Here is the B Group report for last Wednesday.
It was less than a minute after leaving Elleray Hall that our 19 strong party took a wrong turning into a cul-de-sac (mea culpa). But we eventually found Bushey Park and, after cycling through it, emerged on the High Street at Hampton Hill. We took a combination of quiet side roads and off-road paths through Hampton and Sunbury and, by mistake (mea culpa again), found ourselves in the middle of the Hazelwood Golf Course. So we cycled across the fairway ( the riders at the back claim they were sworn at by golfers) to re-join our intended route at School Walk. We then passed through the villages of Upper Halliford and Charlton before cycling along the main A308 for a mile or so, next to the Northern boundary of the Queen Elizabeth Reservoir. (I understand that the Highways Authority owns the land around the reservoir. Could they not build a cycle path on reservoir land that would enable cyclists to avoid this dangerous bit of road?). We then cycled via Knowle Green to the riverside at Staines and on over the bridge to the Jolly Farmer, our lunch stop on the South side of the river.
Believe it or not, the pub had run out of draught beer, and the printed food menu was out-of-date. Nevertheless the food that was still on the menu was good value and most of us were served quite quickly. Unfortunately, it eventually became clear that lunch orders from 3 of our cyclists had failed to reach the kitchen. One of our number (Harry) cancelled his order and went without lunch. Another (Judy) received her re-ordered jacket potato, but left most of it because, in the rush to get it to her, it was largely uncooked.
After lunch we stayed on the South side of the river, taking the cycle path next to Chertsey Lane, and the path thru' Laleham Reach and Laleham Golf Course to Chertsey, whence we proceeded via Shepperton, Walton Bridge, and the Thames Towpath to tea at Hampton Court.
John Gould
It was less than a minute after leaving Elleray Hall that our 19 strong party took a wrong turning into a cul-de-sac (mea culpa). But we eventually found Bushey Park and, after cycling through it, emerged on the High Street at Hampton Hill. We took a combination of quiet side roads and off-road paths through Hampton and Sunbury and, by mistake (mea culpa again), found ourselves in the middle of the Hazelwood Golf Course. So we cycled across the fairway ( the riders at the back claim they were sworn at by golfers) to re-join our intended route at School Walk. We then passed through the villages of Upper Halliford and Charlton before cycling along the main A308 for a mile or so, next to the Northern boundary of the Queen Elizabeth Reservoir. (I understand that the Highways Authority owns the land around the reservoir. Could they not build a cycle path on reservoir land that would enable cyclists to avoid this dangerous bit of road?). We then cycled via Knowle Green to the riverside at Staines and on over the bridge to the Jolly Farmer, our lunch stop on the South side of the river.
Believe it or not, the pub had run out of draught beer, and the printed food menu was out-of-date. Nevertheless the food that was still on the menu was good value and most of us were served quite quickly. Unfortunately, it eventually became clear that lunch orders from 3 of our cyclists had failed to reach the kitchen. One of our number (Harry) cancelled his order and went without lunch. Another (Judy) received her re-ordered jacket potato, but left most of it because, in the rush to get it to her, it was largely uncooked.
After lunch we stayed on the South side of the river, taking the cycle path next to Chertsey Lane, and the path thru' Laleham Reach and Laleham Golf Course to Chertsey, whence we proceeded via Shepperton, Walton Bridge, and the Thames Towpath to tea at Hampton Court.
John Gould
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