B Group - 12th September

Eight set out from the aerodrome at 11:15. We’d had enough of the busy road through Addlestone and Ottershaw with its curiously impatient traffic so we were pleased to start out on the perimeter road which took us around the back of some sheds and into Youngstroat Lane much of which is a dirt path heading south towards Woking. We encountered a bridge across the Bourne which had a barrier at each end with notices advising that the bridge was out of action while the timbers were being replaced. The alternative was a ford which appeared to be about a foot deep so we moved the barriers, and carried on after replacing them where we had found them.
 
The next bit of excitement was a short stretch of the Basingstoke Canal as far as the little bridge which links the local Woking cycling trails Neptune and Triton across the canal and into Bridge Barn Lane.
 
From Wych Hill Lane we rode along the peaceful trail which follows the Hoe Stream followed by a dirt track across Westfield Common which put us back on NCN223 to Jacobs Well where we continued on the Clay Lane cycle path then through the Nature Reserve between the A3 and the Wey and Wey Navigation. Route 223 took us through Stoke Park. John Austin headed for home at this point in order to share grand-parental duties.
 
We rode up and down in the Downs, enjoying the descent of Halfpenny Lane from which it was a short run along the Dorking Road to the Percy Arms. We sat in a cosy alcove and had a good lunch. The sandwiches on their menu are of the increasingly popular formula which includes a choice of soup, salad or chips.

Six ways of saying 'cheese'

After lunch during which we had avoided a shower of rain it was a short run through Albury to he A25 then up to Newlands Corner. Vic finds this road to be rather dangerous and so having opted to ride up Combe Bottom we found him waiting for us near the top of Staple Lane. After regrouping at Newlands Corner we rode along the very tranquil Drove Road through the trees on the North Downs Way, collected Vic who had waited 11 minutes for us, and carried on through the trees to join Green Dene. After the numerous times we have cycled up Green Dene, Steph was quite overjoyed to have the pleasure of riding down it. And I think we all felt much the same.
 
After the bumps of Dirtham Lane we took our usual route through Great Bookham Common to Cobham where the three of us still on the ride convened at Bronte’s Café for the customary reward of coffee and cake.
 
At 13.6 + 14.7 miles this was quite a short one. However they were very enjoyable miles and there seemed no point to making it any longer.
 
Thanks to Peter Tiller who persevered with the process of copying my routes into his Garmin in order to become a most diligent back-marker. Thanks to Liz who shared the recce and helped to make some key decisions about the route and where to have lunch. Thanks to everyone for riding carefully and safely and for taking the rough with the smooth in their stride. What little rain there was was of no consequence.
 
~ Tim