Invitation to A group ride 2 August

We ride from Cobham next Wednesday and will be heading 23.5 miles, 3 hills and 1787ft to the Punchbowl Inn at Okewood Hill. 

After lunch we’ll be riding another 23.5 miles but this time my Garmin says there are no hills (so it must be true 🤔). This will leave you in Leatherhead for tea. 

Please email me (janice.dawes@gmail.com) by 6pm on Monday evening if you’d like to join me and my sub leaders for the ride. All speeds will be happily catered for within the groups.

The Punchbowl Inn has asked me to let them have your pre-order by Monday evening so could you please let me know your choice (see menu above). If choosing a sandwich please remember to state if bread/baguette/brown/white. 

  

Wednesday the 26th, Norwesters Ride.

 A good turnout at 11's at Magna Carter tea rooms, Runnymede. And everyone was really early, very keen.

The weather was mild but no rain. A steady pace bought us to Windsor in good time. And the usual route to Bray, White Waltham. and on quiet lanes, to Hurst and the obligatory photo outside the Castle Inn with its winged Wheel on the wall. Only another mile or so brought us to Dinton Pastures country park for lunch, we arrived before 1 pm, so we had made very good time as it was 21 miles from 11's.

 

The Castle Inn at Hurst

There is usually a queue at Dinton in the cafe, but we were all soon seated and awaiting our lunch, most opted for beans on toast, given it was 41 miles from 11's to tea, a good choice. The route back is mostly on very quiet country lanes. We passed another old favourite, The New Leathern Bottle pub at Jealots Hill, which sadly is now closed. 

 

 

 

Lunch at dinton

 

We took the route through Ascot Racecourse, always a nice shortcut. And into Windsor Great Park, heading for Egham and tea at a great new cafe in the new development at Magna Square. Not all stopped for tea, Liz and Carolyn headed directly home. It had turned chilly now, so as we left everyone donned wind tops or rain jackets. 

 

Nearing Ascot Racecourse

Yet another lovely day on the bike with a great crowd, thank you to all especially Simon for back marking.

Tony..

 

A's ride on 9 August

Another call for subleaders for my ride from Caterham on the 9th. No offers yet. Thanks. Brian 

Invitation to a B Group ride on 2nd August

Our Wednesday ride from Cobham will involve some off road and a very nice hill - Box Hill - before Lunch at The Cock Inn at Headley. The afternoon will be mostly downhill to Tea in Bushy Park. Routes below:

Morning ride

Afternoon ride

The pub requires pre-ordering and would ideally like it by Sunday. Sandwiches and Main menus below:

Please therefore let me know as soon as possible if you would like to join this ride, and include your food order. The very latest by Monday 6pm. Please email gillholder9@gmail.com

Look forward to seeing you.

Gill H

Report for Easy Riders - 26th July

We had a good turnout and a fairly short ride as nobody could think of which pub to go to. In the end we went over Walton Bridge and round the back routes to the Jolly Coopers at Hampton. We returned through Bushy Park and divided into several groups for tea or straight home.

~ John

Report for B Group - 26th July

from Tim Gibbons, ride leader

Despite the gloomy weather forecast earlier this week the skies cleared and we were treated to a fine start and dry conditions for most of the day. Twenty-three B group riders met at St Martin’s, Dorking in preparation for our southerly excursion to Horsham. The first two groups, ably led by John A and Mick A, left on time with their allocated followers in hot pursuit.  

Sadly my group were initially led somewhat up the garden path as I loaded the wrong route onto my iPhone and proceeded to take them on an entirely different course in the wrong direction. Luckily my sharp and astute back marker spotted this at an early stage and with a bit of discreet adjustment got me back on the right track without the rest of the group noticing or being any the wiser. Discretion being the better part of valour I decided to bluff my way for a little while and eventually got back on course just south of Brockham.

 

(Thanks to Janice for taking these photos when we unexpectedly gatecrashed the A group photo shoot on Cotmandene.)

I take no credit for the planning of today’s route as it was initially devised by John A to be followed last September. It never happened as it was replaced by the downhill freewheel competition so it was decided to save it for a future occasion. Perhaps my earlier misfortune was a deserved reprimand for poaching someone else’s ride !

Nevertheless, we proceeded onward and southward along some familiar, some less familiar and some totally unfamiliar lanes towards our lunchtime destination. On the way we waved to a group of alpacas happily grazing in their field and to two fellow cyclists who were unhappily repairing a puncture. Bernard and Sabina assured us that they were in full control and did not require our assistance. Would that we could have made matters any worse !

Lunch at the ‘Lynd Cross’, Horsham was adequate but service a bit slow and fractious which meant that we stayed a little longer than expected. At least it was fine enough to sit outside and wrestle with the wobbly tables.

