Report for B Group - 30th March

John writes:

The second group, referred to as the 'thruppenny bits' set off after a pause for a puncture, in cooler but dry weather. It was known that the route would be challenging but it was good to experience the Surrey Hills after two very flat weeks. We travelled along quite a few new roads and several less used ones.

 

A big welcome to two new riders to the Wayfarers, and we hope to see Mick Arber and Matthew Radford again.

John A


Tim writes:

We only run two rides each year from Effingham and the challenge is to go somewhere beyond our customary B Group orbit. So, rather than lure anyone into a ride that was beyond them I advertised it as a challenging ride in the hills and published the route. Despite this, 17 riders signed up and after saying goodbye to Grant who had joined us for Elevenses, 19 of us, an assortment of old coins (or old coves) pedalled away from the Vineries and into the hills. Our group were the Halfpennies.

We started the climbing straight away, up Critten Lane and White Down Lane. On the descent Christina became too enthusiastic, and while the rest of us had turned onto Route 22 she had plummeted down to the A25 and sadly missed out on one of the highlights of the morning ride, The Abinger Roughs and the Broomy Downs which are a delight when it isn't raining.

Steph, Terry, Brenda, Ray, Tim

Terry, Steph and Dave in the wilderness

We paused at the memorial to remember Samuel Wilberforce, Bishop of Winchester and third son of the abolitionist William Wilberforce, who was sadly killed after falling from his horse in 1873.

We had hoped to reconnect with Christina at the foot of Hackhurst Lane, by the Abinger Hammer Clock but learnt that she had carried on to Gomshall. 

Arriving in Gomshall

Dave kindly zoomed along to Gomshall to bring her back onto the route to Peaslake. In the meantime the rest of our group turned into Rad Lane then Wonham Way which are a continuation of NCN 22. Although barely rideable in places it is a marvellous little alternative route to Gomshall.

We set a Southbound course to Peaslake where to our great joy we found Dave and Christina. We all climbed up Walking Bottom and Lawbrook Lane, zigged at Hound House Road and zagged along Barhatch Lane to pick up Greensand Lane so that we could visit Jelleys Hollow, to stop for breath and take some photos. Dave went down into the hollow to test the feasibility of a short cut down to Alderbrook but thought better of it. We all marvelled that Dave was riding his fixed-wheel bike on a day like this.

We were pleased to arrive at the Grantley Arms and to be accomodated indoors where it was warm and convivial. We ate well and the service was crisp and cheerful. After such a hard morning however some were left feeling that they could have eaten bigger portions.

After lunch Brenda left to catch a train in Guildford to ensure that she got home in time for her other plans. Ray who wanted to ride home to Shepperton also took his leave. We rode first to Blackheath (This Way/That Way) then up and over to Chilworth. The last serious challenge of the day was Halfpenny Lane, never great fun but we all survived the ordeal. We crossed the Merrow Downs and descended to the Epsom Road (A25). We were pleased to get off the A246 and take the Ripley Road towards Cobham, a somewhat nicer ride than the alternative from West Horsley.

Coming through the Merrow Downs

In Cobham we were lucky to find that Gails was still serving people and Steph kindly treated those of us who remained to our afternoon teas.

"Come on chaps, come and get your cake"

 

Thanks to everyone who joined the ride and made the most of it. I am always impressed that B Group can rise to the challenge of a hard ride like this even with a leader who wasn't sure he could manage it himself. It was excellent to be joined by two new riders, Mick and Matthew and we hope to see them again.

Thank you to John and Pete for subleading and conducting their teams safely around the course without losing anyone, and to all the numerous photographers who have shared their photos.

