B Group 12th January

The Water Babies

Eighteen of us set off from Hersham against a forecast of continuous heavy rain, which, in the event, didn't come to much. Not that there was any shortage of water, or indeed mud for that matter, but at least the snow has gone.

Looping through Esher we set off towards Claygate down Esher Park Avenue before picking up the bridleway at the end of Arbrook Lane. It was pretty muddy, so at Copsem Lane we returned to the tarmac and nipped under the A3 to Sandy Lane. Briskly down to Cobham, then along to River Lane for the next piece of bridleway. However, since my recce on Monday the River Mole had got very much larger, and now encompassed several fields as well as the path. I had a quick look at it, but it was hub deep in seconds, so back we all went through Cobham and up Plough Lane. Plenty of water there too, with flooded fields and one passage of water across the road - but not deep enough to stop us, this time.

Rising ground past Ockham was welcome, and we picked up some time along Rose Lane - still very wet - and were in Ripley in good time for lunch.

The Anchor was our destination - it was a very famous cycling pub in the 1890s, when it is said that Mrs Dibble and her daughters would serve lunch to four hundred cyclists on a Sunday, in two sittings of two hundred. Presumably you didn't get a lot of choice. The church next door has memorials to them, paid for by cyclists.

We were made welcome and had a small, pleasant room hung with old cycling prints. We could just about cram in and were served quickly enough - while we waited we looked at the prints and marvelled at the 1899 board game 'Wheeling', which is a race from London to the 'Anchor' - there are some pictures above. It looks a bit like 'Monopoly' with bikes.

We were back on the road by two, which we needed to be to be sure to finish in daylight, and there was some worry at first as we approached the Wey weir - it might be flooded, too. But no, a couple of sluice gates were still closed so it was fine. Steadily along through Pyrford past Brooklands towards Weybridge, then down Thames Street to the Thames path, after which it was plain sailing (well, it was pretty wet ...) to East Molesey where we took our tea at Five on The Bridge.

We told them to put it on Lynda's bill, and they seemed fine with that.

29.6 miles at a steady 10 mph. 1327 calories, which probably just about balances out for the day.

A good ride with a good group.

Mark