B group ride to Warnham - 27th July '22

We were fortunate to have twenty cyclists sign up for our ride to Warnham so we spilt into three sub-groups. Meeting at Dorking is always a pleasure with refreshments provided by the Christian Centre.

We followed a familiar route up Punchbowl Lane to Newdigate, Capel and Ockley then down Mole Lane (which proved particularly attractive) to Walliswood, Okewood Hill and on to Warnham.

On the way we passed the Warnham Lodge water/clock tower built in 1890 to supply the estate of Sir Henry Harben (owner and chairman of Prudential Insurance Company). Apparently it’s open for one day a year to interested visitors.

Unfortunately, just after leaving the A29, Alan had a puncture caused by a stray drawing pin. Happily he was soon back on the road and we made our way on to lunch at Warnham.

The ‘Greets Inn’ proved to be a particularly successful lunchtime stop. We had the rear garden to ourselves and food was served promptly with no delay.

Our afternoon took us past Warnham station then north via Cripplegate, Rusper, Parkgate, Brockham, Pixham and Leatherhead for tea at Charlie and Gingers cafe.

We enjoyed fine weather all day and a variety of scenic roads and country lanes.

Many thanks to my two sub-leaders Steph and Francis who led and guided the other groups. Their contribution to the day’s success is greatly appreciated.

A good day had by all !

TimG.

Invitation to All Day Ride (Beginners pace) to Greenwich on Saturday 13 August

The annual All Day Ride to Greenwich will be on Saturday 13 August, leaving the Pavilion Cafe in Beddington Park from 10am.

We hope to escort a group of those who can't find Beddington park from Cheam at 9.30.

32 miles back to Beddington Park, flat as a pancake apart from having to climb up to Blackheath (annoyingly, they built the Observatory on a hill!), through South London parks in the morning, up the river to Bermondsey Beach and then through the back streets of Camberwell and Brixton to see the windmill, and home over Tooting Common.

Depending on the uptake, we hope to run an alternative home route to Cheam, and an option of a pub lunch or sandwiches.

Volunteers for group leaders would be most welcome, and a final recce will be available if you want it on Thursday 11th or Friday 12th, or by arrangement.  I will shortly be publishing the route on Ride with GPS to those interested. 

Those who want to join the ride please e-mail paulandrewjames1949@yahoo.co.uk   

 

Do your blog posts look like ransom notes?

Do yOUr bLog poStS loOk liKE thIs?   Mixed font sizes, fonts, background colours?

If you cut and paste from emails into blog posts, they don't always look the same.

Here's the trick to make all the text look the same: (I think you can only do this when editing posts using the blogger.com website, but that's what most of us use).

• Select the text you want to "normalise"
• On the toolbar, click the button marked   (If you don't see it, click the ... at the end of the toolbar for more options)
• This will set the selected text to the blogger standard font and size.

GoOd luCk!

A Group ride invitation 27th July

Our route from Dorking will take us 19 miles to the Bricklayers Arms at Shamley Green and a similar distance back to Cobham.

The good:  the ride down Mole Street and Standen Lane to Walliswood and the resurfacing of the track along the Downs to Newlands Corner ( a welcome lack of mud or tree roots ).

The "bad": three stretches off road though all hard surfaced - NCN22 to Westcott, White Lane to Newlands (now gravel - mostly firm)  and Jury's Farm ( a concrete road for those that don't know it).

The ugly?: up Logmore Lane to Coldharbour

Please book by 6pm Monday:   briangreenwood@yahoo.co.uk

B Group Ride Invitation - Wednesday 27th July.

 Our ride on Wednesday from Dorking will take us south via Newdigate and Walliswood to Warnham for lunch at 'The Greets Inn'.

The afternoon ride will bring us back north via Rusper and Brockham for tea at Leatherhead.

Please reply by Monday evening to be included on the ride list.

Email - timgibbons1@virginmedia.com

WhattsApp - 07756961505

Look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday.

TimG.

Report for B Group ride - 20th July

Seventeen riders departed from Claygate to Leigh, and taking advantage of the exceptionally dry tracks we did a fair bit of off road riding starting with Prince's Coverts to Leatherhead and into Mickleham whereupon we visited the grave of Douglas Gilmour one of the earliest pioneers of flight.