~ Tim C
 

Some photos from Pete's group, The Sixpences

The Abinger Roughs

Paula takes the hurdle

Pausing before the next big climb

The Basingstoke Canal

 I am planning to ride the length of the Basingstoke Canal in late April and I was wondering if anyone can shed some light on what to expect? I am familiar with the route from New Haw to Brookwood, but I am looking for is some advice on what the riding conditions and suitability of the tow path past Brookwood are? I know that in the past that the canal towpath fell away around Deepcut, has this been rebuilt? That the other end of the canal should be rideable from the A331onwards to Greywell? But not a lot more has come to light on the up to date conditions, ether on the internet or from talking to people. 

So if you have any info that would help, could you please contact me via email,  ryoulden1@gmail.com 

Ray Youlden

William Beech Masefield – an Unlikely Cycling Hero

While riding the Petworth Start of Summertime 100k Audax yesterday I paused at this memorial on the A283 Stopham Road just outside Pulborough.

 

On October 4^th 1940 the Reverend William Masefield, Rector of Stopham, was cycling along this road when he was attacked by a passing enemy fighter aircraft and killed. Apparently, he was trying to get a group of children to shelter in the ditch, but did not manage to save himself.

The memorial is quite well preserved, but there used to be an explanatory leaflet too, now disappeared, which is a pity as the story should not be forgotten.

 

Invitation to a B Group ride to Wonersh on 30th March

You are invited to join Pete, John and myself for a challenging ride in the beautiful Surrey Hills. We will be riding in terrain which is not frequently visited by B Group, including some very scenic off-road sections and some very narrow lanes.

There are two big climbs in the morning but we will take them at a pace everyone can sustain. With them there are some big enjoyable descents where the most important thing will be to slow down to a speed with which you feel comfortable.

Elevenses will be at the Effingham Vineries. Service is sometimes a bit slow if we are all there at the same time so allow yourselves plenty of time to get there. Our departures will probably be from 10:30 to 11:00.

Lunch will be at the Grantley Arms in Wonersh, a pub which recently received a most favourable review by A Group.

After lunch we will head back towards Cobham. The ride will entail some more climbing, including Halfpenny Lane, a scenic traverse of the Merrow Downs and a 2.5 mile stretch along the A246.

This is our route:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38569598

Please let me know by email or by private WhatsApp or Text message (07767 385 596) if you are coming and indicate if you have any preference for an earlier or later start.

Looking forward to seeing everyone

Tim

 

 

A Group Ride from Effingham to Dunsfold and Leatherhead, 30th March 2022.

With our summer schedule kicking-in, we've a slightly longer ride on Wednesday - 47.5 miles from elevenses to tea.

Elevenses is at the new venue of the Queen Stage, Effingham - recently opened on Wednesday, which should hopefully avoid queues experienced at the Vineries. https://g.page/the-queen-stage?share

Lunch is at the Sun Inn, Dunsfold, and tea in Leatherhead - at either Amici or Charlie and Ginger.

The Sun Inn requires pre-ordering of lunch. I'll send out details once you've signed-up.

Please respond by the normal deadline of 6.00pm Monday 28th March to gedlawrenson150@gmail.com

Your helpful sub-leaders are Frances and Brian, and they'll guide you on the following course:-

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/96221009

It's all road - apart from one very short section of narrow path (dry) to skirt the new bridge under construction over the Downs Link at Run Common Road (past Stroud Common).

Ged

Report for Easy Riders - 23rd March

We were enjoying the sunshine outside the Longmead Centre, Ewell so much that it was some time before we decided to have lunch at the Bell, Fetcham. Off we trolled over Epsom and Ashtead Commons, walking fearlessly over the unmanned crossing into Craddocks Avenue and down through Lower Ashtead. We rode over the M25 bridge onto the Leatherhead one way system, into Waterway Road and turned right into Mill Lane. We then took the rough track through to River Lane then left and right into The Street and the welcoming Bell for our lunch.

After lunch there were only four in the group going through Leatherhead then along Kingston Road via the footbridge and tunnels and joined it again to carry on to Pete Mitchell's favourite track across Ashtead Common. This led conveniently to the Old Moat where we enjoyed our tea and plenty of conversation. From there we rode through Horton Country Park and to our separate homes. What a lovely day!

