B Group report - 24th January

For our cycling excursion out from Walton to Woking, 27 keen Wayfarers 🚵 enrolled.

On this occasion we weren't able to avail ourselves of the hospitality of the Walton Day Centre. Seemingly they can't get the Staff - (to coin a phrase.)

So The Wilde Brunch became our Elevenses meeting point. 

To try and appease the motoring fraternity we split into three groups, The Falcons, the Galahs, and the Harriers.

The group I led was composed of nine riders, Margaret, Diane, Christina, Ann, Steph, Sabina, Bernard, Tony Hooker, this being the middle group on the road, with the group name of the Galahs 😀🦜. 

A Westerly headwind prevailed on our outward leg of the ride. Today's weather was a juxtaposition of last week's cool weather.

The upside was the fact that it kept the motorists' pollution at bay. The tailwind was helpful after lunch, heading homeward from the Herbert Wells in Woking.

Some of our group made a welcome stop for fuel in the afternoon, at the Riverside Barn in Walton.

The Navigator leading our group did seem to struggle to some degree, so thank you to the assistant navigators 😁.

Also thanks to our good backmarker!  

Thanks to all who took part in our ride today, which made it an enjoyable day out.

~ Dave (Fixie)

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Blessed with a dry, warm but breezy day, it was a big turnout by the B's.

After a refreshing coffee at the Wilde Brunch café at Walton Bridge, the 7 Falcons (Francis leading, Brenda, Julie, Dawn, Ian W, Tim G and John A) left on time to head west towards Addlestone, LongCross and Chobham Common where the group stopped to admire the views and take a breather.

Suitably refreshed, we pushed on towards Woking and lunch at The Herbert Wells (Wetherspoons pub). On seeing a statue of H.G Wells, Tim instinctively gave us a history lesson on Woking's most famous resident and writer of The War of the Worlds and The Invisible Man.

The usual quick service saw us about to leave just as The Galahs walked into the pub.

The afternoon's ride was 10 miles back to Walton via Woodham and we arrived in good time. A few departed for home while the rest headed for their cuppa at the Riverhouse Barn.

A special thank you to Ian W who tried valiantly to help Julie get her low gears working again, even scouring around for bike repair shop in Woking. Alas, no luck but hopefully it will be fixed today.  

An enjoyable day out after the miserable weather of late.

~ Francis

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We had a very good turnout for a winter ride, nearly 30 riders made there way to Wilde Brunch Café at Walton-on-Thames for Elevenses. Dave had planned the day and organised three teams, The Falcons led by Francis, The Galahs led by Dave and The Harriers led by Mick, we departed in that order.

Our Team Harriers left the cafe more or less on time. We were hampered with a headwind as we headed west from Walton-on-Thames nor did that ease as we turned south towards Woking. Nevertheless the weather was kind considering Storms Isha and Jocelyn had battered the area in the prior days. We kept the pace easy to reflect the weather and ‘new year legs’. The route was pleasant and we enjoyed riding across Chobham Common where we stopped for a group photo catching the prior group ‘The Galahs’ completing their photo opportunity. On through Chobham into Woking where we lunched at The Herbert Wells.

As this was a winter ride we were expecting a lot of riders to skip the afternoon ride but most continued. We headed north east and were relieved to have a tail wind. It was a short ride of 10 miles back to Walton where we stopped for a very pleasant tea and cake at Riverhouse Barn.

We all returned home having had the cobwebs definitely blown away.

~ Mick

(also in the team but not in the photos: Tony Hopkins and Pam)

Sou'Wester Shorts - did you receive the latest edition?

Issue 73 of Sou'Wester Shorts, edited by Dave Vine, has just been distributed by email.   If you missed out on receiving it, then this info is for you.

Shorts contains a digest of news of our rides, with photos and other information about the club.  It's published every few weeks and sent via a google distribution service called googlegroups.

If you are a new member, you may not be subscribed to the newsletter.   If so please click here to email me and I can add you to the distribution list.

If you have been a member for a few years and you still don't receive it, it's possible that you are already subscribed but your email system is registering Shorts as spam.  We're aware of a few people who often don't receive it.  If it's not in your spam folder, please do let me know, and we will try to get a copy to you one way or another.

Happy reading!

A Group ride to West End on 24th January

 You are invited to join the ride next Wednesday from Walton to West End and back to Walton. Our usual elevenses venue at the day centre is closed so we will be meeting at the Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre café, Manor Rd, Walton KT12 2PF. It is 15 miles to lunch and 12 back to Walton so not too far at this time of year. 