 

In the Prince's Coverts

 

Douglas Gilmour's grave at St Michael and All Angels

On a bridge over the Mighty Mole (Leatherhead)

 

Further along the bypass we were confronted by a funny man taking photos of us, it turned out to be Terry hiding under a big floppy hat 😊.

 

Pete being slipstreamed by Annette

 

Then it was on to Leigh via Punchbowl Lane and Root Hill lane.

After lunch we proceeded across Reigate heath and up onto Reigate hill via a very steep footpath and then along the North Downs way to the Village Café at Walton for afternoon tea and cake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you all enjoyed the day.

Regards

Pete

 

PS It was our pleasure to welcome Sabina and Bernard to our ride and hope that they will enjoy riding with us in future. In recent years they have been frequent flyers on the Beginners weekend rides.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arriving at Dorking...

                                               B group led by Pete B closely followed by ???

  Terry

A Group ride to Horsted Keynes, 20th July 2022.

 It was a ride of swaps - involving Hans, Sue and Mark, as Janice explains below. It also involved me swapping leading with Steve after lunch, after my Garmin inexplicably reversed the route from Horsted Keynes back to Banstead. 

Janice led the first group with these observations.

The recce was cancelled due to the extreme heat and declaration of a National Emergency but luckily the forecast for the day was a much cooler 25° with an ever changing possibility of showers and even thunderstorm. It was very pleasant starting at the top of Epsom Downs for the ride to Hookwood with Sue and Neil W and even more so once we’d descended Pebble Hill and were on country roads.

Tesco’s in Hookwood provided a good meeting point with ok coffee and pastries. As we were about to depart, Hans found that he had a puncture and so he dropped back to the later departing group to give him a chance to fix it. Mark swapped in and joined myself, Fiona, Sue, Neil W, Mike, Patrick and Dave B

Hans - and tube number 1.

There were a few tricky navigation moments to join the Worth Way and whilst on it but with the help of Mark we managed to negotiate it. The Worth Way was lovely and shaded which was much appreciated after the overheating of the previous few days. There was beautiful scenery and just a couple of sharp hills before reaching Horsted Keynes where we had a very pleasant lunch under a parasol, including a chat with a couple of members of the other CUK group.

Janice's group - Sue leaving/Hans joining.

With more hills to come, 5 according to garmin but I’m fairly sure I counted more that that, we set off with a re-shuffled group as Hans and Sue swapped places.

Straight from lunch and on lunch legs we hit the first climb, although garmin didn’t count that as a hill. The scenery was beautiful and the afternoon warm and humid, not a day for rushing. The hills came and went and came again, 5 in all and we all knew the final 2 up Markedge Lane and then to Banstead were awaiting us. But we survived and gratefully had ice creams/coffee/cakes at Pistachios.

A lovely day out on less used roads in great company. Thanks to my group and to Mike for back marking.


My group discovered that without a recce there were a few navigation hiccups but generally the ride flowed well. We paused for the traditional photo at Gatwick. Later, on Worth Way, we stopped to attend Hans's troublesome tyre, only to discover shortly the need for tube number 2.

A's on their final approach to Horsted Keynes.

Tube number 2.

Having swapped puncture-prone Hans for Sue, we left the Green Man just before 2pm, with me being relegated to back marker.

The reliability second group.

 After Merstham we were not looking forward to the final two climbs - Markedge and up to Banstead, so most of the group chose Holly Lane rather than Park Road as the lesser of two evils. Five stayed for tea at Pistachios, enjoying ice creams - and even chocolate cake!

Thanks to Steve D. for both back marking - and leading (he's good at multi-tasking!), and to Janice for leading and photos at the Green Man.

Dorking...

                                                             Denbies roundabout 

                                                    Sorry, don't recognise you ladies.

                                                               ...or you, sir.

                                                        Christina, followed by ???

                                                        Sorry, don't recognise you

                                                                               Tim G

                                                                 Fixie Dave

                                                              Sorry, don't recognise you

                                                               Peter C, welcome back

                                                    Sorry, don't recognise, John A, Tim C

                                                                   John A, Tim C

                                                              Backmarker Tim C
 

......welcomes the Wayfarers.

Terry

Report for the Easy Riders - 13th July

New Haw Day Care centre is a new elevenses destination for many of the current Easy Riders. An early start from North Cheam was decided upon bearing in mind the unfamiliarity of the latter stages of the route and the high temperatures. With Sabina Winkler and Bernard Prado, who I met for the first time at the Tri-Vets, having to opt out owing to a puncture, just four of us set out – myself, Anne Connaughton, Jane Gunningham and Sandy Bayliss.