John

The Morning Ride

 

The 3 Dave's London ride, A group, March 23rd

 Well, what a difference a week makes !!!

Last week we were slogging through cold persistent rain, and yet just one week on we enjoyed a glorious warm, sunny day for our annual ride up to London.

First away was the group led by Dave Vine.

When I arrived at Sury Basin for the start there was a lively buzz and everyone seemed enthused by the good weather. Especially good to see Geoff Gregory returning to A Group riding. DaveB had crafted an excellent route taking in sights across the capital, which took in the posh suburbs, royalty, parks, government, church, the City, as well as some of the grittier parts of town. 

I am struck by the sight of so many people living and working so close together with huge contrasts in their lives. While riding through the affluent end of Notting Hill yesterday I noticed that the shell of Grenfell Tower is visible in the background. And shortly after leaving the City we passed the inspiring spire of Christ Church Spitalfields, built in the 18^th century in a government initiative to bring civilisation to the growing slum dwellers nearby. The slums may have gone, but the contrast in visible wealth remains. 

We met up with the other two groups at the Pommelers where lunch was served quickly, which is just what you need on a London ride. 

On the return we suffered the cobbles of Southwark, while enjoying the food aromas of Borough Market, dodging the tourists everywhere. Briefly we mingled with DaveW’s group, before suddenly they were gone, and we paused for a photo by the Buddhist temple in Battersea Park.

Finally we tackled the thankfully dry off road country section to tea at Wimbledon Windmill tearooms.

Thanks to Dave Bartholomew for the inspiring route. And thanks also to my group of Sue, David Jackson, Patrick, Richard, and Mike Barrett for being such supportive fun, and especially to Mike for back marking and photos.

Next away was the group led by Dave Ward.

Many thanks are due to Dave B for orchestrating an excellent ride today!    The weather was excellent, the Bike Exchange proved to be a very good place to start a ride, the route was a delight, and Wetherspoons did not disappoint!   I can't even find fault with my group!   I'm sure the tea stop was good too, but I had to rush off so I can't really comment!    Although there were so many sights to see the overall impression the ride left me with was of a city coming back to life, in more ways than one, with blossom brightening even the dullest street, and crowds of people everywhere enjoying the outdoors, perhaps for the first time in a long while.   The changing of the guard was an unexpected bonus, and our group also made a worthwhile detour to view the mural depicting the 'Battle of Cable Street' in 1936.   I am very grateful to Steve D for back-marking all day, not the easiest of jobs, I reckon, and to Neil C for giving me navigational prompts at those moments when I was enjoying the occasional nap!

My group was last away. I was accompanied by Brian, Keith, Nigel, Neil W and Ged, who back-marked for the ride.

London rides are never the fastest, but we made good time through Hammersmith, Holland Park, Notting Hill, and then through Hyde Park, where we met up with Dave W's group, who had stopped for a bit of sight-seeing at Wellington Arch at the bottom of Park Lane.

We were just in time to see the new guard coming down The Mall, and we were held back by police while they marched through to Buckingham Palace.

Things are very much back to business-as-usual judging by the size of the queues of people getting lunch at various outlets as we rode down Fleet Street, past St Pauls Cathedral and through the City.

All 3 groups arrived for lunch within about 15 minutes, and as always Wetherspoons dealt with us swiftly and efficiently, and we were all soon on our way back, via Borough Market, Tate Modern, Waterloo and Westminster, and then Battersea Park, Chelsea Harbour and Putney Bridge, before a well earned ice cream in the sun on Wimbledon Common.

Many thanks for all who came out for the sun (and the ride!!), and particularly to Ged for back-marking my group, and of course The Daves.....Dave V and Dave W plus an honourable mention to Dave J, who had also volunteered to lead a group and was on the subs bench just in case !!!

