The Joys of Spring; 17 March

 

By Steve H

 

Having postponed last Saturday's ride for meteorological reasons Paul and I decided on a mid-week excursion instead. It was cold and cloudy on the Wednesday morning although the sun was trying to break through but it eventually gave up the attempt and went back to bed. This time I had my pockets stuffed with flapjacks and Jelly Tots for in-flight refuelling as we set off down to Cheam. We passed round the outside of Nonsuch Park to join the ancient Stane Street or A24 as it is now more prosaically known. This was built by the Romans to connect London and Chichester and in places the original road surface can still be seen. We only went as far as Ewell before heading towards Epsom, avoiding the town centre and joining the B280 out of Epsom by Stamford Green. This heads out into the countryside, a fast road in places which crosses the main Leatherhead Road at Malden Rushett on the way to Oxshott.

At Oxshott we entered the woods from the station car park onto a broad level path that was popular with dog walkers; sometimes dogs and wheels don't mix but it wasn't a problem on this occasion. It emerges onto Blundel Lane where we had to wait at the level crossing before heading on to Stoke D'Abernon for an early lunch break at the Bakery. They serve nice sandwiches and coffee, the latter being free for cyclists wearing the appropriate kit which these days of course includes masks. As we were getting ready to leave, Maureen and Francoise arrived; they were also out on a mid-week pairs ride. We had a chat and posed for a correctly distanced photograph before going round to the station for a quick pit stop at which point it started to rain. We parted company with Maureen and Francoise, but what we hoped would be a passing shower set in for the duration and it became colder. Paul and I carried on to River Lane, crossing the River Mole and along paths to rejoin the road at Downside Common where the small St Michael's Chapel stands. On to the Bookham Road, passing under the M25 and railway in quick succession and heading down towards Great Bookham Common. It was still raining as we entered the common so we made our way through the mud, past the Isle of Wight with a stop for an action shot before emerging at Fetcham.

The Great Bookham temperate rain forest

Thence to Leatherhead down past the cemetery where I managed to overshoot the turning at traffic lights thereby dragging us into the Leatherhead one way system which Paul was trying to avoid, my apologies for that! We emerged unscathed and made our way round to the footpath over the M25 where we stopped to finish the last of the supplies from the cafe before the final leg home. Back through Ashtead Park past the school where the hearty lads were playing rugby in the rain (I remember it well from school days!) before joining the Headley Road at the end of Pleasure Pit Road, another of our regular cafe stops. We climbed Headley Road, crossing the line of Stane Street again before branching off into the narrow Chalk Pit Road and dodging the fertiliser to join Langley Vale Road. The final climb of the day was up from Langley Bottom to the Grandstand at Epsom Downs racecourse where it finally stopped raining and the sun came out.

The roundabout in front of the Grandstand was blocked with cars queueing up to enter the car park for the virus jab, the racecourse being one of the first public vaccination centres. Fortunately the logjam gave us a clear run along the finishing straight to Tattenham Corner and round to Great Tattenhams for the route back. Paul and I managed to become separated on the short climb up to the traffic lights at the Reigate Road and inadvertently chose different entrances to Nork Park. We met at the far end in The Drive where another photograph was taken, this time in bright sunshine under blue skies. Then along past the Tumble Beacon, a former link in a previous long distance communications line, across the dual carriageway and down past Pistachio's cafe to Banstead High Street.

 

The sun at last; Nork Park

At this point it's 'finished with engines' for the fast descent across the Downs, drifting out to avoid the perennial flood point and turning right at the end into Downs Road with the winning post just up the hill. Paul carried on the last few miles to Wallington while I had a chance to rinse the mud off the bike before a well-earned brew. Hopefully we will be able to repeat the ride later in the summer when the weather is warm and sunny ...