home across Shortwood Common, the change of nature's alphabet well under way as crocuses and camellias have given way to hawthorn and horse chestnut blossom.  Returning through Ashford, I was very impressed by the show of support for the NHS that the shopkeepers have organised there.

 A nice day to be out.

Stayin' Alive

I expected cyclists but never this many with all groups (excluding families)  four or less.

No surprise that I was overtaken constantly before Walton Bridge but they were everywhere! I even passed three family groups on the concrete road near Send prison. The only time I was free of them was crossing Esher Common (hard work on my road tyres) but plentiful walkers despite  Elmbridge closing many of its car parks.

Not a regular route of mine, I passed the old Dairycrest HQ in Claygate which is going residential. The red you know what is still there (TQ148644).

Last Thursday I met Dave coming the other way in Hersham before sampling the footpath across the golf course south of Wisley Bridge. What a contrast to the sewage works and Muddy Lane on the other side of the road. Without any guided missiles, it was a delight being tarmac'ed except at the extreme ends. Only problem - it doesn't go anywhere (ok, to the canal).

Let’s Be Careful Out Here

Yesterday's ride starting/finishing in Surbiton (where I rode past the  resting Jenny and Dave). Plenty of walkers and cyclists but you'll have ask Mr Gove if they were "exercising". And with car parks closed it seems one can now park anywhere! But I mustn't moan too loudly as my mileage topped 25 miles.

Simon's herd of Belted Galloways looks like the herd I past on Muddy Lane last Tuesday. If there have been changes, I didn't spot f them.

I don't know Simon's route across Boldermere but the byway (Elm Lane?) from Elm Corner to Old Lane is the worst I know and unrideable even in summer.

Bicycle Rambling

The C&M blog has become a bit of desert since the lockdown, so here's another attempt to spur some others to write about what you've been doing.  Come on - surely you haven't all been neglecting your daily exercise in such lovely weather?

Since the restrictions on cycling, I have been enjoying 'cycling rambling' on many days.   Rather than a bike ride, which sounds quite purposeful, I've just been setting off to explore areas not too far from home, maybe getting a bit lost, and discovering what's there.  It's been very enjoyable: even the urban rides are interesting but there are loads of parks, heaths and commons dotted around, often very quiet.

Yesterday I was a bit out of my normal area, delivering a Sou'Wester to Bill Squirrell, so I wandered off south to the area of heathland around the crossing of A3 & M25: Wisley and Ockham Common.

Woolly cows (a cross between cows and sheep?)

South along the Wey past Manor Farm with woolly cows...

River Wey by Manor Farm

Then a sort of zigzag of tracks of varying quality on Wisley Common, gorgeous pond there by Pond Farm, then across the A3 on the Wisley footbridge.

Wisley Common

Wisley Common

Farm Pond (near Pond Farm!)

Farm Pond

After several attempts, I managed to find a track taking me to Bolder Mere just south of the A3: it wasn't a good idea, quite muddy and in several places boardwalks had been laid across the mud: I wasn't brave enough to cycle along them.  Putting a foot down in the wrong place would end up with falling in the swamp!  Emerging near Ockham Bites, I then followed a route across Ockham Common that Keith showed me last year, to the semaphore tower on Chatley Heath.  Disappointingly it's covered with scaffolding at the moment.  Then down via Pointers Road to Plough Lane and Cobham, familiar territory.

Bolder Mere

Bolder Mere, adventure playground

Not quite finished with off-road rambling, I set off north-west from Cobham along Hogshill Lane and the more or less straight line of intermittent road and path (another one of Keith's routes) to Fairmile Common and Esher Common, round the back of Claremont and popping out at Claygate.   Most of the time was spent in the woods or on heathland, and the weather in late afternoon was gorgeous.  You could easily spend a few days just exploring all those areas.

Fairmile Common

Pond on Littleworth Common, Esher

Nearly home!

C&M Easter Tour - not dead, just pining for the fjords

Man walks into a shop:  "I want to return this Easter Tour" ... you can fill in the rest yourself.

This weekend, we should have been enjoying delightful company, great beer, lovely cafes, beautiful plumage, sunshine! and a bit of cycling thrown in for good measure, in the delightful environs of Salisbury, formerly best known for Novichok.  Now we have a new worry.  Not only are we not allowed to touch 'items' in case they are contaminated by Novichok; we are also not allowed to go near 'people'.  We have learned some new words: Social Distancing for example.

Last year we saw some terrible examples of failure to socially distance.  Don't do this, folks!

Awful

Disgraceful

Bellyfull (after a prolonged squawk)

The point of this post is partly to remember the good times and look forward to their return, but also to thank Steve and Ann, who did 99% of the work of organising the tour before it had to be cancelled, creating even more work, so they have now done at least 120% of the work required to organise the tour.   With luck and good behaviour by the great British public, the tour will be rescheduled to next year and be even more successful.   Plus, it will only require -20% of the work to organise it...or maybe we could revive it by putting four million volts through it.

Thank you, Steve and Ann, for this year, last year, all the years you have organised this great event.  I'm sure everyone who has been on these tours is extremely grateful to you for what you do.