Report for B Group - 9th August

Eighteen B riders met at Caterham Day Centre on a lovely sunny morning. My group left at 11.00am making our first stop at Kenley Aerodrome.

Then onto Biggin hill where “The Hills were alive with the sound of ☹️☹️☹️☹️”.

We decided not to visit the Biggin Hill Aerodrome as planned because we were running late, due to muddy conditions in Norheads Lane!

Something for everyone today, from mountainous hills to mud

View of Mordor from a high point in Norheads Lane

Also we had to skip the visit to the Windmill but we eventually made it to the Addington Hills view point, which was so clear today.

On to lunch at the Coombe Lodge Beefeater. The service and food was good and we enjoyed our lunch in their spacious garden.

After lunch we continued to Croydon Aerodrome where we took in the sights of the RAF memorial and the Airport buildings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ride continued to Beddington Park and on to the Cycle path to Mitchum Junction.

We then followed the River Wandle to Merton Abbey Mills for late afternoon tea, there we met up with Francis who has not been able to ride his bike for several weeks due to his damaged knee, we wish home a speedy recovery.

Thanks to Alan and John for leading and Tim for being our back marker.

Tony

Happy 87th birthday to Grant🎂 (Sunday)

Alan writes:

A warm and sunny start set up a beautiful day of cycling between Caterham and Merton Abbey Mills, on a varied route which included visits to Kenley, Biggin Hill and Croydon Airfields; plus stops at Shirley Windmill and beautifully clear views across the Shirley Hills along the way.

On a short, but hilly route, the ride included a mix of relaxed cycling in quiet residential roads, along peaceful country lanes, past village greens, plus some exhilarating descents, views across open countryside and the chance to take on some challenging hills. It also provided the opportunity to see some light commercial aircraft and understand a bit of local WW2 history.

We were the second group to leave The Westway Community Centre with six riders, out of a total eighteen riders who had registered for the day’s ride.

In anticipation of a good day out on our bikes, we followed an enjoyable route through Caterham up to Kenley Aerodrome stopping at the RAF Kenley Tribute Memorial on the Airfield site. The memorial commemorates those who served at Kenley between 1917 and 1959, and although Kenley is not an operational base of the RAF anymore, it continues to train future pilots using gliders.

After leaving the Airfield, we continued along Hayes Lane and Valley Road, riding an enjoyable mix quiet residential roads and shaded descents to Whyteleafe and then to Warlingham. In warm sunshine we then comfortably rode the first hill of the day, a long and steady climb up towards Warlingham Green. An ideal warm-up for other hills to come.

After a short break at the top, we cycled onto Warlingham Green (past the inviting pubs), joining Farleigh Road on an undulating route past Chelsham Common. We then continued onto Church Road, riding through quiet country lanes towards Biggin Hill.

In good spirits and getting into our stride, we sped down Beddlestead Lane, stopping briefly at the bottom for a photoshoot and look back over the rolling hills of the countryside behind. We then continued up the “Col Du Skelly” (a 1.9-mile-long incline), before going off-road onto Norheads Lane, an unsurfaced track.

This was probably the most picturesque section of the route with open views across the cornfields towards Biggin Hill plus a bright blue sky and a dense ring of trees in the background. A welcome chance to be off the main roads. After a short walk over loose gravel and stones, we took a few moments to absorb the landscape and then began to ride the rest of the track.

By the marker post for the 'Col du Skelly'

However, we soon found our way blocked by a pool of muddy rainwater covering the width of the track, surrounded by mud and stinging nettles on each side. Sabina bravely tested the depth of the water by cycling across to the other side, and almost made it all the way through! Unfortunately, her wheels got stuck in the mud. The rest of us elected for dry feet and sore legs by carrying our bikes around the muddy pool, through the stinging nettles growing on each side.

Now back on tarmac, we coasted down through the quiet residential roads of Biggin Hill before climbing steeply upwards on two consecutive hills towards Biggin Hill Airfield, the second airport on the route. A combination of steep gradient, uneven road surface and numerous potholes made these difficult hills to climb, and everyone set their own pace to get to the top. We then rode together to the Airport Café which had a good view of the airport runway. As we chatted and watched a small commercial aircraft taking off, Colin and Martin mentioned they had previously been pilots (of gliders) themselves! We had a brief photo stop at the Strongest Link Garden and Statue (a garden and statue to honour the role of Biggin Hill Airfield as the “Strongest Link” in the Battle of Britain).

After leaving Biggin Hill Airfield, we then set off to complete the last section of the ride before lunch, going out of the airport and down the very steep descent of Saltbox Hill; followed immediately by a steep ascent of Jewels Hill. This was arguably the most stretching part of the route with a gradient of 15% on an uneven road. A test of energy and determination. We all made it to the top and regrouped before turning onto Skid Hill Lane and riding past the White Bear Pub in Fickleshole, a 16th Century Inn now being repaired and renovated.

Shirley Windmill

With most of the hills completed, we cruised downhill past Addington Golf Course, through Forestdale and took the Cycle Path beside Gravel Hill to Shirley Windmill. We then climbed back up Shirley Hills Road before going to the Viewpoint overlooking Shirley Hills - with clear skies and some beautiful views across South London and beyond. We then rode beside the tram line down to the Coombe Lodge Pub and Restaurant joining the other two groups of riders in the garden for lunch.

After lunch, we avoided a potentially muddy track along Conduit Lane, by turning left out of the restaurant and rode down through the streets of South Croydon to the Croydon Airport Visitors Centre (complete with Aircraft outside), stopping to visit the Croydon Aerodrome Battle of Britain Memorial beside the busy Purley Way. We then followed a short route out of Croydon through the side roads of Wallington to Beddington Park.

Colin, Martin and Ken decided to make for home at Beddington Park to make their way back to Epsom and Cobham. The remainder of the group followed a quiet route through Beddington Park, along the River Wandle and into Morden Hall Park. We finished the ride by following the new route across the tramline and beside Dean City Farm to Merton Abbey Mills where we met the other groups for Tea.

Thanks to Ken, Colin, Martin, Bernard and Sabina for a great day of cycling. Thanks also to Colin for being backmarker and to Tony for planning the ride. An enjoyable day on a challenging route.

~ Alan