Correction to ride details

Please note that the dates originally advertised in the Rides Lists for September and October were incorrect and have now been corrected to read:

Sept 17 Ranmore Common and Box Hill with Liz Scrivens

Oct 15 Alexandra Palace with Tony Hooker (meeting at Waterloo Stn)


~ Tim Court

Beginners’ Ride Saturday 27 August 2016

For our weekly gathering in Nonsuch Park on Saturday the short ride on offer was to Thames
Ditton, stopping at Squires’ garden centre for tea and cakes. There was no longer ride
designated, so I offered to lead one. The intention was to offer something slightly faster,
slightly hillier than usual with a shorter tea and cake break.

The weather was a little windy but dry, intermittently sunny. Four of us met at Beddington
Park, Wallington, to cycle the 9km to Nonsuch Park. There nine more members joined us,
including Nigel, who rode at the rear.

We went up the off-road foot/cycle paths to Epsom and up the hill on Wilmerhatch Lane,
through Ashtead Park, up Ottways Lane over the M25 on the footbridge. We completed a
brief circuit of Leatherhead and returned via Ottways Lane to the Cycle Bean Cafe in
Ashtead for refreshments.

Returning through Ashtead Park, we turned up Headley Road and then up the hill on Langley
Vale Road to the B290 along the top of Epsom Downs alongside the finishing straight of the
racecourse. From Tattenham Corner we went through Shawley Way (our last significant
hill), Nork Park, The Drive and Garratt’s Lane to the Pistachio Cafe at Banstead where we
parted company. Those who wanted to return to Nonsuch were led there by Nigel; the rest of
us returned to Wallington through Woodmansterne, The Oaks Park and the smallholdings.
Wallington to Wallington was 43km (28 miles) in all, taking 2 hours 34 minutes of cycling at
an average of 16.5 kmph (11mph). Total ascents added up to 950 ft. Those who started at
Nonsuch would have done about 34km (22 miles). In real time we started at ten past two and
finished at a quarter past five.

~Paul James

Riding across Wisley Airfield

  Stephanie's ride to Pyrford least Saturday encountered problems crossing the derelict Wisley airfield.

Fences and barriers of earth and old car tyres now cross the runway, though this possible to circumvent these on foot round the edges. Bikes then have to be lifted over the gates at the former entrance.

 Apparently, the planning application to "develop" part of the site with 2,000 homes and a school with access to the A3 at Ockham roundabout was rejected in April. Another plan to build a waste transfer site near the end at the Ockham Roundabout has not progressed, so this monument to a bygone age of aircraft manufacture at Byfleet remains. Bridle paths cross the site which allow transit, though these are not always rideable on bikes.

  Nevertheless, the group out last Saturday posed for this picture, taken by Stephanie.

Stephanie's ride to Pyrford on Saturday the 20th August.

The ride was uneventful and all seemed to enjoy the route.  The 'Bermuda triangle' around Coxes Mill claimed a couple of stragglers but luckily they joined us at lunch.  They  got stuck behind at a traffic light and missed the wiggle through the fruit farm.  A cyclist called John (sorry, there are so many of them I should have asked for a second name, distinguishing feature was a grey beard )  joined us at lunch, he had seen the blog and decided to join us on his way back from a ride to Guildford.  

  Crossing Wisley airfield was interesting  as attempts are being made to restrict access. Piles of tyres have been placed at either end of the airfield and new railings affixed at the farm gate where we usually squeeze out. All obstacles were easily surmounted as we followed the tyre tracks of the many cyclists who obviously continue to use it.  I don't know if planning permission has been granted or not but the farmer is certainly making the most of his land in the meantime with bumper crops of sweetcorn surrounding the airfield on all sides.

  We were very lucky with the weather after the torrential downpour at precisely 10 o clock that meant many arrived soaked to the skin.  Not a drop more all day, though the wind was beginning to get up as we all departed for home after tea at Garsons Farm.

Steph

Ride to Pyrford this Saturday 20th August

Led by Stephanie.

Leaving Kingston Bridge (outside TKMax) at 10.00.  The route will follow the River Thames and Wey Navigation to Pyrford Lock for lunch.  Returning via Wisley and Stoke d'Abingnon for tea at Garson's Farm at Esher.  Circa. 40 mls.

The future of this blog

  If you are reading this post, you are probably looking for information about what the Beginners Group does, including details about planned rides in more depth than you can get from the basic information on the website.  This is why I started the blog originally.

 In recent months I have found my cycling life to be taking a different path, mainly due to family commitments, and I have not been attending on the Saturday afternoon rides which are the core of the Beginners Group activities. I have continued to use the blog to advertise Intermediate rides, but now find I will be giving these up after a final ride in September.

  It therefore seems appropriate that either the blog should be handed over to someone who is a regular attender on Saturdays, and who also likes writing about cycling, or cease from the end of September.

  If you think you might be that person, contact me on fredallcard@gmail .com. You will probably need a Google account as well, though not being wise to these things I might be wrong.

 

Harry Cole

All day Intermediate ride to the coast on Saturday July 18th

  Tony Hooker will lead this popular annual ride. The ride starts at 9am in Nonsuch Park and after cresting the North Downs a halt will be called in Horsham for elevenses.

  Thereafter the ride will continue to the coast at Shoreham and onwards to Brighton. Return will be by rail on the infamous Southern Rail Service, or the strong can ride back.

  Nonsuch to the coast is around 48 miles and there are some rolling hills on the way, so this is one of the more challenging rides.