B Group June 29th

A large (by Redhill standards) group of 17 set off but when we regrouped by the East Surrey Hospital roundabout only half of us were there. It seemed that Ray had fallen when navigating the construction works on the path but no damage done and soon he and the rest of the group rejoined us. Meanwhile the A group had appeared and we let them go ahead.

So on to Outwood for a photo stop by the windmill where the A group appeared again from behind. We set off through Horne, soon to be overtaken again by the As in Bones Lane. Here our paths diverged as we went south down East Park Lane where Steph left us for an early return. Stubpond Lane was bumpy in parts and Tuesday’s storms left one muddy patch but it was soon over and we burst out of the trees to the shore of Hedgecourt Lake. Then it was tarmac all the way, crossing the A264 at the end of Mill Lane and through Crawley Down to the Red Lion at Turners Hill for a very pleasant lunch.

After lunch we enjoyed the descent past Tulley’s Farm towards Copthorne and then before Smallfield we turned into Cross Lane and on to Cogman’s Lane crossing our morning route at Outwood. Here Terry and Pam took the direct route home and we tackled a few more hills via South Nutfield and up Fullers Wood Lane to cross the A25 and drop down into Merstham. The short stretch of the N Downs Way between the Mole bridge and Gatton Bottom proved very treacherous after the rain and led to a second fall – this time John ( not G, the other one!) was the unlucky one. Norman may have been very wise to stick to the road. Ten of us made it to tea at Fanny’s Farm, 32 miles from elevenses in perfect weather.

To see the route go to:

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/39391612

Brian

Easy Riders June 29th

There were a lot at Molesley Day Centre today. We left behind, the Squirrels, Albert, Bill H., Dennis and the remainder 16 of us headed for Hampton Court. Making our way towards Thames Ditton, the train barrier was down, and taking a long time; so we continued on the cycle track by the side of the road and took the following left. After Long Ditton, Hook and Chessington we went the back roads to Longmead, then Manor Green Road to The Cricketers at Shamley Green. They have had a refurbishment and their first opening day was today. In fact, the painters were still there. As we got there about 12.30 we managed to get a couple of tables outside. It soon filled up, so we were in good time. They are doing offers of 2 main meals for 9 and £10. After lunch, some went the quick way home; and I continued with the ride, going over Ashtead Common up to Ashtead Park, then behind Epsom Hospital to have tea in The Pantry at Nonsuch Park. This cafe has also had a refurbishment and is very comfortable now, and selling fine wares. Not a drop of rain, which made it a pleasant day to cycle, after the downpour of last week!

Lynda.

A Group 22 June

Weybridge - Wood Street - Ockham

Rain? What rain?

Hazel Road - scene of Terry's downfall

Hazel Road - as seen by Google Streetmap

A Group June 22nd

Well it stayed dry until Elevenses; after that it got noticeably damper! A dozen set off the "A" ride; no frills on a day like this so we headed through Addlestone (long delay at the level crossing), Ottershaw and past Fairoaks Airport. Sandpit Lane took us to Chobham then it was Bisley, Pirbright and eventually the Royal Oak at Wood Street Village before one.
On another day the service might have been regarded as tardy but nobody seemed keen for the restart. In the continuing and steady drizzle we returned via Guildford (where Terry's knee took a scrapping in an ill-filled trench near Jacob's Well), and then in improving conditions along the A3 to Ripley (where Paul punctured) and Ockham Bites (alfresco). To my disgust the roads were almost dry as I rolled into the Royal Borough – about 50 miles door to door.
From Graham

B Group June 22nd

Rain forced a lunch at the Stepping Stones, Westhumble rather than Brockham. New carpets and upholstered chairs means dripping cyclists are not made overly welcome but once we were seated at some distance from the furnishings the food was good. Robins route would have given us great views once we got up onto Ranmore as we descended on the now tarmaced path through the vineyard.
Steph

