A Look Back at 2023

 

B Group - invitation to a ride on 3rd January, 2024

You are cordially invited to join Mick, Ray and myself for a ride from Cobham RBL to the Hampton Court Palace Golf Club for lunch.

This is our route:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45127725

Much of the route will be on tarmac but there will be a couple of sylvan excursions plus a scenic cruise along the river path from Hampton Court to Kingston. I hate to disappoint but there will be very little, if any mud.😕

We haven't been asked to pre-order but, if you are curious, the menu for the Golf Club can be downloaded as a PDF document here:

https://www.hamptoncourtgolf.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Breakfast-1.pdf

Please send me an email message (or private WhatsApp) to confirm your intention to ride with us. Please also let me know if you intend to join us for lunch but not come on the ride as I need to advise numbers to the restaurant. Let me know by Monday evening if possible.

I have noted the names of everyone who replied to me on WhatsApp. Thank you for letting me know.

It will probably be 2024 when we meet for this ride. In which case,

Happy New Year Everyone.

~ Tim

 

A Group Ride, 3rd January 2024.

 Join me for the first A Group Wayfarers Ride of 2024 - a three-climb's ride to Walliswood and Box Hill*

Lunch is at the Punchbowl pub - where you will need to choose your lunch order, (sandwich choices below) and tea at Destination Bike, Box Hill. (There's also a fine range of real ales at the Punchbowl, with London Porter seasonally tasty, but strong!).

37 miles (19 miles to lunch, 18 to tea - with 789m. of ascent).

Please respond by 6.00pm Mon. 1st Jan. to:- gedlawrenson150@mail.com

Dave Vine has kindly offered to sub-lead. Groups, route .GPX, etc. to be emailed Tues. am.

I hope you are looking forward to our first ride of 2024.

Ged

*3 main climbs:-

Greendene/Crocknorth - Ranmore

Abinger Common,

Zig-Zag - Box Hill

Wednesday 27 December – A’s Ride Report

Despite the promise of havoc to be caused by Storm Gerrit, we had 11 riders signed up, and 10 on the road. I was lucky to have ample offers of help with sub-leading, so we split into two groups. Brian led Ged, Dave W and Sue C. I was accompanied by Clive & son George, Frances and Janice, with Peter S back-marking.

The ride was billed as the last chance in 2023 to celebrate the 75^th anniversary of the Sou’Westers formation in 1948 in the former Welcome Tearooms on Farthing Down. The model was the 50^th anniversary ride in 1998 from Farthing Down to Brockham for tea. 

I had hoped to replicate the 1998 route but winter conditions necessitated removing the off-road, and the steep descent of Hilltop Lane, as both would have been hostages to fortune in changeable weather. Also there was no tea available in Brockham on Wednesday, so a quick refuel at The Sun in Redhill was needed.

Despite the forecast the morning ride was accompanied by no more than drizzle, and the tailwind helped to lull me into feeling that this would not be as challenging as expected. There was even a little time to admire our surroundings; Janice spotted three deer on Chipstead Lane, and some may have spotted the flamingo in a (pear?) tree shortly after. The climb up Farthing Down into the wind rudely reminded us that there was a lot of weather about. We paused briefly beside the former tearooms, now prosaically renamed the “Old Cottage”, but conditions were too bleak to linger long.

Conditions improved a little on the descent to Redhill, during which Janice left us and hopefully got home dry.

Lunch was a simple ‘spoons affair, and we were soon on our way, Dave W making his own way home, and we combined into one group.

Surprisingly the expected headwind was subdued, and I dared to hope we might escape the worst of the weather. But around 2pm and approaching Betchworth the rain struck, rapidly followed by a puncture for me.

Brian took over leadership and took the group on to Brockham, where Clive and his son decided to go via Punchbowl Lane towards Dorking and the rest of the group headed for Leatherhead.

I managed enough inflation to get me to Dorking, where a second puncture and the increasing rain drove me to Dorking Station where I med Ged and waited for the next un-cancelled train home.

Thanks to Brian and Peter S and to everyone for supporting a challenging ride in such unpromising conditions. Hopefully all got home in a timely, if not altogether dry, manner.