After a slight group reshuffle we adopted the puncture duo and proceeded to head north on our return trip. Passing over a golf course and through the pretty village of Warnham it seemed a shame not to stop for the obligatory photo outside the Warnham Lodge Clock Tower. The tower was built c.1890 as a water tower to supply the estate of Sir Henry Harben (1823-1911) owner of the estate and chairman of the Prudential Insurance Company. The tower is open for one day annually and contains a fully restored clock mechanism built by J.W. Benson of Ludgate Hill London in 1894/5.

Having imparted this pearl of wisdom to the assembled company I noticed that their eyes were beginning to glaze over so I thought it better to continue with the ride before I lost their attention altogether. Such is the price of ‘casting pearls amongst swine’.

A short ride along the A29 led us into Weare St and a bumpy ride up to the pond defended by the large white goose and his duck entourage. Such is their level of command and authority that they managed to block the road to two large and heavy vehicles who dared to encroach upon their territory.

Back on a familiar roads we passed through Ockley, Capel, Newdigate and Henfold to face our last climb up Punchbowl Lane and on via Pixham, Westhumble to Leatherhead. A few peeled off on the way but seven of us took tea/coffee and munchies at ‘Il Furioso’ cafe in the high street. Suitably refreshed and with ominous rain clouds gathering we finally set sail and made our own way home.

Many thanks to all involved today, especially sub leaders and back markers, for making our ride a success. A good day had by all.

~ Tim G

from Mick Arber, deputy leader

Nine of us (Christina, Dave C, Pete, Chris, Bob, Sabina, Bernard, Grant and Mick) departed Dorking in pleasant weather.  Bernard punctured on the lane through Betchworth Golf Club so we congregated on the green in Brockham whilst he sorted it out.  Off again past a field with alpacas on Partridge Lane.  Unfortunately Bernard punctured again so he and Sabina requested we carry on.  We had a rough, bumpy but fun ride down through Rapeland Wood/Northlands Copse before crossing the busy A264 and through the backstreets into Horsham.

Chris was a little disappointed when the new Wayfarer morphed into Pete

Lunch at the Lynd Cross (Weatherspoons) was pleasant, but service slow, which gave Bernard and Sabina chance to catch up.  

After lunch Bernard and Sabina joined to Tim G.’s later group so the remaining seven of use were off through quite lanes and climbs, passing this time under the A264 and across another golf course.  Pete took us on a minor deviation into Warnham so a friend was able to take a photo of the whole group.  Although the weather was threatening we pushed on through Dorking and onto Leatherhead without getting wet. Pete, Christina, Grant and Bob peeled off for home leaving three of us for tea at Charlie and Gingers.

~ Mick

 

A Group Ride - Dorking - Horley - 26 July

Neil Reports. When I published the invitation for the ride the weather forecast was not good, and I was surprised by the sudden rush of entries. But I shouldn't have worried. Come the day the sun shone and I decided we should record the event with a photograph of the whole group on Cotmandene. Getting us all there together had a few hiccups but once I had taken the register Janice volunteered to take the photo - an early entry for the photo competition?

                        

Steve led away the first group and here is his report - I was leading the first group off which comprised Janice, Patrick, Neil W, Andy H and Ged. The route was familiar at first, through Stonebridge out of Dorking and then Newdigate, Capel and a quiet way in between Faygate and Rusper. Then Wimlands Lane leading to Kilnwood Lane, almost an off road track which was cycle route 228. This then joined the Crawley Greenway south of Ifield West which proved a very neat way of circumventing Gatwick Airport to Charlwood, where we went west through Hookwood to our lunch stop at Horley.

                        

Wetherspoons didn't disappoint and we left for our tea stop at Brockham. Another interesting road winding through the new housing estate north of Meath Green, courtesy of the new cycle track, followed by more quiet ways south of Reigate east to Brockham.

Thanks to my companions to trust my navigation from gpx and for their company. Many thanks to Neil for what seems to be a simple route, but it includes some excellent links to roads well known to us, in order to produce a very neat, quiet, cycle ride bypassing busy roads. A brilliant, inventive plot.



I followed on with Sue C, Peter S, Richard, Clive, Andy C and Dave W at a relaxed pace but still arrived at lunch around one o'clock. After lunch we warmed up the legs with the mighty climb to Horley station before returning to the flatlands towards Reigate. When we arrived at Brockham the first group were just leaving and the cafe was quite busy so we decided to split up. Some stayed, some headed for the Coach Road and others towards Leatherhead and home.

Dave V lead the final group.

My group comprised Sue F, Keith, Dave F and Mark. Unfortunately David and Jennie Jackson suffered a puncture and were unable to join us.

We all enjoyed the lanes less ridden, including the Kilnwood Lane to Ifield Mill route, unknown to most. Even the Gatwick perimeter road was enhanced by a helpful touch of tailwind.

Lunch at Horley ‘spoons was swiftly served, despite the warnings of a 25-minute wait, and good quality too. There seemed to be a reluctance to leave, so it was 2.15 before we were all assembled with bikes pointing in the right direction for a novel exit to Horley. The return was an interesting combination of Avenue Verte, with a tour of new housing developments, eventually finding Meath Green lane and more familiar roads to Brockham.