It is a flattish route along mainly familiar roads and we will have lunch  at The Hare and Hounds in West End. They don’t require a pre- order  and I have had good reasonably priced food there with the B’s in the past. They are hosting a wake from 1pm so I will aim to get all groups there by 12:45 and we will have a fighting chance of getting back to Walton ahead of the busy traffic with plenty of choice of cafes for those that want tea. 

This is the route:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45341095

Please let me know by Monday evening if you would like to join the ride.

Sue

Sue.foster39@gmail.com

A Group Ride to Horley - 17 January.

The weather forecasts leading up to Wednesday seemed to put a lot of people off so there were just eight of us who turned up at Dorking. The welcome there was warm and the cake delicious but just before 11.00 we headed off to Horley in two groups of four.

Steve Duffin was first away and here is his report -

I was surprised that there were few riders out on this ride. However with dire warnings of ice it was probably a more sensible decision. One bad fall can lead to a six month lay off from riding. However the temperature, although very cold at about 1 degree, there wasn't the usual frost on the cars. So with Keith, Sue C and Dave Ferret we set off at a slow careful pace from Dorking.

Traffic numbers were down also and so we had a quieter ride on mostly ice free roads. Potholes were more of a problem. There were only a few going to Newdigate, but after Capel and Green Lane, south of Rusper there were holes that would do damage to a car wheel let alone a bicycle one. I stopped to take a picture of my team, but the hi-vis jackets attracted the ominous attention of a flock of sheep who lined up on the horizon to stare at us.



One of the pleasures of riding at this time of year is that you can observe nature in its dormant state. Little sparrows hunting for food and birds of prey circling overhead also hunting. Nature never rests.

After passing Ifield we went north on the Gatwick perimeter road. It was too cold for the plane spotters and by this time my legs were hurting. The road seemed to go on forever, but eventually we arrived at Charlwood and meandered our way to the Jack Fairman. There were only two behind the bar and one of the locals was complaining that at New Year so many people arrived they took a long time to be served. So many people walked out. I have never witnessed that in a Wetherspoons before.

After lunch we made our way straight north past Meath Green to Dover's Green and on to Betchworth, where my team mutinied at the idea of riding on the A 25 and so we went through to Brockham and took the old coach road past the golf club out to Pixham Lane and on to Leatherhead. We didn't stop for tea and made our way home.

A pleasant first real ride of the year for me. I was so grateful for the opportunity to get my legs working again. The previous week I really struggled despite electrical assistance. So thank you Neil for a flat(?) route and to my fellow riders braving the cold and being rewarded with a safe and pleasant day out.




A few minutes after Steve's group I left with Janice, Mark and Dave B. There hadn't been a frost overnight so most of the ice was limited the puddles at the side of the road. The sun was trying very hard to break through but never succeeded but the gentle inclines kept us warm.

We arrived at The Jack Fairman just before 1.00 and had the usual prompt service. With just a short ride in the afternoon no-one was in too much hurry to leave. But just before 2.00 we left, pausing only for Janice to take a photo of the rest of the group.

Mark headed off for a gravelly route home while Janice, Dave and I rode down Lonesome Lane and over to Betchworth before the usual route back to Leatherhead. Here we all voted for home in the light rather than tea.

Thanks to all who ventured out and a special thank you to Steve for leading his group without a recce and the report.

Invitation to a B Group ride on 24th January

A cordial invite to the B ride on the 24th Jan, starting out from the Wilde Brunch at Walton (N.B. not the day centre), 17 miles to lunch at The Herbert Wells in Woking. And for those not planning to stay in Woking, 😄 we are cycling 🚲 back to the Riverhouse Barn in Walton, 9.5miles.

Three groups:

1st Ray @ 10.35

2nd myself @ 10.45

3rd Mick @ 10.55

Looking forward to hearing from you:

Davey1828@gmail.com or 07952627346 for WhatsApp.  Feel free to pick your starting time.

This will be our route:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45336075

~ Dave

Report for the Easy Riders - 17th January

Not an easy ride today, despite staying local. We had a very chilly start, still at -1°C for our group meeting at North Cheam. There were seven of us, Frank B and Frank C, John and Anne C, Jane, Gillian and me. We set off shortly after 9.30 for Molesey Boat Club, via Ewell and Hook. Alas, the tunnel under the A3 was still closed due to flooding (despite 10 days without rain!) so we had to double back to Hook roundabout and down the slip road past the old Cap in Hand, to turn right at the rose nursery and proceed past Squires at Long Ditton. On the way, John C's bike developed a puncture, so he and Anne stopped to mend it while the rest of us continued to coffee.