The weather was kind in  the morning with cloudy skies limiting the impact of the sun. Having ascertained that we could not join the Wey Navigation at Weybridge, we took the Addlestone detour and then on to the Wey at New Haw before switching to the Basingstoke Canal. We were met by Dawn Moriarty at the Day Centre.

Any thought of going further afield was quickly dismissed and we retraced our steps to Weybridge before enjoying a clear run along the Thames Path to Walton. Lunch at the Jolly Coopers at Hampton was, as on previous visits, very good value. It was roughly 40 miles in all.

Frank Carter

 

 

Invitation to B Group ride to Leigh

The ride for this coming Wednesday will start from Claygate Day Centre in Elm Rd and head south through Leatherhead, Mickleham, Brockham and on to The Plough in Leigh for lunch. We will return via Reigate Heath and the west side of Reigate and up to Reigate hill, then follow the North Downs way to Walton and on to the Headley Village Tearooms for those that would like an afternoon cuppa.

To avoid the main road up to Reigate Hill we will be taking a track where we may find ourselves walking, until we reach the fort at the top.

The weather on Wednesday is forecast to be hot but cooler than today and tomorrow. Good cycling weather but remeber to drink plenty of water.

This is the route:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40231674

Anyone willing to sub lead please let me know.

Please advise me if you're coming.

Pete Beyer

07742 724571 

 

Invitation to the A Group ride to Horsted Keynes, 20July 2022.

Our traditional annual A Group Ride to Horsted Keynes on 20 July replicates the ride last year. Elevenses is at Tesco's, Hookwood, lunch at the Green Man pub, Horsted Keynes, and tea at Pistachios, Banstead. The route includes part of the off-road Worth Way, which is perfectly rideable with road tyres.

Because of the Extreme Heat Red Weather Warning the planned recce by myself, Janice and Steve Duffin for Monday has been cancelled. However, whilst we are reasonably familiar with the planned route having led / sub led previously, be prepared for the odd navigational hiccups. 

For those wishing to be led to Hookwood elevenses from North Cheam, Steve and I will lead up to two groups. Janice will lead those who would find it convenient to meet at the Tea Hut, Epsom Downs. In responding to this invitation let me know if, and where, you wish to meet so that I can arrange groups. Departure times will be made after you have responded.

Distances:- 19miles from North Cheam to Hookwood, 19miles from Hookwood to Horsted Keynes, and 27miles from Horsted Keynes to Banstead.

The Green Man has requested us to pre-order lunch, so please tell me you choices.

Please respond by 6.00pm on Mon. 18th July to: gedlawrenson150@gmail.com or on the A Group WhatsApp.

By Wednesday the temperature will have fallen dramatically down to 25degrees which should be very pleasant in the West Sussex countryside.

Report for B Group - 13th July

Sub-leader Gill Holder led the BBC Group and writes:

We couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather as we set off in the morning plus the lovely route offered lots of shade. Thanks Tony. We were all impressed by the Bagshot television relay mast. An amazing structure. There is even a video of it on YouTube. Weatherspoons was very quick with our food and the first group were getting ready to leave as the second arrived. Apart from a bit of a dash across a dual carriageway it was a relaxed ride back to Walton for tea.

 

Good to see Stephen in Tony’s group back on his first ride since his injury.

Mine was a great team to be riding with for my first time sub-leading! Only a couple of deliberate(!) mistakes, so hopefully not too shabby.

Paul and Mick did a great job monitoring route finding, good to have you watching my back. Thanks to Tim G for back marking and to Paula and Christina for getting us through the last bit of the route to tea at Walton Bridge! Brenda’s bright clothing was perfect for keeping us visible on the road, but tougher for visits to the bushes 😉 and Annette thanks for corner marking and well done for even being out on a bike after your brush with Covid. A very pleasant day out! 

~ Gill H.

 

Photos for Tony's team, the ITV Group

Arwyn on Penny Hill

Oops, wrong camera setting

Steph hurtling through the shrubbery

Tony kept us far enough away from the microwave relay tower to avoid getting cooked

Maps of planned and actual ride (Tony's group)

 

~ Tim C