A Group, 4 January

Cobham - Whitton - Richmond Park

A rather better photo of some of the Oceanides, the York House Statues or Naked Ladies

Attribution of photograph: Jonathan Cardy

My first idea for lunch from Cobham was to head for Guildford or Godalming but decided early January was probably not too popular with the masses, so leaving the welcoming British Legion at 11-30, 20 of us headed north east towards the metropolis.

Using the old Portsmouth road and turning left down West End Lane, it was a familiar route for many heading for lunch at The Winning Post on the Chertsey Road at Whitton.

From the area of Garson’s Farm it was left towards Walton on the Esher Road, then right into Molesey Road then left between Queen Elizabeth and Bessborough reservoirs to the Hurst Road. A right to Hampton Court, over the bridge to enter Bushey Park, all the way along Chestnut Avenue to exit at Teddington Lodge, then to the High St, right and left at the railway bridge along Waldegrave Road towards Twickenham, but left into Shacklegate Lane where Grant had a slow puncture; but with just a couple of miles to go, reached lunch without any problem, continuing to Fulwell Road A311, right and left into Sixth Cross Road and Hospital Bridge Road to turn right into Percy Road and the rear entrance to The Wining Post.

The proprietors had reserved an area for us and the service was quick and the quantity certainly adequate. After lunch we continued along Percy Road, past Twickenham rugby ground into Twickenham town and along the tow path to Richmond but not before a visit to view the naked ladies near York House. For those that missed this spectacle a photo by Jeff may accompany this report, over Richmond Bridge and up the hill to enter the park at Richmond Gate and to the golf course café at Roehampton Gate. Door to door for me it was a modest 47 miles but maybe more for others; not too many calories burnt but there is plenty of time in the future for that.

P.S. and I missed the rain.

Frank C