B Group Aprl 4th

A group of 15 of us set off from Cobham for the 21-mile devious route to our lunch spot, The Pelican on the Wey Navigation Canal at Addlestone - Liz, Carol, Terry, Norman, Les, Ed, Ed C and daughter Leslie (just arrived from Alaska for a 2-week holiday) on the tandem recumbent, John G., John Scott, Harold, Cliff, David, David A, and me, Gill leading. We took the Downside road out of Cobham, turning off on to the Drift Golf Course road and up to the roundabout at West Horsley. Following the line of the A246 we used the quiet back road, Blakes Lane, while it lasted, then back on to the dual carriageway to the turning for Clandon. We had had the wind behind us up until now but turning north we met the full blast of the icy NE wind and it was a chilly downhill ride to the Burntcommon roundabout just over the A3. Here we did a dog-leg off to the left and came into Send via Send Hill. Our route now took us across on Papercourt Lane to Pyrford and down to West Byfleet. Here we started the towpath section of the ride - beside the Basingstoke Canal then the Wey Navigation Canal. At Cox's Lock we crossed to the other side of the Canal, crossed the railway by a footbridge and were at our destination - The Pelican. At long last the sun was trying to make an appearance but not sufficiently for us to sit at the outside tables right by the waterside. By the time we emerged from the hostelry the weather had turned fine and sunny. We rejoined the Wey Navigation Canal at Town Lock, enjoying the warmth and admiring the beautifully mown lawns of the large houses on the other side. The last lap was along the Thames Path from Weybridge down to Hampton Court, still enjoying the sun and the pleasure of being by the water even if there was a bit of a headwind. Afternoon tea, with indulgence by those not restricted by Lenten pledges, was in the pretty courtyard at Lynda's favourite cafe by the bridge.

Gill Finlay