SUNDAY 29TH OCTOBER ....HERSHAM-WOKING-SHEPPERTON

Another Squires, another elevenses!  This week we were at Hersham.  Fourteen gathered for elevenses, eleven stayed out for the day.   For the register....Alan, Don and Bob went their own way, albeit Alan did ride into Cobham with us.  Irene, Tony, Ed, Chris, Graham, Mick, Ray, Vic, Niall and Michi stayed with me.

Out to Severn Hills Road, past Notre Dame school into Cobham.  Then via much travelled lanes to Hungry Hill, turning into  Tithebarnes Lane traversing around Send via Woodhill and Potters Lane. Then Old Woking Road which led us to Maybury Hill and on to Wetherspoons  arriving not much after 12.30.   This gave us plenty of time to chat, also time to look at the 'road art', in the memory of H.G.Wells.

From Woking our route to Shepperton took us through more lanes to Horsell, skirting Chobham via Horsell Common Road, Philpot Lane, Stonehill Road to Chertsey.  Across Chertsey Bridge into Shepperton for tea at Café Mocha which has moved a little further along the High Street.  
Niall and Mitchi opted out of the tea stop, great having you both along on the ride today..... My thanks to Tony for offering to be back marker and for the photo....and, of course, to all for being there nd making it such an enjoyable day
Pam :) :) :)

October 22 2017

I feared worse but Storm Brian left us with blustery but bright weather, so no chance we would be emulating Sir Cloudesley Shovel on this day (OS) in 1707 .

Fourteen reached the Vineries; by 11.15 ten were ready more or less to continue on an obvious route along Orestan and Calvert Roads to the A246. Green Dene was officially closed but seemingly not to anyone who wanted to use it; something important - a rough surface and men in orange close to the sawmill turn-off. Down Coombe Bottom, through busy Shere and up the other side brought us to the railway bridge where we joined the Hilly 50 route. Thankfully there was only one car in Hoe Lane and it waited at the top of the climb. Leaving the course close to the Volunteer we reached The Royal Oak Holmbury St Mary spot on 1230. After initial confusion (loads of walkers) most settled for something substantial if I include child's portions.

After lunch our force divided with seven taking the official route along Sutton, Donkey and Hollow Lanes to the A25. Here Terry took over to lead us via NCN 22 to his abode in Dorking for tea and cake. A rather modest 48 miles door to door.

15 October - Waifs and Strays at Effingham

An Inadvertent Alternative Ride

The alert among those convening at the Pheasantry on 15 October will have noticed a discrepancy in the attendance recorded. Numbers seem to have been swelled by a quintet of ghost riders, for whom the lure of Effingham, if not of the C&M blog,  proved irresistible.  Fearing that some calamity might have befallen their comrades, their investigation on the w.w.w revealed the gulf between Teddington and Effingham. Never mind. We shall make up for it . If you have overlooked the attendance record, do not forget to click on the newly minted 2018 tab.

I have done my best to divine the attendance status of the Pheasanteers from Tony's report and Dave's snap. Please let me know if my deductions may be found in any way wanting.

So it is Effingham on the 22nd. Don't get blown off course.

Jeff

RIDE ON SUNDAYS THE 22nd

The ride is changed from that published in the paper version of Sou'Wester.

11's is Effingham Vineries, Lunch is at Holmbury St Mary and tea at Pilgrims cycles West Humble.

Sunday the 15th October

A new 11’s venue this Sunday, the Pheasantry Bushy Park. A pleasant setting, they have and indoor/out and a separate outdoor cafe, when I arrived Graham was already sitting in the outdoor cafe. Gradually numbers increased to around 12. It was nice to see Frank and Francoise out with us. A nice surprise was that Simon and Lis joined us for 11’s but alas were not able to come to lunch.

On leaving the car park to take an off road track to the Hampton court main gate we bumped into Alan Anderson who had gone to the indoor cafe all alone, my fault for not checking, sorry Alan.

