Report for B Group ride - 24th May

Alan writes for Team B1:

On the way to Elevenses

It was a beautiful sunny day, as the first group of 10 riders on the Wayfarers B Ride left the Westway Community Centre at Caterham to follow a quiet route of 32 miles (with around 1,300 feet of elevation) between Caterham on the Hill and Leatherhead.

It was an idyllic route riding through quiet (almost traffic-free) lanes and roads, with good views across open countryside and beautiful scenery. A day to remember. A reminder of what a good day on the bike can be when the sun comes out as the landscape is beginning to change. 

The route passed through Woldingham, Horne and Smallfield, before stopping at the Farmhouse Pub for lunch. The Farmhouse is a large pub with a good size garden. It was an ideal venue to have lunch, chat and enjoy the sun. A chance to relax after the morning’s efforts.

After lunch, Brenda left to make her way home via Horley Station. The remainder of the group enjoyed an afternoon ride which included a mix of quiet roads, cycle tracks and paths through Salfords, Whitebushes and Woodhatch through to Brockham. We then followed a familiar route back to Leatherhead via Deepdene and Pixham, passing beneath Box Hill. Keith decided to take a more energetic route home over Box Hill leaving the rest of the group to ride to Leatherhead for a welcome cup of tea and cake (courtesy of Davey).

After tea and cake at Leatherhead we’d all but forgotten about our effort climbing up the “The Enterdent” in the morning. A short but steep hill which, I understand, had gradients of up to 20% (?) The hard work reaching the top was all forgotten as we reflected on a good day out before we split to go our separate ways home.

Thanks to Diane, Tim, Mick, Dave, Brenda, Sabina, Bernard, Chris and Keith for the company (and to Tim for back marking) and a great day out. Thanks also to Tim C for planning a beautiful, scenic route. A very enjoyable day.

~ Alan

Tim writes for Team B2:

Nineteen B Group regulars, and two A riders (Dave F and Keith) who had promoted themselves up to B Group for the day, set out from Caterham at their appointed times with Alan and myself leading the two groups. Unfortunately neither John nor Lilian could ride with us today despite their intentions to join us.

Overcome with joy on
 reaching the loos on Farthing Down

We weren't the only traffic on Farthing Down

Once beyond the Ann Summers roundabout we felt that we had been liberated into the countryside and it was an idyllic day to cruise through Marden Park and the Woldingham School property, stopping for a photo opportunity with the local cattle and their calves as we rode through their domain.

During our recce Alan and I passed a little too quickly through Church Town (Old Godstone), just half a mile to the East of Godstone but noted that we could pause today's ride there and take a few photos. The narrow lane and the wealth of historical interest in this tiny place convey no sense of the proximity of the larger town and its ghastly volume of vehicular traffic. The church of St Nicholas can boast an evolution through Saxon and Norman times though these early constructions were replaced almost entirely in the 13th century. The church as we see it today is as it was restored in the 13th century style by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 1870s. Next door are the St Mary's Alms Houses which were built in 1872 to Gilbert Scott's design in his interpretation of a Tudor style.

I had hoped to score recognition of a first visit to this little place by the Wayfarers but Steph said that she had been there on rides led by Harry Cole. Tony mentioned that the population of the original village around the church had been wiped out by the Great Plague in 1342.

While we were marvelling at the architecture we encountered the local Wikipedia, a man with considerable knowledge of all the local history. We could easily have felt tempted to abandon the ride and hear more from him and take up his suggestion of visiting the chapel. But we moved on and noted the Old (15th century) Packhouse as we coasted by.

(photo by Ian Capper published in geograph.org.uk)

We crossed the Eastbourne Road and confronted a severe climb up a short lane known as Enterdent Road, leading up to Tilburstowhill Common. But in the dappled shade from the large trees and the profusion of bluebells this was far from unpleasant.

"Our leader pausing by the bluebells (while others were watering them)"
(Photo and caption by Steph)

We reached a rather unpleasant junction with the A22, crossed it then made our way along for 0.2 miles where we crossed back and into Byers Lane. Easier terrain soon took us through Smallfield and on to lunch at The Farmhouse Pub on the outskirts of Horley.

Nobody remembered ever visiting this pub and we enjoyed the experience. Tracy and her team were most welcoming, and efficient at delivering very decent food to us. So I hope that we'll go there again; it was a good alternative to the Jack Fairman where we often stop for lunch.

After lunch we picked up NCN 21 again and rode through to Salfords then Woodhatch. In Slipshatch Road we had to rearrange some barriers which had been put there to enforce a road closure. We passed through and put them back as we found them and were soon heading up Flanchford Road for our ever popular route to Betchworth and Brockham.

We arrived in Leatherhead just as Alan's team was leaving Charlie and Ginger so we opted for l'Ultimo Cucina Italiana. They didn't seem to have any cake, but being a restaurant they had an assortment of ice cream and other puddings which proved to be a fine alternative to the cakes we'd been anticipating.

Thanks to everyone for embracing the day, to Alan for leading the first group, expertly by all accounts, and to Colin for back-marking for our group.

~ Tim