Happy New Year all.

Report for B Group - 27th December

When I published the ride invitation for 27th December shortly before Christmas Day, the weather forecast was for heavy rain 🌧️ all day long. I was relieved that Steph and I had designed an easy going ride from the outset. I was even more delighted that the weather forecast improved to 'drizzle only' on the day, with mild temperatures.

Staff at the DC were expecing us

Enjoying the usual welcome at the Fairfield Centre

Storm Gerrit hit most parts of the UK today, with winds around 20mph hitting us on our way to 11s. Nothing to fear once you are riding a bike, (you are comfortable enough on the lumpy bumpy roads) and wear wind and rain proof cycling jerseys. We are out for a ride to get rid of some Christmas excess of food and drink.

Thanks to John Austin and Steph for leading the ride to the Box Hill in 2 groups of 12 riders in total, and Tim C for back marking, from the Leatherhead Fairfield Centre. We all climbed up to the top of Box Hill via the Zigzag way, at our own pace.

Recovering from the Box Hill climb

Thanks to Tony Hooker for suggesting lunch at the Cricketers near Epsom Common. Five of us riders made our way there. Hardy C Group rider Frank Carter had a puncture near Langley Vale but was able to make his way home in stages by pumping his tyre up and hoping for the best.

At The Cricketers

In addition to our regular B leaders and riders including John A, Steph, Tim C, Fixie Dave, Tony Hooker, Paul James and Diane, we had the pleasure of the company of Carolyn, Richard Cranfield, Helen and Frank.

I am pleased to report that gradually I have been converted to a happy all weather rider. That's what a little bit of responsibility has done for me. On the other hand, I cannot imagine anything better to do outdoors on a windy and rainy day. If I am happy to walk my beloved pet dog Pliny in all weather conditions I am happy to ride a bike to be outdoors with fellow riders to share the joy of riding.

The End

~ Christina

 

All Welcome on New Year's Day!

The Cheam & Morden section will be having their traditional New Year's Day elevenses meet at Colicci Roehampton Gate Cafe, Richmond Park on Monday 1 January 2024 and all are welcome!   Turn up at any time, early or late!

No onward ride is planned for that day, not least because we'll also be having our usual, gruelling Sunday ride the day before (meet at the Edmund Tylney, Leatherhead for 11.00 hrs departure on 31 December), but something informal may arise!

Have a happy cycling New Year whether you can join us or not!

Ride Invitation Wed 27 Dec – Leatherhead

Wednesday’s ride is from Leatherhead to Farthing Down, onwards to Redhill for lunch (20 undulating miles) returning via Brockham to Leatherhead. 34 miles in total, all on road.

You may recall that 2023 was the 75th anniversary of the Sou’Westers birth in 1948 at the former Welcome Tearooms on Farthing Down. This was marked on the 50th anniversary in 1998 by a ride from Farthing Down to Brockham for a celebratory tea. In 2023 we had hoped to repeat the ride to our August Picnic, but the organisation proved too complicated, so the celebration was deferred. Next Wednesday will be our last chance in this anniversary year.

I have simplified the route to eliminate the off-road section of the original and remove any steep descents for safety reasons. I don’t expect we will match the 100 or so riders who participated in 1998, but I do think the ride in winter presents enough of a challenge to be a worthy celebration of the efforts of our predecessors.

Being so close to Christmas I am not expecting big numbers, so I have not appointed sub-leaders. If you are coming please load the route (link here) and be prepared to help with navigation if you can.

To give me an idea of numbers please email me d.vine207@btinternet.com by 24th - Christmas Eve

Whether or not you are riding I wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas.

Report for A Group - 20th December

The ride was held on, if not the shortest day of the year, it was the shortest Wednesday. I therefore decided to have a ride to the pub that was slightly long for the time of year and then give everyone the option to either stay for lunch or not and return from the pub as and when they wished.

We set off in two groups, the first lead by Hans, the second by myself.

The overall route was familiar to most, Bushy Park, Epsom, Brockham and into Leigh, it could be described as undulating, up Chalk Lane and Hurst Lane, down Pebble Hill Road. The first group arrived for lunch right on schedule and the second just before 13.00 hours.