Skirting the the A309 and  the A307as much as I could to turn left at Cobham into Fairmile Lane and a left into Miles lane, Knipp hill and a roundabout way Blundel lane and across the A245 into the Tilt, then across Cobham park to Downside and into Horsley rd and a right turn at the Drift and onto Ockham. Missin Hungry Hill and a left up Grove Heath road , Portsmouth road to lunch at the Saddlers arms where Dave Ward was already seated outside. John and Carolyn didn't stop for lunch.

Ray had had a mechanical and a arrived a touch later, also Alan had departed for home as usual. The food arrived very intermittently and was basic but welcome.  Dave made his own way from here. Off now to tea at Squires Upper Halliford via Send, Pyrford, West Byfleet, where Terry left us, and Woodham, Row Town and Adlestone and across the moor to Chertsey bridge and the short ride to tea.

It was very pleasant sitting outside in the warm even if there was no Sun. A pleasant Sundays cycling thank you all who joined me.

Photo Courtesy Dave Ward

Tony

I M P O R T A N T--R I D E --C H A N G E

The ride on Sunday the 15th October will now be the ride that was billed for the 22nd October and vica versa.

11's at the Pheasantry Bush Park.
Lunch at the Saddlers Arms Send Marsh.
Tea at Squires Upper Haliford, this is a change from that listed.
The Leader is Tony Hopkins.
Tony

Sunday October 8 2017

As an official ride It's best I document it! but a short ride (<15 miles) merits no more than a short report.

Ed was the official leader but his mind was on other matters so I deputised. The eighteen at Sainsburys Cobham showed no inclination to leave but leave we did sometime after 11. Our ride headed for Downside and Bookham Common. For a change we exited in Little Bookham. The general store was closed (permanently?) but Ye Olde Windsor Castle appeared open for business. Further south are hills so next we turned left for the long downhill through Fetcham and past the pond. The short rise from the Leatherhead Pumping Station got us to lunch in The Edmund Tylney aka Wetherspoon's.


Once again there was reluctance to leave. I jettisoned plans of offroading and settled for the obvious : Ashtead, A24, left towards the Wells, Stamford Green and Horton Park. We were 10 minutes late for the AGM; no matter as this proved to be the quietest in a long while.

C&M AGM Sun 8 Oct 2017

Prior to Ed hosting the AGM and providing the usual delicious homemade cakes lunch was taken at Wetherspoons Leatherhead with a large turnout having had elevenses at Cobham. Photo below shows a number of dinners prior to setting off for Ed's lead by Graham who will issue the MOM.

It is a dead heat

A Result

In the light of nuggets now mined from the deepest recesses of the C&M collective memory, we have a result. It is a dead heat between Ed and Graham. I cannot remember this having happened before, at least not in my time. It takes a lot to compete with Ed on this front. It should also be noted that, although Graham posted the ride report for 16 April, 2017, the leader was Dave Ward.

So congratulations to Ed and Graham.

This result will no doubt be formally presented to Sunday's AGM, which I am sure that you will all be attending. The main item on the agenda may be: how to apportion the winning lunch to the Siamese gold medal winners? We may need Herr Junker or M. Michel Barnier to adjudicate. This might need referral to the supranational authority of the European Court of Justice, unless Boris Johnson objects. Otherwise, we shall decide for ourselves.

Jeff

Testing

Random cycle touring image for test purposes.

Attendance - Urgent - Who was there on Easter Sunday, 16 April 2017?

Dear All,

Please ransack your memories. 

Our attendance record is blank for 16 April 2017. There was a ride, led by Graham Dave Ward, from Polesden Lacey to Godalming and Ripley. I have copied the ride report and map below, from which we can identify Graham and Keith as riders on that day. We know that there were 8 at Polesden Lacey and 5 at Godalming. Who else was on that ride? The report and map should jog your memory (though there is nothing like a photo).


This is of some significance, as if Ed was on that ride, he pips the attendance competition by two points. If he was not there, we have a dead heat between Graham and Ed, both on 81 points. This might mean they have to share the free lunch: mains course for one, dessert for the other. We want to avoid this at all costs.

 We need to know this before the AGM next Sunday, so please rack your brains.