18 set off from Weybridge. Going south passed the station then Brookland Road to Redhill Road and right to the Wisley Interchange giving shelter to don waterproofs. Then along Pointers Road passed Effinghan Junction and East Horsley. By now the rain looked settled in for the day, so some set off home some for Leatherhead and the remaining hardy group continued up onto Ranmore Common towards Dorking I had to cancel the booked table at Brockham. Down past Denbies. Cut the ride short back to The Stepping Stones six see Stephanie’s photo, making it for lunch, the management made sure we sat on wooden seats not to spoil their regency upholstery. Still raining to Leatherhead where the rain eased off and we headed home. Ah well so be it for a mid summer solstice ride.
Cheers Robin.

Pre Dieppe Raid etc.

After reading the excellent reports from Toni and Lisa I thought it is worth mentioning the Gite that six of us stayed on the Friday arranged by Lisa which enabled us to tour the area part of which was near the 'Dieppe Raid' route.

Brian in the cottage photo was the morning leader of our trio which included Simon our afternoon leader,I was in the wake but very much awake to keep most of the time on the wheel.

Our elevenses stop was the same as the main S'westers group and was able also to enjoy the sunshine whilst watching riders going through including Keith Butler ,we having passed earlier.

With the brisk pace we arrived at the same lunch place as last year in good time to enjoy and proceed to the finish also in good time but slowed up a little by my pace. Simon and Brian looked after me and we eventually finished in good time to enjoy refreshments at a pattiserie and subsequently further refreshments in a pub.

The rest of quite a long day was spent at the prizegiving and the dinner at the Windsor,a very worthhile day's effort.

Ray

The Dieppe Raid 2011 - another viewpoint

Sunday dawns bright and sunny and continues pleasantly comfortable for the day – despite intermittent rain-drops all afternoon. Eighteen “Sou’ Westers” set off to up the climb away from the HQ in the town, shortly to become A & B groups of 3 and 15 respectively. We all agreed to meet at the HQ at 8am ready to leave asap and sadly Norman failed to leave the hotel early enough to ride with the groups, despite being one of the first down to breakfast.

Well done B team who kept together all day (well almost) at a comfortable pace, resting and waiting when required and stopping for coffee at Quiberville. A difference of opinion between the route sheet and the map in the HQ was settled when the painted arrows on the road agreed with the written instructions. However this year the 100km route seemed to have been waymarked by a man with a red spray can (marking the 140km and 200km routes and the 100km - where they coincided) as well as the man with the orange spray can for the 100km route only. By this time the confidence in the arrows led us to follow red arrows to the right where the printed route sheet actually indicated left, which ultimately led to some head scratching when we arrived at a T junction with a right turn and were faced with an orange arrow coming from the opposite direction and pointing to the left (our right). With a typical Gallic shrug we went right, back on the correct route.
 

Here Susie had a soft tyre and the group halted to pump it up before regrouping. As we homed in on the lunch spot - along the Avenue Vert at St Aubin le Caux - Susie’s stop to pump the tyre again went unnoticed by the group and we left her just as the valve tore from the tube and she could have done with help. Fortunately she was rescued by "three young lads" (all over 70!) and brought safely to the lunch stop, arriving just as the now refuelled group began to realise she was missing.

The group thinned again after lunch as 3 more peeled off, deciding to follow the ex-railway line that the Avenue Verte uses and head for home on the flat - while the rest headed up a long steady climb where Maggie punctured near the top, providing a relaxing stop for the group in the sunshine despite the drops of rain, while super-domestique Mark expertly fixed the puncture. This was a new Maggie, as we have never seen her on a solo before.

An afternoon stop on the easy run in to Dieppe was enjoyed by everyone and we checked in back at the HQ with plenty of time until the prize presentation. In the meantime we went our separate ways looking for a beer, an ice cream or a TV (to watch Bradley Wiggins secure his victory in the week-long Critérium du Dauphiné race which is seen as the precursor to the Tour de France each year – like Queens is to Wimbledon). Or all three!

