A Group - August 10th

It seems that people ( mostly) do read the blog and more had arrived at Hookwood ny 1030 than we had in total last year. Eventually there were 14 of us setting off for Horsted Keynes , the largest group for a few years and it was good to see so many turn out.

Outward we followed the same route as last year, leaving Horley along Haroldslea to Smallfield and then Bones Lane and the A22 to Felbridge where the traffic gets heavier every year. We were soon back on country roads to Saint Hill and then a left for the long drag up Legsheath Lane. Hindleap Lane produced no deer to scare us this year though the ford at the bottom of Twyford Lane surprised a few fast descenders.

A good lunch and chat with the E Sussex followed on the green outside the Green Man. The food flowed steadily from the kitchen but with so many of us it was 2.30 before we left.

We quickly turned right down Church Lane to take the Sussex Border Path to Broadhurst Manor. My "benign" bit of offroad did start with quite a steep descent which some felt was not quite as advertised but we were soon on the flat track by the fishing lakes. From here the return tt Brockham was fairly direct through Turners Hill, Copthorne, Shipley Bridge and Horley. Eigth of us stopped at the Strood Green Shop and Cafe for tea where excellent cake and copious amounts of tea were served. A plaque on the wall remembered the work of the Beecham laboratories which used to be sited in Brockham.
Thanks to Colin for back marking and to all the corner markers.