As usual the pub were quick and efficient in getting orders out, and a planned and orderly departure was had by everyone bar one, staying for additional food and drink, by 14.00 hours.

A smaller group of seven subsequently made their way to Leatherhead by the quickest route and just as the dark was closing in said Merry Christmas and a goodbye outside the Theatre.

Many thanks, especially to Hans for leading the first group, and to those in the groups who marked corners and back marked.

Thank you everyone for all your great company.

David J

Invitation to a B Group ride on 27th December

Leatherhead Fairfield Centre is Open on 27 Dec 2023.

Since it is Twixmas, we will take an easy and laissez-faire approach for the ride. 

We will depart from our 11s shortly after 11am whether we have 1 , 2 or 3 groups; our destination is the top of Box Hill via the ZigZag way.

You can either have a picnic or a break at the top, or carry on and do a few circuits around the Box Hill, or head for home. It is entirely up to you. No lunch or tea places booked.

Please email cberkley33@gmail.com if you are interested in joining us for the ride.

~ Christina

Christmas greetings from Germany

Just to give you our seasons greetings and of course to express the wish to meet up again at the Tour des Trois Vallées in Dieppe again. Next year the school holidays in Saxony are unusually early, early enough that we as a family can all be there for the event, unlike this year.

We have just returned from a three week stay on the Baltic island of Usedom. Encouraged by the unusually warm weather in early November we decided to take the bikes. Big mistake! A couple of days after our arrival the island was covered in snow, and ice formed in the harbours as well the water separating the island from the mainland. And there it stayed for the rest of our visit. The island has a good network of cycle paths, but the views from the coastal ones are often obscured by raised sand banks (although sea access points are frequent. We did also visit Peenemünde where the V2 rockets were launched in WW2. 

Anyway, I'd like to wish all Sou'westers a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year and hopefully we will meet up next June.

All the best, and happy cycling, 

Tony and Annett (Ashford) 

Report for B Group - 20th December

Thank you for everyone who turned out this week to be part of any one of our three rides. We were very fortunate with the excellent weather and a quiet route that was almost mud-free. Apologies that there was only one LCDP to see and in fact it was one that we had seen last week.

Thank you to Tim and Tony who kindly sub-led and for my group who made it so easy for me as the leader.

Several regular B riders had to drop out and I wish them a speedy recovery so that they can enjoy Christmas and get out on their bikes again next week.

~ John

Latter day Coal Duty Post in Ashtead Common

After last week's feast of discoveries for anyone interested at all in the London Coal Duty Posts which can pop up in unexpected places around London today's ride was quite a disappointment for the Wayfarers' Grand Master of this esoteric hobby. However Dave managed to capture this fine specimen of a potential new species of LCDP, surrounded by a gleeful congregation of devotees.

~ Tim

I did enjoy leading out the 10.45 group from Teddington on John’s well planned December ride to Epsom. 

The weather for this time of year was ok for cycling and all went well, but unfortunately no Coal Duty posts were spotted, but we did bump into Emily Davison in Epsom.

The Wetherspoon's lunch was up to the usual standard.

Thanks to Ray for back marking and I would like to wish you all a Very Happy Christmas 🎄 🎄🎅🏻🍷🍷

~ Tony

Grant chatting to childhood friend Emily Davison

The bridge in Horton Country Park. Tony gave us a bit of history about the train that travelled over it and between the mental hospitals that occupied this site.

~ Steph

John's somewhat indirect route to Epsom

Happy Christmas to all from the Easy Riders

 

Invitation to an A Group ride on 20th December

You are invited to join the ‘A’ ride from Elleray Hall, Teddington, this coming Wednesday. The ride is to The Plough in Leigh. Due to the time of year, and it’s a short day, the ride will end at the pub. As we don’t have to pre-order, should you prefer to NOT stay for lunch, and prefer to make your way home from there, that is of course possible. 

As usual, please email me on d.jackson49@aol.co.uk by 18.00 hrs on Monday the 18th.

Times and groupings will be sent out on Tuesday.