Molesey Boat Clubhouse was busy and cosy when we arrived, and we were glad of our hot drinks and pastries, and the usual social chat of course.Tony Hooker, Bernard P, John Bellamy were already there, and Sandy and John B soon arrived, so we were a round dozen for coffee.

The Green Man at Putney Heath was decided for our lunch destination. John Bellamy headed home, John and Anne turned up frozen as we were leaving, but were planning to follow us after warming up, and the rest of us set off en route via Bushy Park, Teddington and Ham Common to cross Richmond Park.

Just after the Diana monument in Bushy, we met Carolyn Beer on her way to Hampton Court, and in the stop to exchange greetings John Bayliss' bike went from under him. Was it black ice? Possibly...but it became apparent that the gears and brakes had been knocked out, so he and Sandy sadly peeled off to make for home.

On we pressed at a leisurely pace, such a pretty route, through Ham Gate and up the steep bit past the Ponds to the traffic free lane through Richmond park. At this point Gillian was struggling a bit, so we took the easier route via Robin Hood Gate to Roehampton. Here we concluded that she should really make for home, and she and I stopped off for a hot drink at the cafe then back to Robin Hood and along the A3 to Raynes Park.

The others carried on for lunch at Putney Heath, and completed the day's ride.

I was surprised to find I had still completed 27 miles when I got home! But special mention to Frank B, who completed 35 and Jane G at 37 miles back to her door (both live in Epsom). Really very respectable achievements especially on such a very cold day.  Well done all who came out.

~ Helen

B Group Report - 17th January '24.

The signs were ominous when by Sunday evening only one person had signed up for the B group ride. Interest increased a little on Monday but the chilly weather resulted in a further decline on Wednesday morning. 

Nevertheless, eight hardly souls turned out to brave the elements and gathered at Dorking to enjoy a warming tea/coffee and cakes/pastries. We kept to our plan of riding in two groups and set out to enjoy the winter glories of the Surrey countryside. 

Starting in Dorking High Street we ascended up to Cotmandene, St Paul’s Road, then down to North Holmwood. Another slight climb up Inholms Lane took us to Blackbrook Road and south via Newdigate to The Jordans. We then headed north towards Parkgate. 

On the way we stopped to admire a flock of alpacas happily grazing in their field quite undeterred by the wintery conditions and our sudden appearance. 

The alpaca is a species of South American camelid mammal. It is similar to and often confused with the Llama. However, alpacas are noticeably smaller and prized for their valuable  fleece that once processed can be very similar to natural silk.

Ian W proposed the notion that they have a tendency to ‘spit’ ! I’m assured that this can only happen if you are particularly rude or discourteous towards them. 

Heading north we cycled via Leigh and Brockham to our lunch stop at ‘The Stepping Stones’ at Westhumble. Given our reduced numbers we were promptly served and took welcome refuge in warm surroundings after a chilly morning on two wheels. 

Many thanks to everyone who turned out today and especially to John A for sub-leading and Tim C for back marking. A good day out despite the lower temperature and a good opportunity to experience the Surrey countryside in the winter season. 

TimG. 

Photo and Map for B Group - 17th January

 

At The Stepping Stones

Round trip to The Jordans and back

Invitation to the A ride on 17th January from Dorking.

A flatter ride this week and all on-road. 

Lunch will be at The Jack Fairman in Horley so no pre-booking necessary.

25 miles before lunch for the full ride, although this can be cut short to 13 miles if the weather turns against us. 15 miles back to Leatherhead for tea.

Please email me on  by Monday 6pm to book your place. Please note that this is a new email address for me as my old address with TalkTalk was proving too problematic.

And can you please indicate whether you would be willing to lead a sub-group from the gpx file.

On Tuesday I'll check the weather forecast, decide on the appropriate route, and email the times and gpx file to all.

Neil C

Report for B Group - 10th January

Steph had advertised that a skulk of Arctic Foxes, a sleuth of Polar Bears and a small colony of Emperor Penguins would gather at The Bean on the Green watering hole for Elevenses. So we arrived all puffed up in our winter coats and colourful plumage, unsurprised to find that Michaela Strachan was there too and we assumed she was waiting to observe us. However, when it dawned on us that we were not about to become the stars of a new episode of Winter Watch we all went off on a bike ride with Steph.

~ Tim C

[The new series of Winter Watch will broadcast on BBC2 on Tuesday 16th at 20:00]

En route to Elevenses Tim asked how to find the café

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A jolly crowd gathered in the cold but not icy conditions at Hersham.  Bean on the Green served us well, helped by the fact that the As were next door at Costa.  The C Group tigers whirled up as we prepared to depart into the glorious sunshine facing a host of golden daffodils blooming on the Green.

