Tea for Two; Beddington Park ride 21 November '20

Ken and I decided to try to cycle to Chaldon Church today via Farthing Downs.  Two weeks ago the beautiful autumn sunshine meant that our planned route was curtailed at the top of the Farthing Downs climb by a roadblock of cars trying to get in to a full car park.  Not today, the cold and threatening rain was perfect for a clear ride.  We left Beddington park to cycle through the back streets of Wallington, waving to Ray as we passed his house.  

We crossed Foxley Lane and cycled down Millionaires Row to Woodcote Village Green where we stopped to put our lights on as it darkened and we were on the A237 down to Coulsdon.  Over the roundabout and we began the climb up Marlpit Lane before turning right and changing down several gears in my case slowly, in Ken's case rapidly on his electric bike, to ascend Ditches Lane.  At the top where the wind tried to send us into the ditches we continued past the car park as the road first became beautiful and leafy but deteriorated significantly to a wet, leaf strewn pot holed track at Chaldon church. We stopped to admire this Saxon church which was open for private prayer only. We'll visit the famous wall painting, dating from about 1200, and the earliest known English Wall painting, another time. 

                                                                     Chaldon Church

We turned back, admiring the Shard on the skyline, to descend Ditches Lane for tea in DD's in Coulsdon.  Or rather tea outside and across the road! 

                                                DD about to cross the road to serve tea!

The return ride started on Woodman Road where we crossed the railway line to tackle the second hill of the day, Grove Lane.

At the top we turned right to join The Bridleway through the golf course and then Meadow Hill.  Eventually we joined the A237 briefly before turning into the Woodcote Village Green and we retraced our 'wheels' back to Wallington.  A lovely afternoon and no rain !

All club rides suspended

The Prime Minister’s announcement on 31 October forbids anyone meeting for exercise outdoors with more than one person from another household. This means we can only ride either with members of our own household, or alone with one member of another household. This became law on Wednesday night, making group cycling illegal in England from Thursday 5 November until 2 December.

Therefore, until further notice, all Sou’Wester club rides are suspended.

Once more unto the breach. Sutton pod, 24 October.

Both Karen K and Jeff were diverted on Saturday by matters more important that cycling, so our back-up plans for splitting the group did not need activation and five of us set out, aiming for Bushy Park.

Roger, Paul, Anna, Ken.  Maggie's photo

We left an hour early at one-o-clock because the weatherman said that the rains would come at four, but the weatherman lied.  It was the eve of the anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt but would gentlemen abed in England be accursed they were not here?  I think gentlemen abed had taken the right decision.

One of our happy band of brothers had not recovered quite as quickly as she thought from a non-Covid bug and as the wind increased and we got wetter the sight of a marquee outside the Ferry on the Portsmouth Road persuaded us to ask inside if the restaurant would do us a coffee outside, within the marquee and thus within the law.

The coffees (and the teas) were very good, but the damp had got to us all, not only to the peaky one, so we truncated the ride and turned for home.

We did 37 Km in all door-to-door, which in the circumstances most of us felt was a reasonable ride.

    

    

Autumn colours; Blue, flourescent orange, pink, yellow

Remember you're a Womble; Beddington Beginners, 17 October

 

The Wandle Way to Wimbledon Windmill

 

At Beddington Park on Saturday ten turned up, including two complete newcomers, despite a coldish, greyish, unpromising day.  Colin took the newcomers and three regulars up to Flitton’s, a traditional tea stop with big, if bleak, outdoor facilities south of the Smallholdings but only two wanted a longer ride up Wimbledon Hill with Maggie and me.  The plan was to suss out Megan’s, a cafe on Wimbledon High Street with heated outdoor tables which welcomes groups of four; but since you have to book a table, to carry on this time and have our outdoor coffee at the Windmill Cafe.

 

Karen K would in normal times be regarded as a newbie but recruitment is vigorous at the moment, so someone whose first venture with the club was the All Day Walton-on-Thames ride two months ago is now considered an old hand!  Roger was our other companion, rarely without Anna, who had eaten something spectacularly dodgy on Thursday.  Get well soon, Anna.

 

We decided upon the gentle but circuitous route all the way up the Wandle Path to Earlsfield and on the way, at the Hack Bridge, while going through the delightful little public garden that Claudio Funari, a local resident. has created for the enjoyment of all, we came across the creator himself, proudly showing us his third certificate of recognition!