 

This is our route:

 

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45182415

For those who stay for lunch, and want to ride back with us we shall make our way back to Leatherhead. 

Should you want to ride to the pub but not stay for lunch please let me know so I can advise the pub of numbers.

David J

 

Invitation to a B Group ride on 20th December

Last chance to join the Bs before Christmas and second to last chance in 2023.

We shall be meeting at the Elleray Hall in Teddington for a ride of about 18 miles to lunch in the Assembly Rooms, Epsom. Afternoon routes will be left to individuals to arrange.

This is the route:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45138058

If you would like to join this ride please email me at this address by close of play Monday: johnaustin04@yahoo.co.uk

~ John

A Ride Christmas lunch at The Angel

Frances writes...

I arrived early at Giro in Esher in the damp morning mist, followed closely behind by Simon. Several more eager riders appeared all keen for the warmth and strong coffee ahead of our short ride to lunch.  Janice joined in the meet up before waving us goodbye on the High Street.

Dave V was first away and my group followed shortly afterwards with Jennie backmarking. We had a small group with (Peter B, Peter S, Patrick W and Simon) and made good progress despite the dampness in the air.  The good coffee helped and when we arrived at the muddy common, everyone was keen to cross it in anticipation of getting to lunch soon.  It was passable and other than a brief stop, we continued onwards with the help of Jennie keeping me from going off course twice!  As we headed towards Hinchley, Dave J met us and continued to The Angel getting there on time to greet fellow wayfarers.  

Thanks to everyone for making the ride and lunch very enjoyable.  Merry Christmas to you all.

Dave Vine writes....

Frances had provided our select group of 5 (Ged, Neil W, Sue C, Clive J and Dave F) with two leaders. I lost the traditional arm-wrestling competition for the post of back marker to Ged, so I had the honour of leading off into the drizzly Esher traffic.

Thankfully Frances had arranged the north-east wind, so we had a helpful boost going up the climb from the Yehudi Menuhin School, which took us all the way to Bookham, passing in Fetcham the former home of our much-missed friend Ray Dare.

The Mole was in full spate and there was surface water everywhere, so the bikes were sufficiently dirty that no-one objected to crossing Bookham Common, surprisingly puddle-free. And the trees provided excellent cover now that the wind was in our faces.

We arrived at The Angel with 5 minutes to spare, time for a historic photograph, before being greeted by the ghost of Christmas Present, who had arrived by a more leisurely route.

Thanks to Frances for organising the ride, Ged for back marking my group, and especially to Jennie for organising the most sociable lunch which followed.

Report for B Group - 13th December

In order of departure ...

Report from John, leader of the Cairngorms

B Ride along the route of London Coal Duty Posts [LCDP]

We must thank Tim for his research and planning in that the route he provided for us this week gave the LCDP geeks amongst us a brilliant opportunity to view 13 posts.

This post could be seen to our left as we rode across the north edge of Ashtead Common.

There are approximately 220 posts located around London at an average distance of 15 miles out from central London. Today we were able to see 13 within about 10 miles of cycling, a real bonus for LCDP nerds as they are on average about two miles apart!

These listed monuments were put in place in the 1860s to show coal merchants where they were crossing the boundary into London and therefore had to pay tax to the Corporation of London. The money was used to finance the building of Thames bridges, the new Thames embankments and to purchase land for use of local people eg Ashtead Common and Farthing Downs.

Thank you to my group for not dropping back from their sub leader when they had heard more than enough about LCDPs.

J.A.

________________________________________

Report from Steph, leader of the Grampians

After my wet reccy the previous day it was very enjoyable to ride through the woodland in drier conditions and the puddles didn't seem as bad as the day before when I got off the bike quite a lot!
My lovely group were enthusiastic and we set off at a brisk pace whizzing through the puddles and enjoying the relatively wide paths which gave room to avoid the deeper ones.  We were in danger of catching the first group so slowed down to photo some particularly splendid mud edged lagoons.