The prize presentation saw the Sou’Westers called up a number of times: firstly we received the trophy for the most attenders – 21, Eric Ashford was awarded a trophy for being the “plus moins jeune” male rider at the shorter distances, Irene received “a crap trophy” for the same as a female rider at the 100km distance and would have cheerfully left it behind in the hall. Rob and Ruth received an award for completing the ride on tandem and the group also received a trophy for 2nd or 3rd (the announcements were a bit hazy at times) at the number of kilometres covered .

Once again we enjoyed an excellent – if nouvelle cuisine – meal at the Windsor Hotel on the Sunday night to round off the weekend, with many of the group carousing well into the night.

When we booked from the English side of things there was no indication of a Mountain Bike route in addition to the other distances, but the green arrows marked VTT (Velos Touts Terrains) leading up some interesting hillsides were evidence that there was an MTB ride.

Participants:

Pete & Lisa, Lynda, Liz, Susie, Rob & Ruth, Mark & Maggie, TonyH, Pam, Irene, Beatie, Cliff & Maureen, Brian, Simon, Ray, Eric, Norman

Mark's Ride 15th June 2011

Lunch at the White Horse near Newhurst and tea at the Court Dorking refreshed for our rides home.

Dieppe…. A detour to the Somme

Dieppe…. A detour to the Somme On our way home from Dieppe, Ray and I called in at St Valery sur Somme where a preserved metre gauge steam train runs around the estuary to Le Crotoy on the other side. The area is popular with cyclists and has several marked routes leading from both towns. We took the train to Le Crotoy ( bikes are carried free in the “fourgon” or baggage van ) , had lunch and then rode a 10 mile circle to Les Bout des Crocs using one of the routes and returning via the lanes. Then we chased the afternoon train back to Noyelles and St Valery using the cycle track parallel to the D940, which is crossed twice by the train. For more information about cycling in the area see http://www.baiecyclette.com/En/default.php Brian Greenwood

Dieppe Trophies

Dieppe Raid 2011

Dieppe Raid 2011

My first away trip with the Wayfarers(Sou’Westers). Cycled down to Newhaven on Friday the 10^th with Simon Lambourne and spent the night in Telscombe youth hostel and were guided across the Downs to a pub called the Spanish Lady for some food and rehydration by two Kingston Cycling campaign guys also on their way to the Raid. They also supplied drinks back at the youth hostel, very resourceful!

 We all caught the Dieppe ferry the next  morning and met Rob and his wife on their tandem. Once in Dieppe we checked in for our meal at the  Cafe des Tribunaux and sampled the wine, very nice.  We then had our climb up to our hotel, the Formula 1, which meant cycling up the Avenue Leon  Gambetta, phew,  and with fully laden panniers.

We met up with the Wayfarer group for an evening meal  of moules and plenty of wine! Then the cycle back up to our hotel. We did mange breakfast at the Hotel La Plage with a large Wayfarer contingent before a ride to the start of the event.

The Raid was a fantastic event with the route being marked by spray paint on the roads. The scenery was great, with climbs and sea  views through lovely quaint villages, past chateaus, along part of the avenue Verte with a lunch stop and finally ending back in Dieppe with ice cream on the beach and off to  the prize giving. The French obviously like trophies as there was a large table overflowing with them  and it was a large table! The wayfarers bagged a good amount!   

After another ride up the Avenue Leon  Gambetta and change into casual attire we caught a cab down the  Hotel Windsor for the dinner.  After a very nice meal with great company and lots of Whisky we eventually retired to bed (via a lengthy wait for a cab!)

Monday was spent around Dieppe drinking, eating and sightseeing before catching the ferry back to Newhaven and the ride back to Telscombe.

Up early on Tuesday to meet Pam and Irene in Lewes for breakfast and a leisurely ride home via elevenses at Hayward’s heath, lunch at the Dragon pub at Colgate and afternoon tea at Denbies and indoors just after 6pm. What a great weekend! Would certainly recommend it and would most definitely do it again!