We were 3.15 in Brockham, too late to get to Leatherhead for a relaxed tea at Amici, so Dave F, Sue & I opted for a Reading Room tea, where we found Andy C, sole survivor of Neil’s group, and a pleasant half hour chat before the hint of rain drove us homewards.

Mark and Keith had left us at Brockham, Sue and Andy C returned via Leatherhead, while Dave F, perhaps sensing that the day had been too easy, opted for Little Switzerland, dragging me along too. We avoided the rain, hopefully everyone else did too.

Many thanks to Mark for back marking, and to everyone else for their company.



Finally, thanks to everyone for a memorable day out, Steve for leading, and to Dave V for leading and publishing the report for me while I swan of to the Isle of Wight. See you in a couple of weeks.

B Group Ride - Wed. 26th July.

Our ride on Wednesday from Dorking will take us south to Horsham via Parkgate and Rusper.

Lunch will be at the 'Lynd Cross' (W'spoons) pub in Horsham.

The afternoon ride will bring us back via Warnham and Ockley for tea at Leatherhead.

Please reply by Monday evening to be included on the ride list.

Email - timgibbons1@virginmedia.com

WhatsApp - 07756961505

Look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday.

TimG

Invitation to the A ride on 26th July from Dorking.

After this week's long and hilly ride, next Wednesday we will be having a shorter and flatter ride. There are a few less travelled roads, a couple of new sections, a mill and a railway foot crossing. Road surfaces are generally good but there is a short gravelly path through the woods.

Lunch will be at The Jack Fairman in Horley so no pre-booking necessary.

23 miles before lunch. Only 12 miles after lunch to Brockham where you can stop for tea at The Reading Room, or you can ride on for another 7 miles to Leatherhead.

Please email me by Monday 6pm to book your place.

Ride report for the Easy Riders - 19th July

We had an honoured guest for our ride today and it was a happy occasion to have Pam Jones with us. From Claygate DC we decided, on the day of course, to wend our way to the London Apprentice Isleworth. On the way we usually include a short stop at JMW Turner's house in Sandycoombe Road in Twickenham. As we have got to know most of the nooks and crannies in our immediate area, we were able to introduce Pam to some small diversions previously unknown to her.  

We enjoyed our lunch outside in the sunshine despite the aircraft flying low overhead at minute intervals. Afterwards we agreed to divide into two groups, one going to the Walled Garden, Sunbury as it is a pleasant tea stop and also on the way home for Pam. The other group aimed for Kew Bridge and around to Richmond Park where only two of us stopped for refreshment. We were amazed that we were just about the only cyclists there as it is usually heaving with them but then found that it had already been invaded that morning.

John

Ride Report – A Group to Horsted Keynes 19 July

This is our traditional summertime adventure into deepest Weald country where, by tradition we meet the East Sussex CTC Wednesday irregulars. It’s a longish day out, starting with (for many) a 20ish mile jaunt to Hookwood Tesco’s, not our most picturesque coffee stop, but enhanced now with a few hundred metres of new cycleway.

The morning is a ride with three stages. Firstly a slalom around Gatwick Airport infrastructure, secondly a delightful few miles of Worth Way, all without traffic, and finally into East Sussex leafy lanes, complete with superb views, and the odd hill. 

Lunch at The Green Man was swiftly served, with generous helpings thrown in. It was a pleasure swapping stories with the E Sussex guys, especially learning how much easier our return journey would be if only we had their e-bikes. 

Mark left us after lunch for adventures eastward. Our return started with a flying visit to the Bluebell Railway station just off route, for a quick view of their rolling stock and photo stop. 

Thereafter a seemingly endless climb up to West Hoathly was followed by even more undulations. Dave F left us at Smallfield seeking a less uphill route to Ashtead. The remaining group, Mike R, Keith, Sue C and Peter Suchy got stuck into the official route until a minor revolt led to us choosing Holly Lane over Park Road.

The prospect of some downhill riding at last meant that nobody stopped for tea, but Neil C and Andy Coxhill from Ged’s group were still there for a chat. My thanks to all my group for their company, and especially Peter Suchy for back marking and Mike Reynell for corner marking and shielding me from the occasional icy blast from the north wind.

Ged, who led the second group off reports:-

My group included two knowledgeable navigators. Neil Crocker - who helped me sub-lead after his recce ride with Dave Vine, and Steve Duffin, who fine-tuned the route in 2020, and who diligently backmarked. Thanks guys!

We stopped for the traditional photo under the Gatwick flight path, and then reeled-in the first group a few miles before Horsted Keynes, arriving at the Green Man to find the E.Sussex riders already downing their pints. (An easy ride for them, as their leader later revealed that apart from two, they all rode E bikes!). After the stiff climbs up to Banstead we enjoyed tea at Cafe Chai.