Jeff 

P.S. Perhaps Graham could copy and circulate this request to those on his circulation list.

Sunday April 16 2017

Sunday dawned sunny but with a biting wind which plagued us all day.  Eight members gathered at Polesden Lacey for elevenses and five hardy souls continued to Godalming. The ride to lunch took us along five off road sections including a long section of the North Downs Way.   Given the recent dry spell, there was no problem with mud and our road bikes coped admirably, although Keith was taking no chances on his mountain bike!   The ascent of Shere Road was slipped in to give a bit of relief from all the rough stuff!

Lunch was served with the usual efficiency at Godalming Wetherspoons and we then set off  via Mount Browne and the towpath to the Wooden Horse, eventually ending up at Ripley for tea after a quirky route to Jacobs Well and the A3 path.   With another two off road sections from lunch to tea and the two I also rode to 11's and from tea, that makes nine in one club ride (including two sewage works paths). Is this a record?

Sunday 1st October

Irene, Lilian, Alan, David W, Ed, Graham, Paul, Terry and Vic met at West Clandon Garden Centre in unpromising weather conditions. Alan and Graham came no further. To avoid a muddy track and wrath of party I chose to go to the outskirts of Guildford, then turned south into Tangier Road. This led to One Tree Hill Road and a duplication of last week’s route to Chilwoth. Irene left us here. A fairly quiet run through Wonersh and Bramley brought us to the A3100 until we could turn onto the B3000 to Compton and Puttenham. After crossing the A31 another decision had to be made – Christmas Pie Trail or main road ? I opted for main road and a happy party. We had lunch at The Royal Oak, Wood Street which was good and generous. The landlord apologised for delay (not that bad) and hoped to see us again.

The weather was still fine when we left. Our homeward route was fairly straightforward – Aldershot Road, Gravetts Lane, Keens Lane and Cumberland Avenue led to Saltbox Road and Jacobs Well, then alongside the A3. A brief discussion unanimously decided Pinnock’s at Ripley would be ideal for tea, and so it proved, after which we made our separate ways home.

Thanks to all for company and tec (assorted), hope you all got home dry (better than we were led to believe).

Terry

Attendance Record - 1 Oct 2016 to 30 Sept 2017

Present or Absent?

The Cheam and Morden Attendance Year has now run its full course There are now no more points to be gained, however hard you try. Except of course that the record is still subject to audit and it is very tight at the top. There are gaps. For example, the scorekeeper was unable to identify the rider in a yellow top in the bottom right corner of the photo at Great Cockrow on 17 September. Stand up please and be identified. As the scorekeeper is no longer the diligent attender on every ride that he used to be, he now relies on a combination of ride reports and photographic evidence to fill in the blanks. He has in the past asked for help by posting comments at the end of ride reports. These are ignored. For some reason, the photographer rarely appears in the photo.

You are therefore exhorted to click on the C&M attendance tab on the blog and carry out your own audit, to ensure that no attendance of yours has been omitted. The responsibility is yours, even though that is unlikely to affect the final outcome. But let us be accurate. 

If there is any omission or inaccuracy please speak now or forever hold your peace. Today's ride (1st October) is the first of the new attendance year, so now is your chance to ride for glory - and a free lunch at the C&M annual beanfeast in the New Year.

The Scorekeeper.

Sunday September 24 2017

It was a lovely morning and a baker's dozen of us (Don Clarke, Bob, Vic, Graham, Ed, Lillian, Alan, Pam, Maureen, Jeff, Brian Bent, Ray Wren and me) met for elevenses at West Horsley.

Maureen, Jeff, Don, Bob and Alan didn’t join us for the rest of the ride and Brian left us en route. We ‘roughed it’, for the first time in a long while, over Merrow Downs to One Tree Hill then tackled the blind bends and ups and downs of Halfpenny Lane while alpacas gazed on impassively.  After Blackheath we made a short detour into the cemetery where Vic showed us a stylish cyclist’s grave.  The customary, benettled sewage works path from Shalford led us smartly to Wetherspoons at Godalming.

