Report for A Group 29 May 2024

17 signed up for the ride this Wednesday from the Woodham and New Haw Day Centre. 

The A3/M25 road works made getting to New Haw a little more difficult than usual for some of us. I had planned to meet Janice, Richard and Dave F at the Leatherhead Leisure centre to take a route to New Haw via Bookham Common and Ripley. I got to the agreed meeting point very early having rolled down the hill from home. While I was waiting for the others, I thought I would take my helmet off… no helmet! So, I had to rush back up the hill and back down again to find them waiting for me. According to Dave F, I was only about 30 seconds late though which is not too bad.

From New Haw we set off in two groups. My moderately paced group was off first and comprised of: Sue C, Christina B, Richard B, Daves E, F and V, Andy C and Ged.

There were a couple of early navigational ‘blips’ (as I like to call them) including unnecessarily taking the group through the pedestrian underpass at New Haw station. But things started to improve as the route gradually came back to me from the recce a couple of weeks ago. After passing through Woking, the route became leafier and more scenic as we progressed through Surrey and in to the Hampshire countryside to Greywell and the Fox and Goose for lunch. By the way, this route is one of Dave W’s and is part of his train assisted Winchester ride.

It was very pleasant to be able to sit outside in the pub garden to have our baguettes, which were served in reasonably good time. After lunch Andy set his camera up to take this photo outside the pub.

The return journey to tea in Ripley took us back through the pretty village of Odiham and more leafy lanes. We also passed Farnborough airfield where we stopped for a group photo.

We made it to Pinnock’s in Ripley for tea with about 15 minutes to spare before they closed. Most stopped for tea and cake then Sue C, Richard, Dave F and I set off for home together with me peeling off at Leatherhead.

It was a very enjoyable day out: the weather was good and thanks to Dave W for a lovely route.

Thanks to my group for the company and also to Dave V for back marking and to Fiona for leading the other group.

Here is Fiona's report:

We set off from New Haw in good dry weather. I missed a turning very early on, so was pleased to spot Clives group ahead, which I gladly followed them through to Woking, where we then forged ahead. Apart from several other missed turns, which were picked up and corrected mostly by Steve and Andy, we arrived safely at Greywell where orders and lunch were served promptly. 

An uneventful route home along some different roads through Hampshire brought us back to Ripley, just in time for Neil, Patrick, Steve, Andy and Janice to get a cup of tea and I’m sure some cakes at Pinnocks. Whilst Dave, Hans and I went directly home.

The route: