Ride to Godstone Saturday 18th September

  It was a dry, fairly cloudy morning with showers in the forecast when 10 riders set off from Nonsuch. Through Purley we rode up the short, brutal climb on Foxley Hill road to the parallel cycle route to Whyteleafe South with it's many false flats. Passing new flood relief works in Woldingham Road we turned out the well surfaced track to Woldingham School and Marden Park. This is a steady climb to the head of the valley with its views over the Weald into a headwind, but virtually traffic-free.
  We free wheeled down to Bulbeggars (a mythical beast around at night) Lane and around Godstone Village Green to Knights Garden Centre cafe where we more or less took it over as the place seemed rather deserted. Dawn rewarded us with slices of home made Bread pudding and then departed to make her way home using the train.
  After a slog up to Bletchingly we descended to a track at the bottom of the Downs to Merstham, where Angie had a rear wheel flat. This repaired with the aid of many helpers we rode up to Fanny's Farm where there was a brief stop for supplies. Interestingly, a news item we saw on the ride which proclaimed "Sheep eat discarded cannabis" referred to sacks of the weed being dumped in a field at the farm. This item of news even made the national dailies and even a paper in Italy!
  After the rapid descent to Chipstead Bottom, most diverted up to Banstead, the remainder in slight drizzle going to the Oaks Park Cafe and thence to North Cheam in bright sunshine.
 The ride was 33 miles, a good last ride of the Summer season. Thanks to Neil for back marking.      Here is a pic of the group at the head of the Marden Park track.