After a very pleasant elevenses at Teddington, about 20 of us set off in three groups to negotiate yet another of my (fairly) tortuous routes. Hans and a few others managed to self-navigate the first group, Peter S gamely led the second, and I followed up in the rear.
The outbound route took us over Teddington lock footbridge, through Richmond Park, along Warren Road, down into New Malden, along the Beeline to Raynes Park, then down to Motspur Park to pick up another cycle path, the delightfully named 'Pig Farm Alley' which duly deposited us in the nether regions of North Cheam.
Then we were off again, dropping down into Chipstead Valley only to be rewarded with the vicious climb up Hazelwood Lane! Some would have expected to coast along Markedge Lane and then enjoy the descent to Gatton Bottom but I had other plans, and I treated us to the sharp kick up Harps Oak Lane, seemingly unknown to many, then a slightly less familiar route to a well-deserved lunch at The Sun, Redhill, where we were very pleased to be joined by Keith!
After a very promising and sunny start it had quickly turned gloomy during our outbound ride and drops of rain were felt as we arrived at lunch. Once we were indoors there was a heavy shower, but miraculously, the cloud then thinned and we were finally treated to some warm sunshine as we threaded our way through the labyrinthine back-doubles of Redhill and Reigate, eventually finding ourselves back on the well-trodden route back to Betchworth, Pixham Lane, and...well you know the rest, we've done it enough times!
Many thanks to the wind for a very helpful assist through the Mole Gap, to everyone else for their company, to Peter S for leading his group, to Hans and all in the first group for self-navigating themselves, and to Clive for back-marking my group.
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