Follow this link to photos of the weekend.

 Dieppe Raid 2011

Tony..

A Group 15 June

Henfold - Maplehurst - Dorking

I wonder what he's got in mind for us?

A Group 15th June

Mid June, but grey and not all that warm when I arrived at Henfold. Jeff was comforting himself with a bacon sandwich and as we chatted Wayfarers began to arrive, singly and in small groups. There was some lack of clarity as to whether it should have been a nine o'clock start at Cheam or not (it should); but in the event it made little difference as most were there by eleven.

Heeding Vic's strictures to boldly go, ten of us set off South, bound for Maplehurst, which as far as I know we have never visited before. The plan was to ride at a brisk pace on the outward leg, which was undulating rather than hilly, and then to ride at a steadier pace on the return leg, which was rather the reverse.

So, fast through Newdigate, Rusper (where Dan peeled off - he only had time for a short ride), Lambs Green, Colgate, round the edge of Horsham then down to Copsale, climbing the only serious hill of this leg, and into the White Horse at Maplehurst. It's an old-fashioned and pleasant pub and we sat together in the conservatory at the back. Spot on time the light shower that the BBC had promised for one o'clock turned up, but it made little difference to us, and had mostly passed by the time we finished lunch.

Up the road to Nuthurst, then Mannings Heath, before another shot at Horsham, which is pretty hard to avoid in this part of the world. But we were soon on quieter roads heading for Rowhook Hill, and then took the rolling road through Walliswood and Forest Green at a good pace.

Now we were ready for the test-piece of the ride - Tanhurst Lane. The hills looked pretty menacing, with clouds around the tops, and we committed ourselves to the stygian gloom of the climb. In the conditions it wasn't easy, with a poor surface and run-offs from steep banks making it slippery so that very great care was needed to keep traction. If you got out of the saddle to power up a steep section the rear wheel span at once.

By the time we got to the top we were in the clouds and it was wet. But we were heroes, and, anyway, tea in Dorking was only a ten-minute blast away.

Well, almost. Four of us gathered, slightly anxiously, at the bottom of Coldharbour Lane, which had been descended at significant pace. Where were the others?

A call to Graham and smiles all round - it was just a puncture and they would meet us in the cafe.

So, by four o'clock, a happy band was in the Courtyard Cafe, Dorking, consuming some self-congratulatory cakes and plotting future rides ...

40.5 miles elevenses to tea; rolling average 12.8 mph; 2125 feet of ascent; maximum speed 39 mph and 1814 calories.

Mark

Thoughts on Midweek Rides - by Vic White

After 20 years of riding with the Wayfarers I'm finding it a bit same-y. We start from the same places, meet at the same venues and ride to wherever we can get to by lunchtime. These are the group conditions we accept, so that if we want something different we must do our own thing some other day, which I guess most of us already do. However, I think there is still some scope for variety on Wednesday rides.

I drew distribution diagrams of the invariable factors. Where we all live is not likely to change soon. I found that all the addresses on the current membership list are within nine miles of Berrylands Station, not too far from North Cheam, where rides start. The current elevenses venues are dictated by availability and suitability for invasion by large groups of cyclists. These too are not likely to change soon. All these places are within 12 miles of a different focus east of Leatherhead at Highlands Farm (TQ 186560) As for the lunch places of the last two years, we have another centre point, near Epsom at West Park Hospital (TQ 185610) Rides can go in any direction but only to where groups can manage by lunchtime, say 12:30 to 13:00 hours. The outer perimeter of this lunch domain is at 23 miles from West Park but we don't often achieve Wisborough Green to the south or Hedsor Hill to the north. I think we do pass the 13 mile mark most weeks otherwise we might as well stay at home.

A circle of 23 miles radius gives us a territory of nearly 1700 square miles to explore, which ought to be enough. This is diminished by the proximity of London, so that we hardly ever use the northeast quadrant of our circle, but it can be done. I have been on a couple of rides on cycle tracks through public spaces up to the river, but it takes a leader with the knowledge to avoid too much map reading, and a deal of forward planning.

Most of our area is covered by free cycling maps, which can usually be found in Kingston. The 14 London maps are in the Tourist Information office in the Market Place, the 8 Surrey maps in Reception at County Hall or you can ring 0207 222 1234 for London, 08456 009 009 for Surrey. There’s also a wealth of information to be found free pamphlets from local libraries and local Council Offices. From old diaries I can see that we used to lunch at Shamley Green, Hambledon, Faygate, Baynards, Puttenham, Ockley, Fickleshole, Castle Grove, Elstead, Tilford, Farnborough, Fulmer and Horsham (at this point I closed the diary). Some of the leaders of those times have retired, and there are too few people taking their place.

I would urge more of our newer members to make the effort to lead at least one ride a year. Get a map at 1/50,000 to 1/100,000, mark out circles as described above and look for likely lunch places. Do a reconnaissance ride, time yourself, go in to the pub to see if their menu is good enough and get their phone number. Offer to lead a ride. For one day at least you can be the most popular person around, especially if you are the only one who knows where you are. Be sure to get the group back in time to have a pleasant teatime before a leisurely ride home. This is meant to be an occasion for conviviality, not a try-out for a road race (you really wouldn't like it).

Easy Riders - 8th June

I led from the Bradbury Centre, Beryl, Sandy, David,Malcolm, Fuzz, Mark, Ron. We made our way to Fassete Road & along Maple Road and Balaclava Rd, then we made our way onto Hinchley Wood then onto Arbrook Common.

Then through Blackhills to Portsmith Rd, then onto the back roads to Cobham to the Running Mare for lunch.

We had a nice lunch, as we came out of the pub it started to rain, we made our way back to Arbrook Common, then Claygate, to the Kings Centre at Chessington - on Wednesdays it's half price.

Roger M

8th June B Ride

It was a day of two halves. Before lunch, hills; after lunch dead flat.

12 of us set out from Dorking. Up Ranworth road to Ranworth Common, 450 feet of ascent. The compensation was increasingly good views to the south. Down and up another 300 feet of ascent. Then almost due west switching from tarmac to track on the North Downs Way. It was lovely through the sunlit woods and we stopped at Newlands Corner to admire the view which was indeed terrific. Hopefully Stephanie will post the photos she took (below). We bumped onwards to Guildford, a round trip of the town to discover the castle, started by William the Conqueror. We admired the remains which, as the estate agents would put it, would benefit from some restoration. Then a nice pub – the Kings Head – and a leisurely lunch. It started to rain three milliseconds after we arrived at the pub and stopped three milliseconds after we left. 

Ray left us here saying that vinyl was more important than cycling. Then north along the Wey Navigation, through charming countryside. As we went we saw enormous black clouds but none rained on us. My plan had been to go along it all the way to the Thames but the pissed-off-ness with the towpath gradually increased until the majority view prevailed and we turned off onto a proper road just south of West Byfleet. At West Byfleet a division occurred. A sugar-depleted couple stopped for some very nice carrot cake, the others fled homewards.

Bernard

B ride on Wednesday 1st June

Today the ride was a close repeat on one in early January, but this time the 30 riders had hazy sunshine and light following winds with a temperature around 20C. We went over Great Bookham Common past the restored ponds and up the Mole valley to Headley Lane and the steady climb up to the Cock Inn. 29 sat down to a meal and drink in the sunshine outside punctuated by a lady falling down some steps and a slow puncture for Mick.

Speeding down the hills we crossed Epsom Common and continued down past Horton Country park, a bonus for legs tired after the earlier climbing. Several peeled off before the tea stop at Ditton in Squires Garden Centre and the remainder had to negotiate what smelled like a sewage leak in the underpass on the A3 slip road. Disgusting!