The hurricane winds had dropped and flood conditions in the Thames Valley were of more concern.  I was pleased I hadn't routed to Windsor but sorry that flooding around Shepperton and Egham was on the minds of a few Nor'Westers.

As expected there were some who succumbed to the pleasures of a morning under the duvet but others who made the ride out to Hersham and then retreated. After a few apologies from those who were returning home, we left The Bean on the Green in two comfortable groups.  Terry was just beginning coffee as we left and was going to make his own way back to Dorking (he was later sighted in the vicinity of Ripley though the extensive muffler prevented or maybe confirmed the sighting).

The route was well known and easy to navigate.  I was determined to avoid the potholes and traffic lights of Addlestone so we took the Crockford Park Rd and later continued on Bittams Lane and the park to meet Stonehill and the rolling heathlands of Chobham.

The sunshine was welcome and did serve to dispel the chill a little but everyone lunched at Wetherspoons in Woking with a quick departure in mind for the remaining eleven miles to Café Barbera in Stoke d'Ab. before the sun disappeared.

Newcomer to Bs, Don Elms, was welcomed.   Hero of the day was Tim Gibbons who agreed to subhead for John Austin's group in the afternoon at very short notice as John had to return home at lunchtime.   Stalwart was Julie tackling the ride with enthusiasm despite being still on the road to recovery.

On the bridge in Woking

Thanks to all for their company and especially the sub leaders and backmarkers.

~ Steph

Later, at the Café Barbera

 

B Group Ride - Wednesday 17th January '24

Our ride from Dorking will take us south towards Rusper via Henfold and Newdigate then back to Westhumble via Parkgate and Brockham.

Lunch is at 'The Stepping Stones'.

There is no planned afternoon ride but those who wish might like to head back for tea at 'The Old Moat' or 'Horton Cafe'.

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

Email - timgibbons1@virginmedia.com

WhatsApp - 07756961505

Look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday.

TimG.

Ride Report – A’s January 10th Hersham – Ripley

I was unable to lead this ride, although I was responsible (or was it guilty) for the route and lunch stop at the newly reopened Seven Stars in Ripley. And Ged who gallantly stepped in as organiser also had to drop out at the last moment. So the scene was set for three sub-leaders to take over the ride, and most successfully too.

Two sub-leaders had not recced the route before, and for Peter Suchy (who had recced) this was his first ride lead. Conditions were potentially icy, with temperatures just above zero. Despite this we had 20 riders start from Hersham.

Neil Crocker was first off; his report is below.

After a couple of last-minute adjustments I ended up leading away the first group of eight - Paula, Sue F, Sue C, Mark, Richard, Steve D and Andy C.

It was a cold but sunny day. Burwood Road, Seven Hills Road and Convent Lane got us to Cobham swiftly. However just south of Cobham, where we were to turn left off the main road to take the quiet road around the back to Downside Common, the ice made an appearance. This junction is potholed and often has water running across it but today it had added ice and frozen slush. Choosing a line to ride required care but we all negotiated it safely.

For the next few miles the roads alternated between long sections with dry lines and others where water had flowed across the road and frozen overnight.

When we reached West Horsley we considered heading straight to East Clandon to cut out the higher ground but agreed we would ride up Shere Road and see what the conditions were like. Luckily the conditions were much better than we had feared and the descent of Staple Lane was ice-free. On reaching the Portsmouth Road we rode straight to Ripley and on to The Seven Stars.

After a good lunch we ventured back out into the cold. The sky was blue, the sun was shining and no more ice was encountered. It was like a different day, but there now was a nagging headwind. We saw a group of the B riders heading in the opposite direction, all with smiles on their faces. (Maybe they had a tailwind.)

Through Pyrford, West Byfleet, Addlestone and Weybridge we reached Walton Bridge where the water was very high and fast flowing. Here we parted ways as everyone was keen to make the most of the daylight. 

Thanks all my group for a memorable day out.

Peter Suchy led the second group on his inaugural lead, including Clive, Gill H, Brian, David & Jennie and Dave E, later joined by Janice.

They successfully got beyond Cobham, but encountered significant ice across the road on Ockham Lane beyond the Black Swan. After Peter fell on black ice, bruising his hip, and witnessing a skidding van, the group decided that it would be too risky to venture further onto higher ground and decided to abandon the ride, heading for safer roads towards Leatherhead. A prudent decision as you don’t stand a chance riding across the black stuff.

Many thanks Peter. Hopefully we will be seeing much more of your leadership skills.

Dave Bartholomew led the third group.

