A Group 19 Feb 2014

A Group 19 Feb 2014
Weybridge - Woodside (Ascot) - Walton

Sadly, not the bright clear skies that I managed on my recce ride, but at least the rain held off, and the slight drizzle came over lunch.

The morning saw our group of 20 make our way on road along the Wey toward Addlestone then by Green Lane to Holloway Hill, through Chobham Common, then North through Windlesham to Ascot, then further North to Woodside a steady pace, gently rolling up hill ride with no real hills but enough rolls to know the legs had been working by lunchtime.

I'm not sure there is enough at Woodside to warrant its own place name, but there is a pub. Well, 3 actually! Of which the Duke of Edinburgh is by far the best. Good beer, good well priced food and excellent service - two long tables of 10 reserved for us in the restaurant area and first orders delivered seconds after we sat down. What might well be a group record - we arrived at almost exactly 1pm and left at exactly 2pm!

After lunch, a mainly downhill roll via Virginia Water to rejoin the outward route at the bottom of Holloway Hill, then on the Riverhouse Barn at Walton for tea. Some of the after lunch roads were not as cycle friendly as during the recce ride - memo to self to avoid these in future. Another memo to self, is that when Garmin routes join back on themselves at a point where direction changes confusion reigns. Thanks to Vic for advising a way out of that predicament!

32 miles lunch to tea. 57 door to door

Oh, and the Quiz question: The Royal connection is Oatlands Palace. Built by Henry VIII, with foundations partly of stone from Merton Abbey, transported via Wandle and Thames, and demolished after being sold following the execution of Charles I - the bricks being used to line the locks of the newly constructed Wey Navigation. Strange to think that the building materials were more valuable than the buildings!

Paul Kelly