Nonsuch Beginners 3 June, short ride to Carshalton

By Karen

A larger turnout at Nonsuch Mansion this week for rides to Cobham and River Wandle.  Steve led his group off first, closely followed (in the opposite direction) by the short ride, initially comprising Roger, Anna, John, Lynda, Stephen, Maggie and myself.

 

Full steam ahead until The Green, where Maggie realised there was something not quite right with her bike.  I doubled back to find Colin had joined Maggie and Stephen in a screw-tightening exercise.  It was suggested that the forward party proceed without further ado and the bike engineers would catch up anon.  At Hallmead Road, we ran into Godfrey Potter out for a solo ride and, after a brief natter and an invitation to join us (he politely declined), we resumed our course towards Hackbridge.

 

We diverged to avoid the much-loved narrow humpback bridge and reached the park without further incident.  I suggested an outdoor option for refreshments as it was such delightful weather, but the clamour for “proper cups” was too strong.  So we headed for the popular “Spilt Milk” cafe on Carshalton High Street, where we were soon joined by Colin, Maggie and Stephen.   The staff were very welcoming as usual and I'm pleased to report that Lynda liked the coffee.

 

Stephen and Maggie left us after coffee and we remaining few returned to Cheam duly exercised and refreshed.

Here comes the sun; Nonsuch Beginners Saturday 27 May

 By Paul

What a beautiful day for cycling!  Sunny and not too hot, yet the gathering at Nonsuch was a little smaller than has been the case through all the miserable cold wind and rain.

Still, there were eleven up for Steve W's long ride to Garson's Farm, and we decided to split the group for safety, so we formed up in a five and a six and I took the second group.

The plan to give the front runners a few minutes didn't work at first because we caught them up at the Ewell By-Pass, but our own contretemps with the traffic lights there soon put adequate distance between us again and things worked out well from then.

We followed them past Chessington North and over the A3, zinging down the hill through Claygate, up through where the posh people live to the tricky junction at Esher and down the hill to Garson's.

The trick at Garson's is to get into the quickest cake queue but this clever dick went and left his mobile phone on the counter.  Thanks to the young lady for bringing it to our table along with the tea!

A lovely leisurely cake and a good journey home, whizzing down le Col du Sandown, where we remembered to take a picture.

At the foot of the Col du Sandown descent

Home through Weston Green and Surbiton and we went our several ways at Worcester Park, everybody cheered up by a happy, easy-paced ride in the best cycling weather.

Sometimes, group cycling is such a joy!  Thanks to everyone for your good company.

    

Invitation to Diane Porter's All Day Ride on Saturday 10th June

Hi Everyone 

You are invited to join me on a Beginners All Day Ride to lunch at The Seven Stars in Ripley, a relaxed flat 40ish miles in total through (mostly) quiet roads and country lanes with coffee on the way and afternoon tea on the return.  We will be leaving from Nonsuch Mansion at 10.00 am, Saturday 10th June. 

Please confirm if you’re coming, on dianelporter@hotmail.com or WhatsApp 07740 699966. 

Have a great Bank Holiday weekend in the meanwhile. 

Best wishes

Diane 

Croydon invasion; Beddington Park beginners ride 20th May

By Maggie

Six Invade Croydon to examine invasive species

Where better to cycle to on a beautiful sunny day than Coombe Wood. There was a cold wind and the sheltered walled garden of the Coach House cafe provided so much protection that we really didn't want to leave. But the gardens were calling and we strolled up the short winding path to the manicured lawn and on to the  rhododendron woods just coming in to bloom. 

Ah, but the environmentally concerned amongst us raised our awareness of this particularly invasive species and the harm rhododendrons cause to the biodiversity of our woodland. We didn't take them to the Rose garden! 

We made our way back via the Haling Park Road, the only hill of the day, across Purley Way and back to Wallington.

                                                                                                       

Walled garden, Coach House cafe

Down on the farm; Nonsuch Beginners 29 April

by Paul

Another goodly crowd of more than twenty gathered at Nonsuch on Saturday.  Richmond Park was down on the calendar for the long ride and Telegraph Track for the short one but Steve, the long ride leader, instead fancied a trip to Bocketts Farm and there were sufficient takers to run two groups.

Trouble is, you call out to everyone that we are going in two groups and the majority follow the first leader, so we had unevenly sized groups out on the road but I ended up leading a compact, easily manageable group of seven.

