B Group Aug 8th

From New Haw I (Terry) led Francoise, Gill, Liz, Cliff, David V, Frank H, Johns G and M, Les, Neil, Norman, Phil L (to lunch) and Robin through West Byfleet to turn right into Floyd's Lane and then a new (to me, at least) bridleway, Sandy Lane. I hope others apart from me remained unstung by the nettles. Through Pyrford, down Send Hill and along the very wet Potters Lane to the cycletrack alongside the A3 we rode, turning right onto the cycletrack to its' end, passing anti foot and mouth precautions at farm and field entrances. Peace and quiet briefly as we rode along Stringers Avenue, then north on the A320 until soon turning into Burdenshott Road and Smart's Heath Lane. Continuing north we took to the Basingstoke Canal towpath at Hermitage bridge, leaving at Brookwood bridge. Shortly we found our road was closed, for resurfacing, but cyclists can usually get through, can't they ? The roadworks ended just as we turned into the Broadway, Knaphill, and soon we arrived at The Castle Grove, Chobham, for a good, reasonably quick lunch. Afterwards we briefly retraced the morning's route, soon turning into Carthouse Lane. Just before reaching a roundabout Francoise and I (and others?) witnessed a most unusual incident. A magpie was squawking loudly whilst hopping up and down in the road, meanwhile a terrified weasel was running to and fro, about three weasel lengths at a time. Eventually the weasel shot off to the left to hopefully live another day or two whilst the magpie flew off as we approached. We soon joined the Basingstoke Canal towpath at Horsell and headed east, leaving it at Sheerwater. Very little wildlife was noticed near the canal but there was a lot of lilies in bloom. Back through Pyrford we soon arrived at Ripley for 3s at Watson's then most people went home via Wisley airfield (to avoid the newly loosely resurfaced Ockham Lane) and Cobham. A very pleasant day (did the sun ever disappear for more than a few moments?), the route was mostly over familiar roads but in the opposite direction to 'normal'.
From Terry