Last all day ride Saturday 10th October

This popular route will run again as the last all day Saturday ride of this year. Starting 9.15 sharp at the Nonesuch cafe this coming Saturday and visiting the scenic highpoints at a leisurely pace. Coffee at Box Hill . Lunch at Horsley. Book your places now to avoid disappointment. Steph and Alan. text 07909774234

Coming soon - the new-look Sou'Westers website

The website gnomes have been working to update our website, to make it more easier for us all to find the info we need, and to make it simpler for prospective new members to discover the joys of riding with us.

We hope you will still find it simple to use and to get access to the blogs, rides list, and other important information.

The website address will not change, so when you go to the website you will see an updated front page like the picture above. 

Many thanks to the webmasters, Paula and the committee for their input into the re-design.  We hope you like it.   

If you discover any mistakes or if you have any queries about how to find things, please do drop me a line at simon.lambourn@gmail.com.

Short Ride to Merton Abbey Mills - Saturday 19 September 2026

 Anna writes:

Beddington to MED

With Paul and Maggie out of the country and Roger incapacitated with a swollen ankle, it was left to me to lead the ride from Beddington. Although I would have liked to go to Elmers End, the only route I had on my Beeline was to MED, so MED it was. Or at least that was the plan. Two turns in, I realised we were heading towards Elmers End after all. Naturally, I blame the bike and not my own inability to pay attention to the Beeline.

A quick detour restored both the route and the illusion that the leader knew where she was going.

We crossed the tram tracks where Roger nearly got himself killed last time we were there (without incident this time) and eventually ended up at MED, much to my relief.

After coffee, cake and a good chat, someone spoiled the mood by asking if I knew the way back. The Beeline route ended at MED, so from that point on the plan was less “navigation” and more “confident improvisation”.

We set off and, with commendable efficiency, almost immediately took another wrong turn. Fortunately, I spotted it in time for a discreet turning in the road, then nearly missed the next turning as well, at which point Ken’s local knowledge became less a bonus and more the entire navigation strategy.

Dropping Ken off at the end of his road, Karen, Sharon and I sailed on until eventually Karen said goodbye and it was left to me to lead Sharon back to Beddington, which she didn’t really need as she knew the way.

Still, we got there and back without too many detours, punctures or nasty accidents, so I shall declare my accidental leadership a complete success.

All Day Ride to Charlwood - Saturday 12 September 2026

Fine weather, good company and no spills or punctures. What's not to like?! We fought our way through the park runners to assemble at the mansion house and Steve's group set off first - but we caught up with them as they faltered at Epsom Downs.* 

The pre-elevenses climbs on this route never seem to get any easier. Thankfully Anne, our back marker, did a sterling job keeping us together. Sue had to leave us at Walton on the Hill but our numbers picked up again with the arrival of Dawn and Madeleine.

Steve met up with Yasmine en route and headed to Brockham for coffee, where he "lost" Paul and Justine to other commitments. Meanwhile our group was making that delightful Pebblecombe descent, although some attacked it with relish. But it was all worthwhile once we passed through Betchworth and onto Kiln Lane where we were rewarded with panoramic countryside views. 

We made steady progress through Brockham and Leigh, overtaken by more cyclists than I care to mention. We still however arrived in good time for lunch at Charlwood to find that Steve's group was only just receiving their orders (I suspect because they tarried a while at elevenses, rather than our group being on their tail!) 

Unfortunately (or fortunately as it turned out) we had discovered during recce that our proposed lunch venue had closed down. However, we were made very welcome at the 52 The Street Cafe, which has quite an extensive menu. Apparently it's popular with cycle clubs, but mainly as an elevenses stopover.

There was a slight delay in departure when Yasmine's chain came off but, with the assistance of Stuart and Colin, she was soon on her way again, easily catching up with Steve and co. 

 A pleasant, fairly traffic-free return leg took us past Ichy-Coo Park towards Parkgate and then onto more familiar roads towards Brockham. Madeleine left us at Dorking and by the time we reached Leatherhead a decision was made to abandon plans for tea. Thanks to Steve for offering to lead a group, and to Anne, our group's committed back marker.