Distance between the two groups was achieved by letting three year old Thomas lead us out across Nonsuch Park.  He did so enthusiastically for two thirds of the park, so we did not catch Steve's group until we met them at coffee.

After riding the no cycling path over the M25 to Leatherhead (No, I am not leading a Beginners group and a three year old around the Leatherhead by-pass roundabout) Thomas loved it when his dad rode down the steps.  We held a conference on the route, because Bocketts is inconveniently situated half way up the A246 racetrack.  The vote was that Guildford Road was a tedious hill, that the wooded path would probably be impassable given the recent rain, and therefore to take the cycle path to the A24 roundabout and go half way up the hill and through the muddy gate.

To go home we continued to the top of the hill on the car park road and then down Guildford Road to Leatherhead station, past Ashtead station and over the waterlogged Ashtead and Epsom Commons (the paths were OK).

In the woods on Ashtead Common our youngest club member had his second cycle of the day, and thanks are due to the rest of the group for their patience.

  

Trouble at Teddington; Nonsuch Beginners on April Fools Day

by Paul

There was a decent crowd at the Mansion House on Saturday and though the rain had been of monsoon proportion overnight the weather was now decent, if blustery and cold.

Steve H was full of a cold but had turned up to take the short ride to Horton and wisely wanted to discuss the wisdom of sticking to the usual off road route or using the tarmac in such conditions.  Steve W was there to lead the longer ride, for which we split into two groups, Steve as usual tiring of the chat and the hanging around and riding off on the dot of ten past with a half dozen or so to ride to Bushy Park the long way round, via the cycle/footpath up the A3 to Richmond Park and over the top to Ham Gate.

Quite a few were left behind and when I led out the second group I was mildly surprised at the number that stayed behind for the Horton ride.  Seven came with me.  Aware of the numbers, I didn't pay sufficient attention to the individuals to note that I had all the free thinkers and without consulting them decided that we would take a different, equally circuitous route, going through New Malden and past Eisenhower's house to enter Richmond Park through the Ladderstile Gate, using the traffic-free Broomfield Hill to go to Robin Hood Gate and doubling back past the Pen Ponds Cafe to follow in Steve's tyre treads across the top to Ham Gate, past the Goldsmith's house to Teddington, to cross the river on foot and thence remount to ride to London's second biggest deer park.

Everywhere were the signs of foment.  The car park at Nonsuch was nothing but a muddy bike wash and foot-wetter.  The Hogsmill was a raging, muddy torrent but not comparison to the Thames, on the brink of overflow, the weir at Teddington a cataract to rival Niagara.

Last time I'd gone up Warren Drive I had been made to dismount to get around the barrier, so this time we went straight across Coombe Lane up the drive to the Trickledown Gold Club, a more picturesque route and one which reminded us of our modest status in society.  And we never go that way, nor that way through the park, so I had unwittingly encouraged the avant-garde and when we were on the north west side of the River my free-thinkers thought freely and by popular referendum elected for coffee in the empty Flying Cloud cafe we were passing instead of pressing on to meet up with the others.  So that is what we did.  First Trump, then Brexit, then Boris and now this; do we really want democracy?

photo by Sue of the freethinkers at Teddington Lock

Actually it was nice.  Sue B had come along for by far her longest ride since breaking her wrist and it was good to see her back.  My tea was in a china mug, my Malteser cake was much less sickly than it sounded and Bushy park would have probably been windier and even colder.  Home via Kingston Bridge and Berrylands and I thought I had better tell Steve on Strava why we had not turned up.  He noted that I had all the troublemakers in my group.

We had a chat with the ladies who run the Flying Cloud cafe; times are hard.  If you are passing that way, think about calling in, or I wonder (though they did not say so in so many words) we may lose the place.

Invitation to Steve Wiltshire's All Day Ride on Saturday 8 April

Hello all, invitation to the first beginners all day ride of the year to Newdigate, from Nonsuch Mansion at 10.00 am, Saturday 8 April. Lunch at the Six Bells (recently under new management, so a review element to the trip!) and the opportunity to go wheeeeeee down  Pebble Hill on the way. Easter bunny outfits optional.

 

Please email me, steve@wiltshires.org.uk if you’re coming. Look forward to seeing you on the day.

 

Steve W