B Group - 11th January

Changing the elevenses venue from Shepperton to Walton was no bad thing. The changed route was a similar length to the original and we were able to avoid an unpleasant roundabout and a couple of busy roads in the process.

Seventeen of us departed from Walton DC and headed straight down to the river path for a traffic free ride under Walton Bridge to join Walton Lane into Weybridge. After a short stretch along a footpath by the A317 we zig-zagged through the poets and into Addleston to cross the level crossing and turn left into Corrie Rd to pick up Liberty Lane for the bridge over the M25.
 
After Row Town and Woodham we crossed the Basingstoke canal into West Byfleet where Pam left us in order to attend a VCC lunch further along the canal in Woking with Bill and Margaret and her many other friends.
 
We meandered through Pyrford, Green and Village, down to Ripley, less than a mile along the main road, and left into Grove Heath Road and the countryside beyond. More meandering brought us onto the half roundabout to pick up the A247 south into West Clandon, arriving at the Onslow Arms at exactly 1 pm, a small miracle.
 
The Onslow Arms was a good choice of lunch venue. It is quite a posh pub and with that a high quality menu, a large, bustling and friendly staff who delivered our food quickly. A long row of tables had been lined up and laid out for us and the ambience was excellent. The sandwich and soup combo was a very good choice for many of us. This is a hugely popular pub and it is worth noting the risk for anyone turning up out of the blue expecting to find a free table. Even without a bike it is easy to get to, with Clandon Station just a few hundred yards up the road and Ray observed that for people in a hurry there is a small helicopter pad just beyond the car park.
 
After lunch, rather than riding along the A246 we headed back up the way we had come, turning off the busy main road and via Hungry Hill through Ockham to Cobham. The countryside was looking its best in the vivid winter colour produced by the late afternoon light. Several of us stopped for coffee at Bronte's Café (yes, it is spelt like that) in Cobham while others carried on to get home before dark.
 
It was wonderful that we had three C Group riders join us for the ride, Lizzie, Maureen, and Sandy. This more than compensated for a couple of defections to A Group.
 
Thanks to David for being back marker and to everyone for coming out on the ride. Though we did have to endure quite a lot of headwind, plenty of sunshine and the lack of any rain ensured that spirits remained high.
 
~ Tim