. * okay, maybe we're in the realms of fiction here!

A Wandsworth Cycling Campaign project of interest to many of us

A request from Mags McKinlay

Please see the link below to a short video we at Wandsworth Cycling Campaign have made about the Earlsfield missing link on the Wandle Trail.  

I would like to encourage people,  particularly those resident in Merton or Wandsworth,  to write to their local Councillors asking for the missing link to be sorted.  Also, if people could share the video as widely as possible with their local communities, e.g. street WhatsApp groups , community organisations etc.

Any help you can give with this would be much appreciated. Hope to see you soon on a ride.

Best wishes

Mags

https://bsky.app/profile/wandsworthcycling.bsky.social/post/3muudonivc22e

All Day Ride to Charlwood - Saturday 12 September 2026

You are invited to join an all day ride to Charlwood on Saturday 12 September 2026 This will be a leisurely ride via,for the most part, quiet country roads. We will set off from Nonsuch Park at 9.30 am towards Epsom Downs and Tadworth. Following elevenses at Walton on the Hill, we descend to and through Betchworth, Brockham and Leigh, heading towards Charlwood for a pub (or picnic?) lunch. The return leg takes us via Parkgate and Brockham, with an option to stop for tea at Leatherhead. To register your interest, please contact Karen at cochranek104@gmail.com by Thursday 10 September 2026.

A bit of discipline needed; line up straight, make your mind up. Nonsuch to Oaks Park 22 August

On Saturday there looked to be a vacancy for leading the scheduled short ride to Oaks Park.  Maggie figured that a similar length to last week but with a gentle hill or two would be perfect for her continued recovery.  Our plan was that we would join the short ride and that I would lead if there was no-one else.

Nonsuch Park Mansion was a bit chaotic; twenty three riders including Colin, who did not come with us, and Clive, who had already ridden, a temporarily unsuccessful tyre inflation in hand and a great deal of indecision afoot.  We had no Steve at that stage but with my arrival we still had at least five qualified leaders.  It was like a playground on the day of the teachers' strike and it needed someone to step in and get things moving; it was already a quarter past two.

I announced the Oaks Park ride.  Cobham was on the long ride schedule, and Stuart makes a great leader and (just as importantly) a prompt and effective write-up provider, so we asked him to take on that one.  But indecision is like Japanese Knotweed and several were havering between the rides; shall we, shan't we, yes we will no we won't.  And as soon as I announced that I was going to Oaks Park via Banstead, Nigel offered another route and further indecision.  So, suggesting half of them follow Nigel, half follow me, I just set off, accepted Maggie's invitation to back mark, counted how many I had (nine) before we left the park, and made my way at a moderate pace up Burdon Lane and Dorset Road with Maggie, Anna, Roger, Kristen, Mick, Roland, Frank and Paul B, to Belmont Station and then up Downs Road and Sutton Lane to the Misty Mountains.  From there it was a cruise along Woodmansterne Lane and down Carshalton Road past the lavender fields to tea at the Oaks Park cafe.

No sooner had we got our vittles and sat down than Nigel came along with Karen and newcomer Liz, so there were twelve of us for tea and cake and another glorious opportunity for indecision.  I had been pondering the route home, keeping it pleasant for the inexperienced and had opted for concrete and tarmac with a little bit of rural.  Roland knows this territory well and offered an interesting off-road route but Freedown Lane and the tracks over Banstead Common are a bit bumpy for my taste.  Then Nigel said he was going straight down Woodmansterne Road and Beeches Avenue.  Three choices!

Similar tactics to the start.  Announce what you're doing, make sure the two who've asked you to deliver them back to Nonsuch are with you, and get going.  The pause for the photo allowed further changes of mind so when I set off down the hill I had seven with me, and when I climbed up into the Smallholdings I discovered Nigel had opted to follow me.  So we went down Boundary Road and around Grove Park and took the Westmead route through Carshalton and Sutton back to the war memorial entrance to Nonsuch, riders peeling off as we went until it was just me, Liz and Kristen.

A nice, fresh but sunny afternoon out, good company, a couple of hills.  But, goodness, all this dithering!