A Group ride 17th October….Addlestone - Tongham - Walton-on-Thames

The omens did not look good as we arrived for 11’s at Addlestone, as everyone had ridden there through persistent drizzle, and the forecast was for more of the same for most of the rest of the day. So much for weather forecasters accuracy as we never saw another drop of rain for the duration of the ride once we had departed 11’s !!

Leaving Addlestone we proceeded along Stone Hill towards Chobham before turning off towards Fairoaks and then took the path along the side of the airport and across Horsell Common towards Woking, dropping down to pick up the Basingstoke Canal path just outside the town centre. We followed this through to Pirbright Bridge and then back onto the road, taking in Gole Road, Gapemouth Road and Mychett Place Road into Ash Vale and then down towards Ash itself.

A short diversion via the Blackwater Valley Path took us into Tongham and delivered us to lunch at The White Hart a few minutes after 1pm. Lunch took longer to arrive than we would have liked but proved to be worth the wait….decent sandwiches, chips and a pint of beer for well under £10.

The return journey was by a faster route through Ash Green, Pirbright Road, Fox Corner and Berry Lane before taking in the climb up Gorse Hill to Hook Heath. A quick whizz around the edge of Woking and Sheerwater before picking up the canal path again, depriving us of the delights on offer in New Haw and Addlestone, returning to the road just outside Weybridge, then a short ride through to tea at Walton.

41 miles, from 11’s to tea. Many thanks to Simon for back-marking, all those who marked corners on the way, and to our resident photographer Geoff !!