The cut towards West Park Hospital gave us a gentler incline towards Horton Lane.  We deviated a little once up Chalk Lane opting for the tarmac around the grandstand and on towards our lunch destination - The Woolpack at Banstead.  Good food served without delay.   ________________________________________

Report from Tim C, leader of the Trossachs

With the Day Centre in Claygate not being available for us this time B Group met for Elevenses at ‘Parade and Albany’ which proved to be a most suitable venue, for its range of home baked cake and savoury comestibles, good coffee and tea and homely ambience. They would be pleased to welcome us again. They are open Monday – Friday from 7:30 to 16:30 and on Saturday from 8:30 to 16:00

Our three teams, The Cairngorms, The Grampians and The Trossachs all set out in good time for the 12.5 mile, two (actually 2¼) hour ride to Banstead. It’s a few decades since I last visited and cycled in Scotland, and back then we didn’t venture North of Pitlochry or Oban or ride into the mountains. So the names which might evoke all sorts of challenges for hikers and mountain bikers have always sounded to me more like names for species of fearsome creatures in children’s books, such as those in Maurice Sendak’s ‘Where the Wild Things Are'.

So, with no intended disrespect to anyone I have hijacked the names for our three teams. We saw a few cattle and horses but didn’t encounter any stranger creatures, despite a suitable habitat for them along much of our route. 

After just one mile from the café we left the tarmac and ventured into the woods of Arbrook Common. Beyond that was the delightful Birchwood Lane to take us across farmland, under the A3,  and to skirt the ‘Birch’ and ‘Limekiln’ Woods. After so much recent rain we had expected the Rythe to be a raging torrent but it was barely flowing at all. Until a few years ago the stretch of Birchwood Lane under the railway bridge was often impassable in the rainy seasons. Some engineering project seems to have been undertaken since then and today we pedalled through a cluster of shallow and benign puddles.

(The Horse sculpture is behind Arwyn)

Nic Fiddian-Green's sculpture

New Road seems to have been totally neglected for years despite being a popular link for walkers, cyclists and horse riders making their ways between Claygate and The Prince’s Coverts. The path was very squiffy in places and where large mucky puddles spanned the ‘road’ many of us dismounted and wheeled our bikes through to Fairoak Lane.

We rode uphill through The Prince’s Coverts, crossed the A243 (Kingston Road) and rode a mile and a half along the bridleway (29) on the edge of the commons to emerge at the Epsom Common Car Park. Here we crossed Rushett Lane and meandered around the residential area where the hospitals used to be.

From Epsom we turned into Chalk Lane and had to squeeze past a tractor on the lane where some major construction was happening. From The Rubbing House we took the rough road which passes in front of the grandstands. We made a short detour to view the commemorative plaque to Emily Davison who died in 1913 for the cause of women’s suffrage. From Tottenham Corner we followed NCN route 22 all the way into Banstead and parked up at The Woolpack for lunch.

Apart from Ray waiting quite a while for his sandwich to turn up our experience at The Woolpack was good. The staff were pleased to welcome us and we ate well.

I thought I was taking a risk, springing this route on B Group in the middle of the Winter rainy season. Apart from a bit of rain on the way to Elevenses it held off until we had all arrived at lunch but it does seem that we have a perverse capacity to find ourselves enjoying such a rough and muddy ride on a chilly day under an ominous sky.

Thanks very much to John and Steph for sub-leading, guiding their teams through the mud and delivering everyone to the pub intact. Thanks to everyone on the ride for maintaining such high spirits in the face of adversity.

~ Tim C
________________________________________

 

Electric Bike Conversion

 Ged suggested I should put a few words down for those that are interested in my electric bike conversion.