Report for B Group London Ride - 23rd March

Monday's recce

Paul and Maggie with Steph, Dave and Ann

Dave's ride with the Early Birds

The first group out, we vacated Richmond Park at about 10.25am.
This group was composed of eight happy Wayfarers. We were blessed with warm sunshine today, a far cry from last week's inclement weather.

The three planned groups became just two, since two of our original leaders became inflicted with covid. Condolences to them, and to others who were unable to join the ride today, for one reason or another.

With Ada Salter at the memorial to the Salter family

The Salter's family cat

We stopped for Lunch at a cafe in Burgess Park, which was the mid-way point of our ride. Commiserations to anybody (Bob!) who couldn't get their prefered dietary requirements. [Note: Dave is mischievously alluding to his ordering the last portion of fish and chips.]

Thank you to all who took part in the ride and to the grand designer for compiling an interesting route along by the Thames, and through many Parks.

Five of our eight riders made it back to Richmond Park, with the other three peeling off near to the end of the ride.

Also thank you to the sub-navigators, who saved us cycling extra miles, since the group leader's iPhone/Strava was being recalcitrant on today's ride while his Garmin seemed to be operating in a parallel universe.  

Dave C (Fixie)
___________________________________

Tim's ride with the Keas

It was great to arrive at the Roehampton Gate Café for Elevenses to find that nearly everyone was there already. Paul had planned the route meticulously and done several recces for the benefit of Steph, Dave and I who were to lead in his absence. On Tuesday evening we learnt that Steph wasn't well after testing +ve and wouldn't be able to lead but with the modest numbers signed up to ride it wasn't going to be a problem for Dave and I to accomodate her riders, the Cockney Sparrows, in our groups.

At the Peace Pagoda in Battersea Park

So we set off up Priory Lane and headed through some quiet suburban streets to Putney and started our journey along the river in Wandsworth Park. We were soon in Battersea Park for a photo opportunity in front of the pagoda and a comfort stop, then over Chelsea Bridge to pick up the C8 blue route which we took as far as Lambeth Bridge and crossed back to the South side. We meandered along the back roads under several bridges then Tooley St and into Bermonsey using the Jubilee Greenway whenever we could. We stopped at the small garden with the memorial statues of Ada and Alfred Salter, and their daughter Joyce who died or scarlet fever when she was eight. The Salters are remembered for their lives of service among the poor in the local community where they lived and worked. We headed South through Southwark Park and were soon in Burgess Park for lunch.

Dave's team were sitting out in the sunshine and settling into their lunches when we arrived. The staff at the Fuorvito Café went into overdrive to cater for us, probably feeling a bit overwhelmed as we weren't their only customers. The food is good there and a few of us enjoyed a large bowl of their excellent vegetable soup.

We passed through Camberwell and skirted around Brixton then made a detour for a quick look at the Brixton Windmill. On through the Tooting Commons and Earlsfield then Wimbledon Park where a photographer sprang out of the shrubbery to take our photo. It dawned on us that it was Ged, warming down after his ride with A group.

WW1 stretchers as fencing in Benhill Rd, Camberwell

Mural in Glenelg Rd, Brixton

 

The Brixton Windmill

 

Memorial plaque for Terrence MacSwiney, HMP Brixton

A few of our group left the ride at Tibbet's Corner and the rest of us joined the remnants of Dave's team at the Roehampton Café which was still quite lively with their lycra clad clientele enjoying the late afternoon sunshine.

Thanks to the team, Gill, Bob, Robert, Ian and Paula for your chirpy company, to Gill especially for helping me out in the city where my GPS signal and fading memory of fine detail from the recce were too hazy. Thanks to Dave, Brenda and Bob for additional photos and to Paul for setting the whole day up for us, sunshine and all.

