A Group to Puttenham, 21 April

What a lovely day for a ride in a 4x5.   Twenty riders gathered in various places around Bookham at various times, the leaders having to round up their flocks for the ride to Puttenham, with two different route options.  It was nice to see John Bassett, who came to elevenses to say hello and then returned home.  First off was Neil Warland's group, who chose the off-road route using the old Saxon drove road along the top of the Downs to Guildford, with a bit more off-road along the Christmaspie trail after lunch:

Great Bookham has a few things in its favour as a start location, riders visiting this for the first time may try Claire's cafe up from the loos, but it is not a cafe to repeat visit if you like good coffee, whereas the bakery down on the High Street does great coffee and Portuguese tarts. At 10:25 I went in search of two missing members of the group, they had chosen Claire's, and we set off a few minutes later. The weather was so much better than forecast earlier, and stayed surprisingly good through the day. I set a keen pace up Green Dene, then we had the offroad section. It was paths like this that led me last October to get my current bike with wider tyres, I can't say it was smooth, but it must have been a rougher ride for others. Exiting the trail at Newlands Corner was a wonderful view. We visited the memorial telling of the gift of Pewley Down lands by Friary brewery, next time we see their beer on tap we should get one and thank them. After Farncombe rail crossing we climbed the understated Farncombe Hill, ( really, only 10%!?). Then looking over the spires of Charterhouse I recounted something of their most famous pupil Lord Liverpool, Disraeli dissed Liverpool's Prime Ministership as 'Arch-mediocrity', but without his effective leadership, Abba could not later write "My, my - at Waterloo, Napoleon did surrender". Dave B. added one essential fact about Charterhouse - it was where Genesis got together. Nice lanes and views to Puttenham, especially Cuttmill Lake, the Good Intent service was again good and prompt, more great touring lanes getting close back to Ripley. Thanks Simon for a great route.

Cuttmill Lake

Newlands Corner

Second off was Ged's group, who chose the on-road option:

The road group five soon became four after Sebastian departed after Shere, leaving me in the company of Frances, Fiona and Janice to tackle the road route. We were forced to stop at the Farncombe level crossing, giving me the chance to mention the 10% Farncombe Hill ahead: at the top we caught our breath and agreed it felt steeper! A missed right turn at Hurtmore - on the way to Shackleford, was soon corrected, proving that two Garmin's were better than one! The sunny Good Intent garden was reached at 12.20pm for an early lunch. Frances and Fiona pressed-on at tea, leaving two for tea, shortly joined by Neil's group. After tea - and proving we were not just roadies, Janice and I crossed the bone-dry Prince's Coverts to Claygate on the way home.

Ripley roaders

Next came Dave Vine's group with more off-road, and a bonus bit of off-road that Ged's on-road group were very lucky to escape:

We left around 5 minutes late, and the climb up Green Dene warmed us up. After that initial exertion your route along the Downs was almost entirely downhill. Even those of us who are off-road sceptics, including me, could agree that it was a nice change from busy roads, and the view from Pewley Down was superb. The final descent around Guildford Castle gives one the feeling of following an ancient trading route.

I can't say the later climbs through Farncombe and up Suffield Lane were welcome but we were in Puttenham just after 1pm, which I think was on-schedule. All our food arrived quickly, except my sandwich which disappeared into a black hole somewhere between the pre-payment and the kitchen. Eventually it emerged, but I fear we delayed your group's departure as I saw that you were obliged to while away the time with coffees in the sunshine.

After lunch we struggled with lactic acid and the gradient of Wanborough Hill and soon appreciated why our morning progress had been so easy, as the lively NE wind set in. No matter, we plugged on. Denied access to Chitty's Common by a huge truck delivering building materials we took local advice and rode a boardwalk across the common. A photo would have been nice, but I think we were all concerned not to fall off into the alligator swamp below.

After that excitement it was just a case of hiding from the headwind as much as possible. Nobody fancied tea by the busy Ripley High Street, though the Bakery was tempting for some, so we parted company for home.

Thanks to Sue and Gina for their company. Neil backmarked when he wasn't up front keeping the wind off me, when Dave took over. Finally, Jackie couldn't be with us today, but hopefully will next week.

Pewley Down

... but I had saved the cream of the riders for my own group: Pete B, Alan, Brian and David F tackled the off-road route, which was so dry that it was a bit lumpy in places.   We had to stop once or twice to make sure no bits had shaken loose, from us or the bikes.  Gently downhill all the way from the top of Combe Lane to Pewley Down - ah, we could imagine how the Saxon shepherds would have followed ye olde lambs frolicking on the way to market.   Then a vertiginous drop past the castle into Guildford - maybe they just rolled the sheep down that bit?   We were almost at lunch, but I know how keen the A group are, so the route didn't take the first signposted turn to Puttenham, nor the second.  A meandering route, in the vertical direction as well as the horizontal, allowed us to work up an appetite for lunch.   As we arrived we just saw Ged's group disappearing up the slope away from the pub.

The Good Intent seem to have it all worked out well.  Lunch was swiftly served, and we were thinking about going, but there was a problem.  Dave's group were being entertained by a story from Neil C.   In order to preserve a polite distance from them on the road, we ordered some coffees.   Drank them.   The story was still ongoing, but it finished shortly after that; nobody was in a hurry it seems, and it was a lovely day for sitting in the garden in the sunshine.   Suddenly! Just as we left a fierce headwind sprang up, and we had to battle with it all the way home.  After our lunch we were riding powerfully and we were soon overtaking lorries and cars as we climbed up the steep slope over the Hogs Back.  (The traffic was stationary.)   We luckily avoided Dave's detour into the alligator swamp, as the delivery truck was just leaving, and headed back to Ripley, arriving just in time to place our last orders before they closed for tea.   

Newlands Corner

Pewley Down

Thank you to our co-leaders for their help in making a successful day, and to Brian who back-marked for our group, something which he said was easy with a small group, but it is still reassuring.  Also to Mark who showed us the drove road route in December(!) 2016.