So here goes. I decided in early 2021 I wanted to build a Gates Carbon Drive touring bike with Rohloff 14 speed hub gears. The problem with this plan was that there are very few frames made that can cope with the tolerances for the hub. Indeed Rohloff won't supply the hub unless it is through a wheel builder. Bikes of this sort started off at £5000 plus so I was hoping for a lot of luck. I chose an all steel Soma Wolverine frame made in Taiwan weighing 3.8 Kg as it had a following in the US.It was versatile enough to be set up with derailleur,single speed, or ,yes you guessed it-Rohloff hub gears. To cut a long story short I built the bike with hydraulic disc brakes and got the weight down to 13 Kg. However the riding experience was mixed.The Gates Carbon drive is very smooth and consistent in operation and the TRP Hylex brakes with kevlar pads worked well. The ride was also comfortable.The difficulty was with the weight at the back due to the hub gears and the operation of gears 1-7 which uses a peripheral internal cog. This has a friction element which whines and makes harder work of ascents. However gears 8-14 were smooth and silent. So when out for a Wednesday ride I would tend to choose my 8.5 Kg Van Nicholas or 9.5 Kg Canyon. The Wolverine tended to be left at home more often than not despite having fast rolling Continental GP 5000 tubeless tyres, and it became a winter bike because of the low maintenance factor. Nevertheless I have completed 2600 miles on it trouble free. Total cost of the build was £3700.

One ride we did, Mark Gladwyn suggested I convert it to an e bike. Now I had this idea at the back of my mind when I built it and so I set about researching crank motor kits online. Eventually I spoke with Whoosh Bikes in Southend, who supply Chinese imported kits. I chose a Tong Shen 48 volt, 250 W kit with a 720 W h battery. It came with a 44 tooth chain ring which I had to swap for a 50 tooth CDX alloy carbon drtive sprocket. I also had to get a Spyder adapter with 130 BCD to fit the new sprocket to the motor. Removing the old chain ring was easy, just 5 allen bolts. I managed to get a spyder from China via Ali Express and found a front carbon drive sprocket on ebay for £55 instead of 120 euros from Germany. The kit came with a couple of riv bolts for fitting the battery case, but as the battery was 3.7 Kg and was supposed to be screwed to the down tube of the bike without any other support I wasn't happy. The flat surface of the battery mount would soon have torn out the riv nuts from the round frame. So I bought four Zefal Gizmo bottle cage mounts and cable tied these to the down tube. Not a very elegant solution, but the battery sits firm and stable in its mount.

The rest was straightforward fitting the wiring and using amalgamating tape to waterproof the connections. I know it looks a bit Heath Robinson, but it all works. I dispensed with brake levers, remote control and lighting and just fitted a speed sensor. The motor works by a torque sensor inside, which senses how hard you push on the peddles and assists in kind. When you stop peddling the motor cuts out so it is easy to change gear on the move. There is a display which shows your speed, time, distance and four levels of assistance. When the speed gets to 15.5 MPH or 20 KMH the motor cuts out.

One of the dilemmas of this configuration is that rear wheel removal is not viable in use and so a rear flat tyre would be painful. So I have fitted a 38 mm Schwalbe Marathon Green Guard rear tyre along with Tannus Armour tyre insert, which is a 20 mm foam rubber insert. I am hoping the combination will prevent the puncture gods from visiting. Just in case I also carry a Gaadi inner tube, which is like a long sausage, so you can replace the inner tube without having to take the wheel off. The front tyre is a normal 32 mm Scwalbe Marathon Supreme, because I am able to remove the front through axle by quick release.

So what is it like to ride? Well when I pushed the bike up my drive to go for my initial ride I could feel the weight of the 22 Kg I had ended up with and I thought 'I have created a monster!'. However after a couple of miles I go to grips with it. The bike handles well and once you are moving, the 90 Nm motor feeds the power in gently. The motor is very quiet and in the first level of power assist you don't think anything is happening until a rise in elevation and then you feel the bike surging forward as you peddle harder. The second level is about right, which give a nice kick up hills and then cuts power as you stop peddling to cruise downhill. That's when you feel the weight where a small incline down gets you past the 15.5 MPH speed and the motor cuts out. So really it is a different technique to learn with an e bike. I was surprised at how powerful the motor is, making the 14 speeds in the Rohloff mostly redundant and I was peddling comfortably in 11 gear on undulating terrain. I have to confess the ride was hard with the Tannus insert in the rear tyre, but it has a 20/28 mm inner tube which I will have to try and adjust the pressure for more comfort and to stop the tyre crashing over rough road surfaces. I have a lot more experimentation to do yet, like peddling the beast with the motor switched off, but the object of turning an unloved steed into something much more desirable has paid off.