From Cobham the distance was around 23 miles, but I did 40 from my home which was quite enough for me.

Thanks to Gill for being the back marker, being at the back she did not lose the rest after her experience the week before.

Harry Cole

The Road Under The Sea

On our way to Dieppe, Maggie and I spent a few days on the West Coast of France. It's mostly very flat, intricate byways amongst salt-marshes. Easy riding but enjoyable. One of the rides we did was to cross the Passage du Gois, a road that joins the island of Noirmoutier to the mainland.

It's a very ancient road, not surfaced until the 1930s, and it is only passable for about three hours each tide. The rest of the time it's under the sea - about ten feet under at high tide. There are towers you can climb to wait if you misjudge it, but it would be quite a long wait, and your car wouldn't be much use afterwards.

From a cycling point of view, the interest is that the Tour de France starts there on the 2nd July. It has crossed the Gois once before, in 1999, when the Swiss favourite Alex Zülle crashed on the slippery Gois and lost forty seconds. He never recovered this time, and came second to a young American called Armstrong, taking his first Tour win. The rest, as they say, is history.

Mark

Dieppe Raid - 100km

A good turnout from the Wayfarers at Dieppe today - the 100 km ride was done by two parties, a small group of whippets involving the ever-speedy Ray and a larger, more stately group led by Pete that took time to enjoy the countryside.

The Cyclo-Club Dieppoise, our hosts, had set out an excellent route again this year, interesting and challenging without being exhausting. The route was largely well marked, though there were one or two junctions where the man with the red paint and the man with the orange paint had different views. It didn't matter - they all led to the same place - lunch at St Aubin le Cauf and a finish back at Dieppe with many raffle prizes for the entrants.

Our thanks to all involved in the organisation for a great weekend - many more photos and tales to come when the main party returns.

Mark

A Group 8 June

Dorking - Tisman's Common - Dorking

Stop to admire a des. res. near Ewhurst Green

Today's ride caught me, not for the first time, in two minds. Should it be a longer ride, as we are so close to Midsummer's Day, or a shorter ride, as there was a bi-weekly KPRC Wednesday evening TT, which reduces numbers? On the way to Dorking, a few drops of rain intimated that a shorter ride might be a wise decision. Who wants a long, wet ride?

In the event, an inquisitive gaggle of 11 opted to follow along the A25 to Westcott, before heading southwards and upwards along Logmore Lane to the crest of Coldharbour, where capes were donned. A downward swoop took us beneath Leith Hill to another decision point - Tanhurst Lane, safer to climb than descend. Discretion won the day, so it was a fast descent to the B2126 and Lyfield Lane. We stopped to admire a fine Georgian manor house in Lower Breache Lane, before pressing on to Ewhurst Green, then south to bypass Rudgwick and along Loxwood Lane to the Mucky Duck at Tisman's Common.

After a very satisfactory lunch it was due North, with a following wind, via Hornhill Lane, Cook's Hill and Baynards back to Ewhurst Green (interrupted with a rain stop), Cotton Row and Horsham Road to Holmbury St Mary. Pasture Wood took some by surprise, even without a chevron; then it was Leith Hill once more before the descent of Coldharbour Lane to tea at Denbies - Annies was just out of reach. The mileage tally Dorking to Dorking was about 40 miles.

Jeff

Scarlett Arms 1st June

'A' group ready to leave for another Surrey hill or two.

Ray

'A' group 1st June

Sixteen of us left Cobham in real summer weather making our way to Downside then under the M25 and railway to cross Bookham Common. Here at the junction Fetcam/Bookham we had caught up the 'B' group taking the Fetcham direction to our relief as they outnumbered us so we continued on to Little Bookham.It was not long before we were climbing White Down and true to form on this climb a split took place such that 4 or 5 of us arrived on the A25 at Rakes Lane approx 5 mins before the rest.It was not clear to me what caused such a delay but I believe Minoru shipped a chain.However Pete Barnard had returned for home as he had said he would earlier.


