B Group 18 September

Fairoaks – Frimley Green – Addlestone

Like Paul leading the A’s I thought the opportunity of starting far out to the West at Fairoaks was an opportunity not to be missed. So we went even further West!

However there was some dissension in the ranks before the start with Vic and Toni deciding they could do even better. We saw them 3 times – once when we were in the middle of nowhere we came across them - Vic had stopped because of a puncture – and then at lunch and tea. Vic, I think, wanted to see a mausoleum in Farnborough.

However for the rest of us (16) we got to The Rose & Thistle at Frimley Green at 1pm having covered 17 miles via some quiet back roads, passing through Stanners Hill, Burrow Hill and Valley End to Lightwater and Heatherside for a tour of housing estates before ending up in Frimley. As we had the time we went down to the Blackwater Valley path before turning off for lunch.

The pub had reserved the conservatory for us – the service and food, apart from a slight delay for a couple of us, was excellent.

Afterwards we did some climbing on to the Old Guildford Road with a bit of off-road at the top over Tunnel Hill (see photo) before dropping down into Pirbright.

Knowing that I had planned to go past Brookwood Cemetery, Bob suggested we cycle through it (as he put it “for a reality check”) and he led the way circuitously to the station.

During the afternoon a number decided to leave the group, some finding stations more attractive, and 4 of us arrived at Crockford Bridge Farm GC for tea. From Brookwood we had got there via the Basingstoke canal through Woking to West Byfleet and then Woodham and Rowtown – all very familiar territory.

I clocked the total distance as 30 miles. The rain held off. No traumas apart from a group of back markers who were momentarily lost on one roundabout – soon recovered.

My thanks to Liz and Rebekah for the photos, John acting as TEC and Bob for leading the diversion.

Peter T