A group ride from Effingham Queen Stage to Godalming, 27th March 2024.

As indicated in the ride invitation, our route included a few odd hills - in fact these totalled 686m of ascent, with my Garmin course indicating six Cat <4 climbs*. Not all were familiar. This wasn't enough ascent for one group, as you will see from Janice's report below!). Numbers leaving the Queen Stage were down - maybe the forecast of Spring 'showers' deterred some, but we still managed three groups.

Peter Suchy, Dave Ferrett and Sue Chasty were waiting patiently for the Queen Stage to open when I arrived just before 10am, and they were eventually joined by Dave Vine to make-up the first group to depart at 10.30am.

Leading my group of five found us overlapping with Peter's group in Thorncombe Street -  the drizzle at Chilworth having turned to heavy rain by then. Luckily, alertness in the peloton prevented me following Peter who had missed the right fork along Thorncombe St. towards Hascombe. (An easy mistake to make as demonstrated by those taking the more natural left fork/straight-on along Thorncombe St towards Palmers Cross, and beyond!).

Next up was Mare Lane. This was missed on last week's recce: the gradient towards the top must have been 20%, and with very narrow tracks walking-up was the preferred option.  

The Mare Lane walk-up.

We approached Godalming by the less familiar southernly direction via Hydestile, Enton and Tuesley, reaching The Jack Philips not long before 1.00pm. Dave and Jennie departed for Easter Tour duties, with Dave Ward soon after. That made a comfortable combined easy-paced group of seven to tea at Gails, Cobham.

Departing the 'Spoons' - warm and dry!

Janice had a lot of explaining to do in her report.

As she says, the forecast had shown heavy rain around 12 - 1 and strong winds but by the time Patrick, Steve D, Andy, Neil C and I met in the Queens Stage for our 10.50 departure the forecast was showing the rain was coming at 11.
We felt the first spots on our descent of Combe Lane so after that it was jackets on where they stayed all day.

The ride was going well until Thorncombe Street which seemed to go on forever. By now the rain was torrential, the potholes and gravel frequent, the Garmin touch screen was getting confused by rain drops and kept ‘greying out’ and my hands were freezing in my completely sodden Sealskinz waterproof gloves. But up and up we went on the never ending Thorncombe Street. Andy realised that Steve and Neil were no longer behind but Patrick and I thought there was only about a minute’s gap. Andy elected to wait for them just before the descent but Patrick and I foolishly continued on a lengthy downhill stretch. At the bottom we stopped and waited, the rain still torrential. After a few minutes we realised there must be more to it than then just falling behind. So back up the hill this time to where Andy was waiting. After waiting some more and being cold and soaked through I sent a what’s app message and phoned Steve. No reply so what a dilemma.

In the end, Andy said that we’d passed a turn to Godalming which could have been taken by them and Neil had earlier said that if he dropped back we should go ahead as he had the route on his Garmin. So wetter and colder than ever we decided to press on.

After cycling for what seemed like forever we found ourselves in Bramley, going up Snowdenham Lane at which point all 3 of us said ‘haven’t we already been up here’? And yes we had, I’d somehow managed to lead us around circles.

By then my brain was too tired and cold to function but Andy switched into gear and produced a map (what a great invention, I must get one)! So with a right, left, right we were at last on our way to Godalming. We passed a sign saying 2 miles to go but I’m sure it was much more than that, although maybe that’s just how it felt.

At last we arrived in Godalming, Steve and Neil and both other groups were happily tucking into lunch. A jacket potato and hot chocolate restored my spirits.


The ride back to Cobham was mercifully uneventful.

Thanks to Ged for the route and my group for their unfailing politeness in being led a merry dance (or ride) around the many hills of Surrey without complaint.

Janice's group - back together again! 

(This photo courtesy of Andy - and his self-timer!).

Thanks to Janice and Peter for sub-leading, Dave Ward and Dave Vine for back marking - and for the rest of you remaining cheerful despite the near winterly conditions at times. 

*Cavert Road, Green Dene, Sampleoak Lane, Mare Lane, Tuesley Lane, Littleton Lane.