At this point I discovered that John Mason was on the ride plus a recent new member (the name escapes me now).John apparantly had not been out with the 'A's since Xmas and I was concerned that he may find the Surrey hills an ordeal after such an absence, but we did not have to wait that long whist he walked a long climb later on to Peaslake.


We arrived Walliswood via Holmbury St Mary and Forest Green in the estimated time I had given the Scarlett Arms Publican before we left Cobham, with the exception of Mike M and another of our riders arriving some 15 mins later ( no doubt Mike will give the story there).
A photo to follow


Leaving the pub after a quickly served and satisfying lunch adequit enough not to be handicapped climbing the forementioned climb to Peaslake via Ewhurst Green We reassembled at the high point with a good view from Radnor Road before descendig comfortably to Peaslake reassembling again and proceding to Hoe Lane, Rakes Lane ,A25 t0 Denbies Dorking. Most of us stayed out to tea including Mark G having decided to do White Down again but now the hard way.He even presented me with an Eccles cake ( presumably because I went into raptures about my previous experience of an Eccles cake), very generous, Mark, I should have medals with me to award where merit deserve.
We left Denbies our own ways still in glorious weather.

Ray

B Group June 1st

1st June "A" Ride

Ray our very capable leader in conversation with Vic after we descended White Down.

A Botanical question for Vic-what is it. It looked like a thistle but not entirely and was over 6ft tall with yellow flower heads a bit like dandelion?

Easy Riders June 1st

First Wednesday in June, sunshine and blue sky a very promising start to
the day.

I found myself with nine takers for my ride, all male as the girls had
once again decided to go with the “Bs” to hone their cycling skills ready for the Dieppe Raid. So it was that I left RBLwith Fuzz, Mark, Roger, Ron, Phil, John C, Nev, Malcolm and Bill Mathews.
We set off along Downside Road, over the River Mole and turned right into
Plough Lane. Plough Lane later joins Ockham Lane and we continued past the Black Swan and through Ockham passing the boarded-up Hautboy. Crossing Ockham Road we climbed up Guileshill Lane and then turned left on to Rose Lane. A little way along Rose Lane, we turned into Fox Way, a bridle path, which took us through fields and woodland to Jury Farm. Prior to the last foot and mouth outbreak this was a big dairy farm, now they have gone over to sheep farming, much of the accommodation for the dairy herd not needed now looks empty and semi-derelict. Leaving the
farm-yard we emerged on to Ripley Lane and turned right to head for West
Horsley. At Pincotts Lane we turned left and then left again along The Street, West Horsley for lunch at The Barley Mow.

We enjoyed lunch at The Barley Mow sitting outside under umbrellas to
shield ourselves from the sun.. Phil had taken himself off to eat his sandwiches as had Ron but they went in different directions and we
did not see either of them again. Roger decided that he ought to get attention for a bulge in his rear tyre so he headed for home by the most direct route.
Mark and Nev decided that they also should make tracks for home and skip
tea, as did Bill Mathews. I was beginning to think it was something I had said as my party was now down to three plus me.

The four of us took the road for Effingham Junction via East Lane, Ockham Road North and The Drift. It was then that John announced that he had a
puncture and insisted that we left him to it.
So it was that three of us made our way across Banks Common to the
tunnel car park on Bookham Common. From there we rode through the leafy avenues of Fetcham into Leatherhead for welcome cups of tea at the day centre.

After this short break we parted company and made our separate ways
home. Ron phoned me at home later unable to understand how we all missed each other but quite amused by the whole incident.

Mike W

A Group 1st June

June is here, and with it some proper Summer weather for Ray's sporting ride from Cobham to Denbies, with lunch in the garden of the Scarlett Arms, Walliswood.

31.1 miles at a moving average of 11.9 mph, good when you take the climbing into account. 2643 ft if you took the opportunity to cross White Down for the second time ...

Mark