Dull with light
rain sums it up; clearing skies were forecast but they didn't appear until I
was back indoors. It did not start well; in my haste to meet up with Rachel on
Kingston Bridge, I left behind my wet gear. So by the time we reached Cobham I
was damp. Already seasoned with the rains of recent days, my revised brew involved no
rough stuff, few hills and low miles (50 door to door) - heady enough to attract
riders not normally seen on "A" rides.
We started with
the familiar, Wisley airfield and gardens, West Byfleet. Then fun started as my
reconnaissance had been in fine weather and in the reverse direction (not recommended).
We joined the canal towpath at Sheerwater Recreation Ground much earlier than
intended and left it in the middle of Woking. After rounding the back of Castle
Grove (as was), we continued to West End. The A319 was busy but soon we were
waved across. After beating a hasty retreat at the unexpected sight of the
Bagshot bypass, we correctly took the second (rather than first) left which indeed led us to lunch at The Sun in
Windlesham.
Here food is attractively
priced so many forsook their bread with filling and opted for the more
substantial. The staff coped well with the 20 meals and
all were served within 30/40 minutes. Another worrying sign of times:
throughout our stay we were more than 80% of the customers.
If ignored a
"Road Closed" sign might have meant a second ignominious retreat so we rode past The Cricketers and Brickmakers to Highams Lane. Here I was momentarily confused - "Road
Closed" and "Diversion"! Opting to believe the latter we turned to Valley
End. I've always been puzzled by Steep Hill (which isn't) but at least we were
back on very familiar territory (Gracious Pond, St Peter's and Addlestonemoor).
Sheepwalk saw us into Shepperton and an hour in the Upper Halliford garden
centre rounded off the day. Home well before five.
The route without the mistakes!
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