After lunch we stopped to regroup by Nightingale Cemetery in the dizzy heights of Farncombe.  Through the railings Ray noticed that, by an astonishing coincidence, we had stopped exactly opposite the grave of one John George "Jack" Phillips, senior wireless operator on the Titanic, and now honoured with the ultimate accolade by J D Wetherspoon, no less!

The onward route was by Littleton and Mount Browne to Guildford, very pretty but on reflection perhaps a little harsh given the climbing we had already done (my Strava said 831 metres of ascent for the whole ride home to home but this does include one footbridge).  Then it was straightforward stuff, dodging the main centre on the path between railway and cricket ground then taking the customary route to Ripley.   Many thanks to all for another very pleasant and trouble-free ride (barring the near loss of one valuable season ticket) in excellent company!

Dave W

17 September - Addlestone - Jeallots Hill - Great Cockrow

Well it wasn't the balmy late-summer ride that I'd imagined.   Sunday was a day for knocking the icicles off your bike before leaving the house - grey but thankfully windless.   We huddled in the Golden Café for warmth and nobody seemed in a hurry to venture out.  Eventually we set off leaving Maureen, Alan and Bob plus Margaret and Bill to return home from 11s.   Familiar roads through Lyne led to a risky detour through Wentworth - past the clubhouse in fact - trying to act as if we had left our golf clubs with the caddie.  But we got away with it, riding through across Ascot Racecourse to arrive at the New Leathern Bottle just before 1pm.    The pub looked strangely familiar - and then I remembered: we had been there on Neil's ride, only the previous Wednesday.  We were served good food very quickly, opting to sit indoors as it was still cold.


Then came the most dangerous part of the ride: climbing into the play tractor for a photo, before heading back through Maidens Green and Cranbourne towards Windsor Great Park, dodging the crowds around Virginia Water (the lake) and exiting towards Virginia Water (the village) on the way to Great Cockrow, site of the miniature railway.   Decision time: should we brave the outdoor café at Great Cockrow, or play it safe by going back to Addlestone?  The lure of the nearby café won the vote.  While we were there the sun came out for the first time, making it almost warm.  On the way home from tea we had a couple of heavy showers, which I hope most will have missed.    32 miles from 11s to tea: a very enjoyable day out, but definitely autumnal.

Welcome to Geoff Gregory who joined the C&M for the first time, and thankyou Geoff for back marking and taking photos.

Change of lunch venue

Please note.

The lunch venue next Sunday, the 17th, will now be the New Leathern Bottle Jealots hill. 

Tony..

Sunday 10th September 2017 Stoke D’Abernon - Guildford King's Head - Painshill Park Cafe

Nine greeted Pam, Alan and myself when we arrived at Squires GC for 11s. It was quite a dull day so we anticipated getting wet!!!  After Alan, Bob, Margaret and Bill left, eight (Simon, Ed, Terry, Pam, Vic, Graham, Brian Bent and I) started our ride to Guildford turning right out of the garden centre, over the railway bridge then left into Station Road. A first right into Bray Road led to River Lane and offroad into Downside. We continued on Chilbrook Road and Ockham Lane and over Hungary Hill. After crossing the A246, Staple Lane was climbed and Coombe Bottom descended to Albury and Chilworth before a right turn into Hornhatch Lane and over the level crossing. After Shalford Lane a right turn into Tilehouse Road led us to the Pilgrims Way. We used the cyclepath alongside the A281 into Guildford town centre. Finally the lowest part of the High Street and a right turn into Quarry Street brought us to the King's Head. There to greet us were Ray Wren, Vic and Ed. Unusually they serve sandwiches and baguettes on Sundays.

 

On leaving we walked through the lovely castle gardens which are a picture throughout the year. They are on three levels, flower beds lead up through a lovely tunnel to a second level where bowls were in full flow and then up to the top level which has a bandstand. A brass band was playing; it would have been great to have stayed a bit longer. We continued to the High Street and its cobbles and rode on past Stoke Park, and down to the cycle route on the A3. After passing the Jovial Sailor we turned right into Grove Heath Road and continued to Painshill Park and its lovely tea shop which stays open until 5 on Sundays. Although threating all day , rain didn’t materialise until evening.

