Wednesday 29th July 2026 - Scorchio!

 I enjoy rides in Kent for the same reason some folk don't.

Hills, hills & more hills.

Planning a ride in the fourth heatwave this year is well....a challenge.

Not least because we're starting from Caterham which of course involves climbing even before 'the off'.

As the replies came trickling in, my ambitious ride was coming into question & not without good reason.

I HAD to have a plan B.

Fortunately, this required little effort since I know the lanes well from Cheam & Morden rides in my early cycling days.

But to my suprise at 11's, there was 'an appeite' to at least keep the morning part in situ.

So seven of us set off towards Woldingham village.

Traffic was light (school holidays), & Station Road provided the first test - a long drag best descibes it.

Intermittent newly laid tarmac took us to Titsey Hill to join the Pilgrims Way going east.

Spirits were high as we rollercoastered along, red kites above, a plethora of grapevines to our right.

Eventually you reach a T-junction.

Sundridge Hill provided our route to the North Downs & you realise that trees are crucial to a heatwave ride providing the necessary shade but I for one was sweating buckets at the top.

Shelleys Lane led us to lunch at The Blacksmith's Arms, Cudham.

Inside the pub, doors & windows wide open, a cooling breeze was greatly appreciated.

The route thereafter was a plan B late change & was welcomed by my cycling companions & we rolled into The Coach House café at Coombe Wood just after 3.

Thanks to those who supported me, in particular Clive who also did the original route recce with me & Dave for backmarking.

Morning - 15 miles - 1,181ft of ascent

Afternoon - 10 miles - 524ft of ascent

B Group Ride Report - 29th July '26

Thank you and well done to those who joined our single group from Caterham-on-the-Hill on Wednesday. In the morning we travelled over some very narrow lanes, a few of which were probably first time routes for several of our party. We enjoyed a cool stop in Horley and then made our way across the very warm farmland of Surrey to Brockham and Leatherhead. A very pleasant day out!

John A. 

A mixed gathering at Caterham

Team JA taking a break in the shade.

Updated weather warning guidance to include Heat Health Alerts

Hello everyone, 

Given the extreme temperatures we are experiencing this summer the Committee have updated the weather guidance to include a few words about Heat Health Alerts. Please be assured that this guidance refers to club rides only. 

Weather warning guidance

With the increasing occurrence of Met Office bad weather warnings and Heat Health Alerts (from UK Health Security Agency), Ride Leaders should pay particular attention to these warnings. Please consider very carefully before taking a group out in severe weather that may include riders who are not confident cycling in strong windy conditions for example. Always check the weather forecast in the days before a ride and assess whether or not the ride should go ahead.

For the avoidance of doubt, Ride Leaders should cancel a ride if a Met Office RED or AMBER warning is in force or will come into force during a ride. Where a YELLOW warning is forecast, Ride Leaders should update their risk assessment before the ride to assess whether it is safe for the ride to go ahead as planned, or with suitable modifications to the route to mitigate risk, or cancelled.

If there is a Heat Health Alert in force during a planned ride, the Ride Leader should draw attention to this beforehand so that riders with health issues that may be affected by extreme heat, can consider whether or not to join the ride and for those taking part in the ride, to come prepared.

And remember - do not feel pressured into leading a ride in weather that you are at all concerned about.

If you have any questions please do let me know.

Sue Foster

sue.foster39@gmail.com

Report from A Group for ride on the 22nd July

Karl (ride leader) starts off the report:   

My wife said to me that a ride report need only say that we cycled and cycled, and then cycled some more  - she obviously doesn't get it. My and my subleaders' (Steve and Peter) version of the ride report is set out below. I'll be encouraging her read to it.

Steve's report gives a good overall description, so I'll start with his contribution:

From Steve: 

I set off from Dorking at 10.25 am with Guy, Mike, Clive, Patrick and Dave B who kindly offered to back mark. The route started with a climb out of Denbie's where we stopped for a hydration break and picture.

We then followed an undulating route across Ranmore down a fast descent to Green Dene where we climbed again steadily up to Staple Lane which we descended slowly behind a tractor and some cars. We commented at how unusual it was to be going down this hill because we almost always go up it. Across the A246 to East Clandon and more descent down to the new Wisley bridge over the A3 past RHS Wisley. We skipped the roundabout and went right onto the cycle path. Then it was a fairly flat ride in sunny, cloudy conditions through Wisley village and Pyrford Common to The HG Wells at Woking, arriving at 12.10 pm.

After quick service we left at 1 pm to make our way to Leatherhead for tea. The route took us through Old Woking and Send to West Horsley. At the junction with the A246 I stopped so we could divide into 2 groups for the fast road, but my team decided we should go via East Horsley and Effingham Junction and so that is the way we went. At Effingham as we approached the Lower Road left turn, the second group led by Peter appeared coming from the A246 and we followed them to Lucio's for tea and cake where we were joined by an adventurous Geoffrey S!

Karl is good at producing unusual routes on familiar roads and this one was excellent. Thanks for organising this ride Karl. Thanks also to Dave B for back marking and to my fellow riders for your fine company.

And from Peter:

My group left on time from Dorking, one down (Ged had to go to a local bike shop for some pre-ride repairs). We progressed slowly up the Denbies climb and stopped for a photo. This took a while as Andy's camera delay function was not working. However, a member of the public offered to help. It was at this point Andy's delay function did work! So the helpful gent then had to stay still for 30 seconds whilst the camera worked on its own. We arrived at Spoons at 12.20 and lunch was prompt, as usual. Dave W departed from the group after lunch to make his own way home. We gave the fast group a 10 minute head start but passed them in Effingham (quote Dave V, briskly). Many thanks to Karl for his route and organisation of the day and to my group for their company, with particular thanks to Dave V for backmarking.

And finally from me (Karl):

It seemed to me that we started the ride with a game something similar to musical chairs. Firstly, Sue F said as she had not been riding for a few weeks she didn't feel up to a long ride and consequently decided not to join us. Then Simon L, who is normally very reliable, was nowhere to be seen. It transpired he accidently accepted the Spond invitation when he meant actually to decline it (I think?). Then Ged - who was scheduled to be in Peter's group - turned up and joined our group. This theme of musical chairs continued throughout the day, but I most definitely started the ride with (I think?): Sue C, David F, Brian, and Ged as back marker. 

At Wisely, about halfway around the route, Brian had to leave us for another commitment, and a little later, at the lunch stop in Woking, and continuing on our sub-theme of musical chairs, we picked up Geoffrey S. After a very enjoyable lunch we set off to Leatherhead, where we arrived a little over an hour later. 

One or two in our group felt perhaps we cycled the afternoon portion of the route at a slightly more than comfortable pace, and Dave F commented that in a refreshing way the route was a back to front version of earlier Group A rides in that we went down hills we normally cycle up and cycled on byways in the afternoon that we would normally cycle on in the morning and vice versa, but overall I believe everyone enjoyed the route and the day. I certainly did.

It leaves me only to thank all those who attended for their good company, Ged for back marking in my group and my two sub-leaders Steve and Peter. 

Some pictures taken on the day and the route itself are set out below.

     

Caterham B Group Ride - 29th July '26

You are invited to join us next Wednesday for a ride to Horley for lunch and then on to Leatherhead for tea. Please reply by Monday to: johnaustin04@yahoo.co.uk.

Looking forward to seeing you at Caterham-on-the-Hill.

John A.

Report for B Group - 22nd July

Le Col de Coldharbour, aka Boar Lane, according to google AI: 'It is a renowned, notoriously punchy 1.9-mile cycling climb in the Surrey Hills, peaking at gradients of up to 18%.'

Team photo at the summit

Only seven riders turned up at Dorking for my ride to Tanhouse farm; 'was it something I said?' I thought!!

And then I realised that I had said the word Coldharbour!!! Which means a steep climb.

Steph, storming up the pass 

 

Well that was a laugh!

Observing the speed limit

Anne on the steep bit

Chasing the leaders

Perhaps I'll go back and do it again! 

Don't make me laugh, I'll fall off!

Surely we are nearly there?

Too fast for the photographer

     Ride Leader and Mischief Maker Pete

Keith leading with his A Group legs 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pete in the slipstream of his lead-out man

 

We were up in no time, so I don’t know what all the fuss was about!! 

Beautiful stained glass

And then it was full speed ahead and down the other side to Walliswood calling in to see the 13th century Okewood church of St John the Baptist. Absolutely fascinating!

... and we never knew that it was there

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then onwards to Tanhouse farm via Rusper whereupon a lovely lunch was consumed.

Lunch at Tanhouse Farm

 

Tim tucks in while Mick enjoys his glass of water

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you all for your great company.

~ Pete B.

 

A Grand Day Out

 

 

A group of more senior members met at the ferry cafe, Shepperton, and cycled to Ed's house at Ewell then walked the short distance to lunch at his local cafe Ed was in good form and enjoyed the meet up with old friends, as we were leaving Ed's house for our return journey, Tony Hooker arrived to visit Ed. A nice day out.

 Tony..