We had a lovely sunny but bitterly cold day for our ride from Horsham, following Dave V’s route to Ripley and Walton. My group was originally 7 but was down to 4 when we left due to various re-jigging of leaders and riders, and I had the pleasure of the company of Mike, Neil W and Patrick. With a small group we were able to keep up a steady pace and caught up with the 2 earlier groups either side of the crossing over the M25 towards Martyrs Green. We found the roads to be Ok, with small patches of ice in the more shaded sections, and the occasional bit of black ice here and there. The road up Sheepleas was surprisingly clean and dry, but we took the descent in the middle, and soon after, Staple Lane, very carefully, and we reached lunch in good time around 12.30.

The re-furbished Seven Stars pub was extremely efficient and our lunch orders were on the table very promptly …. much cheaper than the previous incarnation too!! A much better experience than I remember our last visit being.

 

A short afternoon ride had us in Walton less than an hour after leaving lunch. The Riverhouse Barn cafe was packed when we arrived so my small but select group decided to ride on and have a cuppa at home!!

 

Finally many thanks from me to Ged for last-minute organisation and to all the sub-leaders especially first-timer Peter Suchy. My apologies for not being able to be there with you. It wasn’t the easiest day to be out, and I was well pleased that everyone made it home without serious incident.

 

 

Easy Riders report for 10th January

With a frosty start and a maximum of 5C forecast it was not a day for the faint-hearted, but seven turned out at North Cheam. We arrived, somewhat numbed, at the new Hersham elevenses venue, the Bean on the Green - a very welcome haven of warmth and refreshment - where our numbers swelled to 11: John and Sandy Bayliss, Anne and John Connaughton, Ken Day, Jane Gunningham, Tony Hopkins, Terry Lowe, Bernard Power, Ray Wren and myself.

The plan was to choose a lunch stop on the return loop eastwards. Crossing Walton Bridge we were presented with a dramatic yet disturbing vista of the Thames in flood - the right-bank footpath was submerged and, on the opposite bank, front gardens and the ground area of the boatyard had disappeared from sight. Several fields had been transformed into lakes on our route towards Lower Sunbury.  It all made a big impression, though this, of course, would have been on a small scale compared with the devastating situation upriver.

Having detoured from the riverside road onto the track avoiding the centre of Sunbury, we turned south on Harfield Road and had the full benefit, albeit briefly, of a following wind and blazing sun (slight exaggeration!). Our lunch stop was the Jolly Coopers in Hampton which continues to maintain a very good standard of freshly prepared meals.

The temperature had dropped by the time we set out on our different routes home. The lower path on Barge Walk was mainly under water but levels may have been dropping gradually. There was evidence of the damage caused by last week's high winds at Raynes Park sports ground where an outsized gazebo had been uprooted and blown 30 or 40yds to the edge of the bowling green.

~ Frank

Cycle access to the Wisley / runway area at the start of 2024

On the first Saturday of 2024 a group of us explored the area . .

After a lot of disruption and closures due to construction work, its looking good! 

The story and all the details are on the forum ..

All about cycle access to Wisley runway on the forum   

Route for Steph's ride on Wednesday

This is Steph's route for her ride from Hersham to Woking:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45263734

Remember that we are meeting at The Bean on the Green, not at the Day Centre. The start point of the route shows the precise location of the café, in Pleasant Place.

~ Tim

Ride Invitation – Wayfarers A Group – Hersham - 10 January

Hersham day-centre is temporarily closed so Wednesday’s ride will start from Costa, Burwood Rd, opposite the green. We will be going to Ripley, 23 miles to lunch, one big hill (Sheepleas/Shere Rd) and all on-road. Lunch is booked at the Seven Stars, Newark Road, now refurbished and under new ownership.

Return is 10 flat miles to tea at Walton Riverhouse Barn or Wilde Brunch (but beware the latter’s erratic opening hours) hopefully close enough to home for everyone.

Please book your place by emailing me, d.vine207@btinternet.com by Monday evening.

We have one Sub-leader but if anyone else would like to volunteer to navigate by gpx please let me know.

I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday.

Wednesday 10th January B riders invite

 If you wish to ride from Hersham "Bean on the Green" (daycentre closed) on Wed please email/text me.  The ride will go to Wetherspoons Woking along quietest routes but no towpath.  Returning to Cafe Barbara Stoke D'Ab direct via Ripley for anyone wishing to stop for tea.  Hersham is relatively close for most so departures will be 10.30, 10.40, 10.50.  Thanks Steph. 07909774234

CLUB KIT

I am in the process of getting together another order for Club Kit. If anybody wants to order any items, you should visit the website, go to the 'about us' section and click on Sou'Westers Club Kit where you will find the form for ordering to be completed, along with full instructions and a size guide. If you are intending to order items, please complete the form by Friday 12th January.

