Report for B Group ride from Hersham - 30th October

The clocks had changed, so we made an early start from Hersham, on a route planned by Stephen with invaluable input from Paul and Steph.  We left in 3 groups, the Hounds (Paul, Brenda, Diane, John, Tim G, Keith, Gill, and picking up Terry & Pam along the way); the Hawks (Steph, Ian, Karl, Dawn, Jane, Gill, Dave & Christina); and the Hares (Stephen, Tony, Mick, Sue, Colin, Alan & Grant). Fortunately, the weather was dry and relatively warm.

 

The Hounds (Paul)

There was a risk that a ride designed and recced before the clocks went back would prove a little too ambitious to get us all home in a dark evening.  But a combination of an early start, a reasonably efficient lunch service and good cycling weather all served to make it work, despite an unplanned detour when the police closed a section of the route because of a road traffic accident.

A 10am start from Hersham demanded early rising; as leader of the first group set on a proper elevenses I was on the road by a quarter to eight.  The weather was cool but dry, as much as we could ask during this autumn of wet presents from the overheated Atlantic Ocean, and Keith and I had both been pessimistic about our timings, but the roads were eerily clear of traffic for half term and I successfully ran an extraordinary gauntlet of timely green traffic lights all through Sutton, Cheam, Chessington and Ewell. So we were both there early, shortly followed by Tim G.  Diane (bike mended) and Brenda (left helmet and gloves in the van) followed, Ann sent her apologies, Gill (because she lives close) and John (because he is invariably and assiduously punctual) timed it to perfection and off we went on schedule.

Terry was waiting by the roadside at one end of Weybridge, and Pam at the other, and we had us a convoy.  The leaves and the occasional dog on the towpaths of the River Wey and the Basingstoke Canal behaved themselves and the peaceful paths through Horsell Common woods were so passable that Tim C would have been disappointed.  Many of us had never been through those woods before and we arrived at the Hare and Hounds at West End with the pleasant feeling you get from discovering a new route to the same place.

It got better; for there was free beer.  Preceding our arrival the weights and measures inspector had been and the landlord had had to draw three quarters of a pint of each of his ales; they were lined up on the bar and the weights and measures man invited us to have them.  Well done, Stephen; we think that all ride leaders should arrange for a weights and measures man to visit just prior to our arrival.  

The Hersham Hounds at the Hare and Hounds

On the recce I had found the afternoon ride a bit of a slog home but Stephen had redesigned the route and the weather was better and this was pleasant, though I must remember not to cycle too fast for the electric bikers.  The only glitch was a policeman stopping us as we tried to ride along Chobham Lane outside the Defence Science and Technology Lab.  He would not countenance us squeezing through, but helpfully suggested a detour which turned out to be fairly straightforward and involve only a couple of extra ups and downs.

Thanks Stephen for a fine route, and to everybody in my group for your company. 

The Hawks (Steph)

We left promptly at 10.10 and were soon passing through Weybridge.  The Beeline was indicating left onto the Wey navigation - I'd never done that before so I ignored it and took the next left.  It became obvious that I should have gone where Beeline indicated however I wheeled on and over the railway bridge to the Coxes Mill Pond (secretly thankful that Ian had left his electric bike at home).  We took a few photos and enjoyed listening to a local lady tell us about  the swans and the cygnets and their escape from the foxes by building their nest on the island we were just about to cross.  

It was then that we spotted the Hares (who had taken the correct route on the towpath ) stealthily making their way towards New Haw Lock.  We quickly mounted up and crossed the lock to rejoin the route, catching them up by the time we crossed our second bridge to join the Basingstoke Canal.  Karl took the photo and we let the Hares get ahead .  The canal path was beautiful and a very popular choice at this time of year.

Lunch was enjoyed without any other route problems and we were lucky to be lined up and ready to go before the Hares had got their bikes unlocked.  We had regained our second place !

At the double roundabout at Longcross /Staple lane the Chobham Lane route was blocked off by a police car and we took the next left which was a swift downhill down Longcross into Chertsey.  We rejoined the route at Free Prae Rd.  We had had a bit of motorist angst on the rather busy Longcross but in retrospect I think this was probably due to the road closure earlier on.

To reward my team for valiantly putting up with the busy road we took Dockett Eddy Lane and had a bit of river calm before arriving refreshed and revitalised for tea at the Marina.    I think this last detour allowed the Hares to jump into second place.

A great day out, a fabulous route and excellent company.

The Hawks flying over the Wey Navigation

The Hares (Stephen)

We were the last to leave and made our way through Weybridge and - after a sharp left turn up and over the footbridge - onto the Wey towpath. The canal was lovely in the calm, early autumn weather.  After passing under the M25, we crossed to the Basingstoke Canal - where we were surprised to find that we had somehow overtaken the Hawks.  After a further stretch of canal, we made our way via a mix of off-road (a scenic track round Horsell Common) and reasonably quiet roads to the Hare and Hounds at Donkey Town.

Lunch was fine - though the free beer had gone - and we set forth for the shorter ride, via Windlesham, Trumps Green and Chertsey, to the Boathouse near Walton Bridge in time for tea (and excellent cake), arriving while it was still light. At one point we were stopped by the police due to an accident, but after diverting across the M3 on Longcross Road we were able to return via Kitsmead Lane to the original route.

But when we arrived at the Boathouse we were surprised to find that we had yet again overtaken the Hawks, without actually spotting them along the way.  Moral:  although, according to Aesop, the tortoise beat the hare, hares sometimes outrun hawks!

A varied ride, with good (dry!) weather, excellent company and in good time to complete in daylight.

The Hares after Lunch