 

Thanks everyone for making it a trouble free day and thanks for the company.

 

Irene

Sunday the 3rd September

Uxbridge-Seer Green-Cranford

I got to Hampton Court a tad early to find Ed already waiting with Graham arriving minutes later. Off through Hampton, Hamworth, Feltham  Bedfont and back roads to Colnbrook where Irene and Niall were waiting. Back roads again and Iver, Cowley and on to 11's the Rusty bike Cafe. Just after we arrived a friend of mine (John Hare) from Uxbridge arrived showing Mick (Furnival-Adams) the way to the cafe from Uxbridge station.

Tea-Toast, Coffee-Cake in the light Sun and off by 11. A nice little climb up to Iver Heath and past Pinewood studios. Fulmer, Stoke Common, Hedgerly and past the White Horse pub, a C&M favourite, and a loop round to Gerrard's Cross and back roads to Chalfont St Peter and a left turn into Welders lane and a brief stop outside Ossy Osbourne's estate and past Jordan's youth Hostel and onto lunch at the 3 Horse Shoes, Seer Green as the rain started to increase.

I had booked a table and we had a nice comfortable booth. Orders for drinks and food were taken quickly and arrived just as quick, 4 had the childrens roast (must be big children in Seer Green!) and 2 had soup. Off into the light drizzle to Chalfont Chllafont St Giles and into Bowstridge Lane back to Chalfont St Peter and the stiff little climb up Chiltern hill through a private estate. Then Denham lane down to Denham and past Sir John Mills old house and through the Golf coures back to Uxbridge. At this point Niall and Mick left us to take the direct route along the Uxbridge road to Isleworth and Kew receptively.

It was felt that Moniz cafe at Cranford was to far East for some so Vermeulens was the next choice. On reaching the cafe and finding it closed, it was only 3.50, Irene decided to head straight for home and Ed, Graham and myself headed for Ashford and a pub or cafe there. Graham left us just as we reached Ashford and Ed and myself found a Cafe Nero still open and settled in for coffee and cake. On leaving the drizzle still continued and me and Ed parted company, I headed for Bedfont and the Staines road nearly all the way home. In spite of the weather a pleasant day on the bike with a good crowd. 73 miles door to door.

Tony..

Sunday August 27

It was August Bank Holiday weekend and I had expected most C&M members would either be away or else sitting indoors watching the rain fall, so imagine my surprise then when no fewer than 12 arrived at Guildford to savours the delights of Wetherspoons!   Eleven wanted to continue to lunch and our route took us around the towpaths, footbridges and back streets of Guildford to Wood Street Village, and from there to the lanes of Wyke and Tongham then by the easy route over the Hogs Back.

The Barley Mow at The Sands has a very pleasant garden and it was the ideal day to enjoy it!   The menu and prices are somewhat quirky but most of us found something to satisfy.   After lingering over lunch we set off back towards Shackleford with Brian and Keith soon peeling off to make their own ways home.    The main group first took the pretty roads along the foot of the Hogs Back, then the cycle route to Compton which was reasonably passable given the recent rainfall.  After the stiff climb up to Guildford there was another parting of the ways.   Jeff, Paul and I continued to Ripley after traversing yet more of Guildford's footbridges and alleyways, with the rest following by another route.

Thanks to all for a very enjoyable day.

11's - Don Clarke, Vic White, Paul Day, Keith Rook, Graham Hill, Irene North, Ed Sharpe, Rachel, Bob Eberhard, Brian Greenwood, Jeff Tollerman, David Ward

Lunch - Vic White, Paul Day, Keith Rook, Graham Hill, Irene North, Ed Sharpe, Rachel, Bob Eberhard, Brian Greenwood, Jeff Tollerman, David Ward

Lunch Venue Change for Sunday the 27th August

The lunch venue has now changed to The Barley Mow at The Sands GU10 1NE

Dave.