It is very important that this order form is used when requesting kit.

Jennie

 

A Group Ride from Cobham to Walliswood and Box Hill, 3rd January 2024.

 Storm Henk had left its mark. The River Mole had flooded nearby fields as we crossed the bridge at Downside Road. Fallen trees in Crocknorth Road and Abinger Lane had thankfully been cleared. (Undeterred we brazened our way past the 'Road Closed' sign in Froggetts Lane just as the chain-saw gang were at work). 

Henk didn't deter us in Whitedown Lane, where a large 'puddle' provided some fun 😀for my group as we each tested the depth, trying to keep our feet dry. (Andy Coxhill obviously had experience with a tried and tested technique!).

The least said the better about the Punchbowl. (Judging by their 'customer service' the business must be hanging by a thread - just like their pub sign which Henk failed to fell!).

The 10.30am group from Cobham.

Dave's second group.

Out of 18 starters at Cobham, seven stopped for tea at Destination Bike, Box Hill. Rain clouds threatened, but it seems that the cloudburst was further away before our departure. Thanks to Andy for diligent back marking, to others who were pressed into occasional corner marking (a novel duty!), and to all for coping well with some challenging climbs after a seasonal holiday off the bike. All good practice for those planning to ride the Hilly 50 in a couple of months time. Thanks to Dave Vine for sub-leading and to Janice for back marking the second group on the road. 

Report for B Group - 3rd January

B Group had a large turnout of 33 riders, lured, as I now understand, by the prospect of sharing a lot of cake with Dave Vine who was celebrating his birthday. Thank you Dave and Many Happy Returns.

Some encountered obstacles en route to Elevenses

The three teams, an assortment of low-calorie biscuits, rolled out of the RBL at their designated departure times.

The Bath Olivers getting ready to depart

________________________________________ 

Ray Youlden led the Cream Crackers 

Our group consisted of Tim G, John, Gill H, Paula, Jane, Lillian, Maureen, Davy, Dawn and Carolyn. It was decided that we should split the group into two more manageable sizes, led by John and myself, with Tim G back marking and Carolyn and Davy covering corner marking. 

We left Cobham at 10.30+ and headed out towards Leatherhead, taking the Tilt Road rather than the more normal route along Stoke Road. We crossed Stoke Road and started our first gentle climb of the day up, Blundel Lane, where we entered the woods of Oxshott Common before emerging onto the A244, Warren Lane.

Luckly the road was not too busy, as we headed north towards Sandy Lane. This undulating road took us to our second off road section, Fairmile Common, that led on to Green Lane and to the familiar route, along Fairmile Lane, Portsmouth Road, West End Lane, and on towards the roundabout near Princess Alice Hospice. From here we headed up Riverside Drive and onto Pelhams Walk where we stopped to look at the Waynflete Tower. On arriving at the top of the hill, we could only do one thing, go down the other side towards Hampton Court. Unfortunately, it also signalled the end of the good weather, so a quick stop was required while we donned various bits of rain wear. At Hampton Court, we crossed the Thames and went along a very wet and puddly riverbank to the entrance of Hampton Court Park and our lunch time destination.

Lunch at the Golf Club was excellent and after a bit of after-lunch chat, we all departed for home.

Thank you, Tim Court, for organising such good route, John, Tim, Davey, and Carolyn for helping by keeping us all together and to the rest of the group for their company despite the change in the weather. 

~ Ray Y

________________________________________  

Mick Arber led the Bath Olivers 

Tony, Ian, Steph, Francis, Stephen, Sabina, Bernard, Ann, Mick and Peter set off from Cobham on time in reasonable winter weather.  We welcomed Peter Betts, from the ‘A’s, who was trying us ‘B’s out with our leisurely pace and off road deviations.

We stopped to marvel at Wayneflete Tower; evidently even those that regularly use this route were not aware of the tower.  As we cycled on towards Hampton Court Bridge light rain started but did not last long.  Over the bridge and onto the Thames path where we came across Pam who had missed the start because of a puncture.  She declined an offer to join us stating that she was waiting, as arranged, for Tim C.’s group.

The Thames path was surprisingly wet so by the end of it our bikes were quite muddy, a christening for Peter :-).  On to Hampton Court Palace Golf Club; many of the group had never been into that part of the park before.  

The staff at the club were welcoming, the food was good and served quickly.  As this was a midwinter ride no afternoon route was planned.  Mick made a quick exit because of family duties, leaving the rest of the group to make their way home.