 

Claudio Funari in his garden on the Wandle at the Hack Bridge

At Earlsfield we headed west to cross the busy Durnsford Road at the lights and enter Wimbledon Park under the overground Underground, Wombling free.  Sooner or later, anyone who goes to Wimbledon High Street has to climb a hill and since we had taken the river route we did it all at once up Home Park Road.

 

Once Megan’s (not difficult to spot) was duly sussed (pleasant, crowded, only lamp posts and the like to which to secure your bike) we used Parkside and Windmill Road to make the trip a circular one.  We were in the Windmill Cafe last week on the way back from Chiswick House, only this time the rain was gentler, though we again secured a spot in the Marquee (is that outdoors?  Who cares?)  Home the direct route across the common, past the Crooked Billet, down the Downs, through Lower Morden and across Morden Park.  We split at St Helier’s and although the winter has not quite set in, a hot home cup of tea was very welcome.

Riding a White Swan; All day ride to Chiswick House, 10 October

Paul's group minus Maggie, the photographer.  John, Anne, Paul, Ed & Maureen at the Marc Bolan memorial, recalling the days when we liked to boogie.

Tony's group at Chiswick House

just the ticket on a cold, drizzly day!

Maggie, Brenda, Lilian, Ken and Alice,Tony's group, minus photographer, route planner and leader Tony himself, at Hogarth's House, named after a roundabout.  Mr Hogarth was on holiday, so it was closed.

24 riders in four groups left Nonsuch Park at various times on a cold October morning. The route took us through Richmond Park, East Sheen and Mortlake, using two crossings over the Thames, Barnes railway bridge and Chiswick bridge.

Lunch stop was at Chiswick House Gardens and after lunch we walked around the lovely gardens, then off to view Hogarth’s House, Fulham F.C. and Fulham Palace.

Crossing the river at Putney Bridge we made for Roehampton, visiting Marc Bolan’s memorial on route ,there was a little rain on our way to tea at Wimbledon Common.

Thanks to the three Sub leaders Steph, Helen and Paul and also the back markers

See you next April

Tony

All Day ride to Chiswick - Saturday 10th October

Leaving Nonsuch Park Cafe in groups of six at your allotted time starting from 9.45am.
Lunch or your own picnic at Chiswick Gardens cafe, flat ride approximately 25 miles.

Please e-mail me if you would like a place.

Ride terminates at Wimbledon Common, Windmill cafe.

~ Tony

Per ardua ad Kenley; Half Day Ride on 26 September

 

The ride to Kenley was planned in the fine weather when it seemed possible that Covid restrictions might be relaxing.  We were going to have a picnic on Kenley Common!  It turned out, however, to be a day with temperatures more fitting of November than September, and the second Saturday under the new Rule of Six.  Nevertheless we got six riders for what the Advertising Standards Board had insisted I called a hilly ride.

 

There might have been an east wind but the sun was bright and in the shelter of buildings or trees it was quite warm in the morning.  We made our way through the undulations of Purley and Woodcote, giving the leader an exciting chase down a long straight Valley Road when we suffered a slight corner-marking failure.  You would have thought that everybody knows the first rule of cycling; if in doubt at a junction, your route is bound to go up the steepest choice.

 

Lodge Lane was the route the Bathmophobics had dictated to climb to Kenley and though we did not all enjoy it as much as the leader, the back marker commented that we had a group of pretty decent hill-climbers, even Ian, who you would have thought was handicapped on a two-gear Brompton.  I reckon this group would have fared well up the original, hillier route through Netherne, but the management did not agree.

 

The airfield memorials have been spruced up and made much more interesting in recent years, rightly so, and we spent a little time in the autumn sun, the few reflecting upon The Few.

 

 Tony, Lilian, Maggie, Ian & Inder at the RAF Kenley memorial

Lunch at Coffee and Creams at Caterham-on-the-Hill was very pleasant but while we were in there winter arrived, the wind fiercer and colder and spits of rain threatening to turn into something worse when we emerged.  Along the switchback of the B2031, we went down Doctor’s Lane to Chaldon Church, which was open for those who had not been before to see the twelfth century wall painting.  

Despite the decreasing temperature and the increasing wind the guide halted the party to enjoy the view of the City of London from Farthing Down and, at the bottom of the hill, the historic plaques describing the prize fights and hangings of old on Coulsdon Green.  We used relatively traffic-free Grove Lane to regain our altitude, going through Clock House and then the woods for one last short climb up the top few yards of Rectory Lane, where we picked up Woodmansterne Lane to take tea at Pistachios in Banstead.

Thanks to Tony for back marking and everybody else for splendid company on a pleasant, if wintry excursion.