If you fancy converting your own bicycle I can recommend Whoosh Bikes. They also do a range of electric bikes that are very good value. Despite the Chinese motor, the kit is good quality and they use Japanese Panasonic batteries in the battery build so they shouldn't explode and burn your house down. My kit was £705 including delivery. I had to get another £100 of sprockets and fittings to convert to carbon drive, so quite reasonable. My kit also came with a 48 volt 15 Ah 720 watt battery which theoretically will last 3 hours at 250 watts or full power. However, the way the motor feeds power in only when needed means it will probably last 6 hours depending on the level of assistance, because you are only really drawing on the battery by ascending. Anyway I hope you find all this interesting.

Steve D.

Invitation to B Group ride on 13th December

First, please note that we will not be meeting for Elevenses at the Day Centre in Claygate.

We will meet for Elevenses at 'Parade and Albany', 19-21 The Parade, Claygate, KT10 0PD. This is just 50m from Claygate Station. The café is on an intersection with Albany Crescent where we should be able to lean our bikes on various walls and lock them.

The 12.6 mile route will involve some very pleasant and tranquil riding through the trees in Arbrook Common, then the leafy paths of Birchwood Lane which traverse some open farmland and skirt around Birch Wood and Limekiln Wood to join New Road.

New Road is in a lamentable state and we may have to get off in places to wheel our bikes around some big mucky puddles. That stretch is no more than 0.2 miles but will require great care to negotiate the tricky bits. We will cross the bumpy Prince's Coverts and skirt around the top of Ashtead and Epsom Commons towards Epsom.

The ride to The Woolpack in Banstead will take a good two hours. We should park near the back of their car park. The pub staff don't require us to pre-order but I want to let them know how many will be coming by Tuesday lunchtime. The menus can be viewed from here.

This is the route and there will be no planned afternoon ride.

Please let me know by email or a Private WhatsApp message if you are intending to come.

John, Steph and I are looking forward to seeing you on the day.

Tim

A group ride to Christmas Lunch - Wed 13th Dec

 

Ride to our annual Christmas lunch at the The Angel.

We meet at GIRO ESHER (Claygate Day Centre is closed) before a short ride of  ride is 22 miles, with one off-road section across Bookham Common (1mile). NOTE the course below picks up the route at the junction on Esher High Street.

Please let me know if you're coming on our ride - we have Ged and Dave V sub leading and the plan is to arrive at the pub no later than 12:30. 

This is our route: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/139126275

If you're not coming on the ride, please try to get to the pub around 12:30.

Email francespstewart@gmail.com by 6pm Monday 11th December so I can allocate timing and groups depending on numbers. 🎄

~ Frances

Report for "A" ride to Holmbury

 

Dave Ferret writes .. 

My group comprised Steve D, Mark, Peter S and Ged (a late substitute for both  Francis and Neil C) and according to Neil W, allocated to my group on the basis that they didn’t mind a slower pace. "A group" numbers were low this week, with many who have been riding quite often with us understandably opting for the B group Xmas lunch. A wise choice perhaps. We were first away around 10:40 and, in the absence of Dave V, leaving Tim C to present the traditional Christmas chockies to Dave and Noreen at the RBL who look after us so well on behalf of all of us.

Neil’s ride followed Clive’s example two weeks ago of a shorter but very challenging ride to keep us fit in the run up to Christmas. A very chilly misty morning  with permanently  steamed up glasses made for an unpleasant start, but gradually clearing and warming after ascending Critten Lane, the first of many ascents! The sun finally broke through by the top of Leith Hill and after walking through the heavily fortified downhill road closure via the inclined bramble verge, a final morning grind up to a very good early lunch at the Royal Oak.

After grabbing our drinks and placing our orders we were shortly joined by Neils group and it was a pleasant change to share a large long table as one group for lunch. Service was swift giving us time for a coffee boost before the pm leg. 