~ Mick 

________________________________________  

Tim C led the Scottish Oatcakes

Gill Finlay, Tony Hopkins, Pam, Liz, Mags, Anne, Grant, Paul James, Julie, Peter Beaven and Christina comprised our team. We were pleased to welcome a new rider, Peter Beaven who has been riding on Saturdays but can now afford some time to ride with us. It was also good to see Francis again after a long convalescence.

News had come through that Pam had suffered a puncture on her way to Elevenses and let Tony know that she could meet us at Hampton Court Bridge during our ride.

On our way out, at the bend in the River Mole by the Cobham Mill the water was pretty much level with the road. We wondered what all the recent rain might have done to the off-road sections of our route. Gill advised us that earlier a tree had fallen over the road in Blundel Lane so we were relieved to find the road clear but with much evidence of damage to the roadside shrubbery. 

We turned into Oxshott Heath to ride the leafy track to the station then up Warren Lane and left into Sandy Lane for our second detour through the woods of Fairmile Common.

By the time we reached Esher it had started to rain but we stuck with our plan to stop and look at the Waynefleet Tower. This impressive structure is the gatehouse of the former Esher Palace. When Cardinal Wolsey fell out of favour with Henry VIII for failing to negotiate an annulment of the King’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon, the King banished him to Esher Palace.

Tim Gibbons has shared this little history lesson with us:

Wayneflete Tower, also known as Waynflete's Tower, is an historical gatehouse located in Esher, near London. Part of the Palace of Esher established in 1462 by Bishop William Waynflete of Winchester, it was connected to the keep by a curtain wall. Demolition in the 17th century removed furnishings and granite blocks. In the 18th century, the tower was made part of a Gothic mansion house by William Kent for new owner Henry Pelham. The tower is a Grade I listed building.

At Hampton Court Bridge Gill Finlay departed for a family appointment, Pam joined us after a long wait and we all proceeded along the slightly squishy Barge Walk to Kingston Bridge. Once in the Hampton Court Park we followed the good road through to the golf club, rather than the puddle strewn alternative track.

We briefly imagined that this might be our destination

Our first experience of this new lunch venue was great. Having originally advised the manager that there could be as many as 20 visiting them for lunch I had wondered how they would cope with 30 of us. We were made to feel very welcome and served good substantial meals without having to wait very long at all. The large bowls of chunky chips certainly blew a few New Year's resolutions out of the water.

Thank you to everyone for being so enthusiastic about joining this first ride in 2024. Thanks to Paul for maintaining order at the back of the peloton. Thank you to Ray and Mick for leading their big teams safely to the sanctuary of the golf club.

~ Tim C

 

Report for the Easy Riders - 3rd January

Lovely bright mild morning for our first Wednesday ride of 2024; eight of us met at North Cheam. We were surprised to find we were making our way against quite a headwind, but arrived at Cobham just as the final B group was departing, to find Bill waiting for us, plus lovely chocolate cake in honour of our chairman's birthday, what a treat!

We agreed to head for the Woodman at Lower Ashtead for lunch. Just as we were leaving Ray W arrived, but he could not join us as his electric bike had run out of power.

We took quite a direct route to our destinaton via Stoke d'Abernon, turning left into Woodlands Road at Squires, following the signs for Queen Elizabeth Foundation, then left at the Cleeve Road traffic lights, crossing the railway bridge at the end and following the main road into lower Ashtead.

We had a bit of a following wind, and there wasn't much traffic today, so it was a pleasant ride.
Staff at the Woodman gave us a warm welcome and we enjoyed our lunch together. Leaving Bill to catch his train, the rest of us headed home across Ashtead and Epsom Commons. No tea stop today. About 25 miles over the day.

~ Helen

2024 Sou’Westers Subscriptions Now Due

Happy New Year to You all.

Thanks to those who have already paid our annual subscription of £2 for 2024.

For those who have not paid, please note it is due now. You can pay online direct (please contact Richard Bailey), or in person to Patrick Watmough (if you are a regular A rider), Christina Berkley (for regular B rider) or Helen Tovey (for regular Easy rider

By being an active Cycling UK member and paying the Sou’Westers £2 annual fee, you can join CTC South West London Wayfarers and Beginners rides.

Please remember too that for Third Party Insurance purposes we all need to be members of Cycling UK, of which CTC South West London is a 'Member Group'.

PS. Also remember that, as Wayfarers in paying a subscription, you are also confirming that you are happy for your contact details to be published on the Wayfarers Contact List, unless you have asked for them not to be included. You can remove or change your details at any time by contacting me.

Many thanks.

Christina

Membership Secretary

Invitation to enter the 2023 Photo Competition

Attendance for all groups was high in 2023 and many have been off on other adventures too. So we hope that you have been busy with your cameras and phones and are keen to review your photos and send the best ones in for the competition.