~ Tim 

British Cycle Touring Competition, 1961

A fascinating film of the national CTC touring competition in Derbyshire, from the days when cyclists were seen but not heard.  Can you spot any of our current members?  The route could have been planned by some of our B group leaders.  The cycling starts at about 9 min 30 seconds.

Birthday cup cake

B Group London Ride, Wednesday 23 March. Order of Battle

 The ride starts and finishes at the Roehampton Gate Cafe in Richmond Park where there are loos.

The ride is 29.4 miles according to Ride with GPS and lunch is at the cafe in Burgess Park after 15.5 miles.

These are the groups for the B Group London Ride.  I am assuming that you, Ann, will ride despite your injured foot and that you, Tony Hooker, will not because the last I heard you were still testing positive.  Nevertheless the groups allow for flexibility to accommodate changes in consultation, please, with group leaders.

Group 1, depart 10.15; the Early Birds

leader Fixie Dave Cullen

John Austin

Diane Porter 

Frank Carter

Brenda Breen

Group 2, depart 10.30; the Keas

leader Tim Court 

Ray Youlden

Ann Bath

Paul Day

Ian Williamson

Group 3, depart 10.45; the Cockney Sparrows

leader Steph Wyatt

Bob Pannell

Christina Berkley

Gillian Holder

Tim Gibbons

Enjoy the ride.  Enjoy the Big Smoke, which was fairly traffic free on Monday.

Paul

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VIC

 Vic White, 90 today and still cycling

B ride report for 16th March from Steph s subgroup

 

Steph writes.......

So grateful to those who turned up at Worcester Park and Weybridge Garden centre to make my sub lead valid.  Lovely direct route out of Addlestone, straight under the tunnel at the horrible St Peters roundabout and then onward through increasing drizzle.  Love the Thames before Dorney.  Good lunch but viewing the sand from the Sahara already settling on our bikes from above we abandoned the Jubilee river path with its sand rising from puddles below.  As compensation we returned via the scenic route past the front of Windsor Castle, Runnymede, river path from Staines , hitting the road again before Shepperton, Halliford, Sunbury etc.    65 miles total for me.  Hope Diane made her 60+    My phone is still drying out!

Invitation to A group ride, Weds 23rd March

 This ride is the annual London ride (which has not happened since 2019 for obvious reasons).

The ride goes right up through the centre of town past some iconic landmarks...Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Sq, St Pauls Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Houses of Parliament among them. Mostly on quiet back roads or cycle paths, as with any London ride, there are a few short sections on busy main roads

The start point will be from Sainsburys Sury Basin in Kingston. There are toilets in the store but no cafe, but there is a cafe opposite in the Bike Exchange.

https://stores.sainsburys.co.uk/2053/sury-basin

Lunch is at The Pommelers Rest (a Wetherspoons) at Tower Bridge, and tea is at the Windmill Cafe on Wimbledon Common.

About 20 miles to lunch, and 12 miles to tea. There is a short off-road section right at the end to lead up to the Windmill Cafe, which was muddy in parts yesterday. It was easily rideable though and as the weather looks pretty good right through until next Wednesday, it should have dried right out by then.

Please let me know by 6pm on Monday evening if you would like to come along, at bartholomews@blueyonder.co.uk

The route is here https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38655241

Kit Survey

Now the time to comment on the Kit Survey has passed, we the committee would like to thank all the members for their time and effort in completing the document, most appreciated.

We shall be analysing and discussing the information and will update you in due course.

Jennie

 

Report for Easy Riders - 16th March

It was probably the dismal weather which put off a few of our regulars and after elevenses we lost three of our number - all women! It wasn't something that I had said as they all had commitments. It was good, however, to see Maureen at this sad and empty time for her.

Six lads set off from Ashtead with no particular plan except to sample the fare at The Running Horse in Bridge Street, Leatherhead as it had been highlighted in another group's ride. Our ride was a little short as my knees were sore and there was predicted rain in the afternoon but we found a few tracks and back roads. We arrived at our homes having experienced a little rain.

John