Neil had offered a slight shortcut on the return leg in case conditions were treacherous, but my group unanimously opted for the Full Monty. So we enjoyed some very scenic, sunny, narrow, muddy, lumpy lanes via Friday St and Sheephouse which kept us warm before the final cruise back to Leatherhead. The only negative was on Sheephouse Lane, where we experienced a Close Encounter of the inconsiderate motorist kind, the second on that segment in 2 rides. 

My thanks to my sub group for a very enjoyable ride and to Neil for arranging a good lunch stop and another very suitable winter ride enabling most to get back home in the daylight.

I called this ride the '2023 Farewell to the North Downs' and it lived up to this name better than I hoped. The weather forecast for Wednesday had been erratic for the preceding week, which may have put some of the usual riders off. On the day it was 1C at Cobham, and misty.

The forecast was for sun from 1pm. Climbing Critten I suppose we were emerging from the mist because the sun was shafting thru the trees. My specs were still misted up so I had to take it slow on the main down section of the Critten climb, Janice remarked it was on the only time she's ever had to brake following me downhill. At the top we were in bright sunshine, Dave B. left us here for other commitments. Down Whitedown, and up the other side to Abinger, we pulled over for a vehicle, I mentioned about EM Forster living and writing in Abinger, Mike R. impressed us listing his books, and even more so that he had read several. Just after the Abinger Hatch pub is Donkey Lane, I offered the option of riding it on the way back. The moderate gradient went on and on up Leith Hill, more great views, then down continuing south where we had road work obstacles. We followed Ockley Road then right up Holmbury Lane for a gentle climb to Holmbury. As we reached the start of Holmbury I related that what is now the Mullard Space Science Centre, a mile east of Holbury, was built by architect George Street in the 1870s. When he and his wife first visited Holbury she declared it to be "Heaven's Gate. [ Correction, the house that George built is at the far end of Holmbury Hill Road, now part of Hurtwood House). Certainly Holmbury is a pretty village, it is thought to have inspired EM Forster for his fictional perfect English village named 'Summer Street' in A Room with a View. The pub and lunch were excellent. Holmbury is a super place for a circular walk of the surrounding hills, capped off by a meal and drinks at the pub. 

The return started with a gentle downhill section then a bit more climbing to Abinger, with the choice, Donkey Lane, Yay or Neigh? We took the easier alternative way to the LOTR scenes of Friday Street. The last stretch to Leatherhead was straightforward, the air was clear and we had great views of the North Downs stretching to the distance. At Leatherhead, farewell to Fiona, after checking a few possible cafe's we settled on Janice's choice of Charlie & Ginger, the remainers Pat, me, Janice and Mike enjoyed the cafe's fare, pricey but very good. 

Thanks everyone for turning up, Dave F. for sub-leading and Fiona for back-marking.             

Report for B Group - 6th December

B Group Christmas lunch - Special Edition

27 riders gathered for coffee and mince pies at the Royal British Legion Cobham for our ride out to Christmas lunch. Tim gave our thanks and presented chocolates to the lovely volunteers, David and Noreen, who always make us so welcome.

Three groups set off from Cobham on an appetite encouraging jaunt around the back roads of Stoke d’Abernon, Oxshott, Esher, Ember Court, Hurst Park, East Molesey and Thames Ditton!  It was cold!

The second and third groups played a close match and pretty much turned up together at The Angel to find the first group nicely settled in their seats, forks at the ready!

Only one group photo of the ride by Mick, as we were too busy trying to keep warm. But plenty of the excellent Christmas lunch and festivities that followed.

 

Mick says, ‘The 10:40 group nearly mutinied as Mick tried to spin out the ride to Christmas lunch.  This included stopping for a photo at the Hampton lock and the spinning of the ‘The lock, The barge, The firemen and Chris Hyde’ tale.’

Thanks to Christina for all the organising, with the assistance of Paula (spreadsheet whizz), Pam (compère extraordinaire), Ian (quiz master) and our Father Christmas (the real one). Thanks to the ride sub-leaders, Sue and Mick and to everyone who turned up for the ride and/or lunch who make this such a special day in the Wayfarer’s calendar.”

~ Gill H

Santa spreading his good cheer

Quizmaster Ian with the Boss

The Three Tonys comedy act

Tim caught in flagrante eating lunch