Please submit your photos before the end of January using this method:

Visit this website: "2023 Competition Dropbox" and follow instructions to select and deliver your photos. This is what you should see:

N.B. When using this website to post photos to the Dropbox it is not necessary to sign up to, or log into Dropbox even if you are invited to do so.

Click on 'Add files' to select the source of your photos then select your photos (or folders), or if you already have your file list open just drag and drop photos from the list into the white box.
 
Once you have selected one or several photos fill in your name and email address then click 'Upload'.

Send an email to me, Tim, to provide this important information about each photo:

•           the photo filename (e.g. P1040276.jpg)
•           a caption which we will inscribe on your photo
•           the competition category (see below)

The rules and categories are simple. The full 'Competition Rules' document is available under the 'Information Hub' heading on our website.

Competition Period: Photos taken during the 2023 calendar year.

Your photos must all illustrate a connection to cycling by depicting a bicycle or cyclist for example, or some obvious cycling association.

You may submit two photos in each category:

  6.1. Male      one or more male cyclists
  6.2. Female    one or more female cyclists
  6.3. Action    cyclist(s) in action
  6.4. Scenery   scenery or landscape
  6.5. Building  buildings, architecture
  6.6. Humorous  funny or amusing
  6.7. Group     any mix of male and female cyclists

Note that the award for a winning photograph in each category will be given to the photographer who took the picture, not to the model(s).

This method for submitting photos should work with any device (PC, Apple, iPad, iPhone, Tablet or Android phone) but if it doesn't work for you, please let me know so that we can address the problem. It does depend on you being able to locate the folder in your phone, tablet or PC where you store your photos. It does not require you to install the DropBox software.

This is the best way of sending photos. Please note that some methods of transmitting photos, such as WhatsApp, shrink the photo before sending, diminishing the quality of the original photo as it is in your camera or phone.

Now I can sit back and await the cheerful tinkling sound your photos make when they land in my DropBox.

~ Tim

January, 2024

 

How far did you ride in 2023 ?

2023 Mileage totals please

Please forgive the cutting and pasting from last last year's request 😕:

This is a request to submit your mileage totals for the last twelve months (1st Jan. 2023 to 31st Dec. 2023) for consideration towards the annual awards for the greatest distances cycled. Your scores will be entered into the Big Spreadsheet where for more than twenty years the precious records of your accomplishments in the club have been maturing.

There are two shiny trophies, one for the woman who has cycled more miles than any other woman and one for the man for the highest mileage amongst the men. At this point in our social evolution having two separate prizes for persons of each gender might be starting to sound a little quaint. But that is our tradition and while the prize money attached to these two awards remains identical for both winners nothing is likely to change.

And we have a special award, the Mark Roy Trophy, for the person recording the largest increase in mileage over the previous year. So anyone who has posted their mileage for both 2023 and 2022 is eligible. 

To summarise the rules, your miles must have been clocked up whilst riding your bicycle, tricycle, tandem or eBike on or off road. Mileages achieved on turbo trainers, Watt bikes or any other static contraption don't count. We know that this is something of a blow to members who were keeping indoors, out of harm's way, during the pandemic, riding through virtual alpine landscapes with Zwift or Rouvy but for now we are only considering miles actually, rather than virtually, travelled.

For the competition, contenders for the prizes must be regular riders in the club though we are happy to collect mileage data for everyone who is a paid up member of CTC South West London. And we wish to continue recording mileages for our several members who ride eBikes.

If you are curious at all about how many miles you ride in the course of a year please start recording your distances today for 2024 in a diary or spreadsheet.

Just one word or warning; several riders who use a GPS enabled device such as a Garmin, or smartphones running apps like Strava or RideWithGPS have experienced rides when their devices stop communicating with the satellites, sometimes for quite a while, and this can lead to totally unreliable data. So please verify the accuracy of your data. The evidence of this known problem is a long straight bee-line between two points on your ride where you know the road really had many twists and turns.

Fixie Dave's Garmin nodded off for a while with this result!

In my opinion this is not a problem which is specific to Strava or other phone app but is to do with the phone and its own software, memory resources perhaps. This erroneous data can also accumulate if you have hopped on a train with your bike but forgotten to stop recording 😏. Fancy doing that!

Please write to me with your total mileage:

Tim Court (Graduate Bean Counter)

We hope to be able to present the prizes in our traditional awards ceremony at the Annual Lunch, this year on Wednesday 6th March.

A very Happy New Year to you all and if you haven't been collecting your mileage scores please start now, from January 1st 2024.

The Bean Counters need your numbers!

~ Tim