Not Winchester - Ride Report 'A' Group Wednesday 27 May 2026

 

I say 'A' group but actually, there were two 'A' groups today, although it is still true that neither went to Winchester!    As with previous Wayfarer's rides from New Haw at about this time of year, I tried to make my life as complicated as possible by offering a route to a lunch stop in deepest Hampshire, then two options, a 'turnback' route to Ripley, and an alternative continuing further west (previously to Winchester, but this year, just for a change, to the distinctly un-medieval Basingstoke) for a train-assisted return!

Steve D very gamely offered to lead the turnback option this year, and did so very ably (many thanks to him).   Of his group's experiences he writes as follows.   I knew it would be a hot day and packed a thermos which fits in one of my bottle holders and a normal water bottle. Setting off from New Haw day centre with Gill, Neil W, Janice, Guy and Peter S, we rode the route which more or less followed the railway line from West Byfleet to Hook. Sometimes we were south of it and sometimes north. One of the peculiar features of a Dave W route is that you cannot really pinpoint where you are. At times you know you are near Woking or Fleet or Farnborough, but are never really sure. Guy sustained a rear puncture which he fixed deftly and by plugging a hole in his tyre with a piece of toothpaste tubing, at Hook Heath during which we were passed by the first group. I have to say it wasn't too hot at this point, but as the sun rose we quickly drank our water bottles dry.

Our first foot crossing of the railway was at Frimley Green through the Pit Lakes Fisheries. The next railway crossing was at Farnborough North station where we tried out the new lifts, because the level crossing was closed. From here we took the road on the edge of Queen Elizabeth Park to bypass north of Farnborough. Finally tracking north of Fleet we rode through Odiham Common and Odiham itself to arrive at The Fox and Goose pub, where we ate in the outside shade of the garden. We were able to refill our bottles from an outside water tap.

It had taken 2 hours and 20 minutes to cycle the 28 miles from New Haw and we left the pub at 1.50 pm so we knew stopping for tea after another 27 miles would be pushing it. The heat was more oppressive now and combined with a headwind made for tired legs.The route started the way we had come back through Odiham and then dropped down through Church Crookham and north of Aldershot, Fox Corner and then Old Woking. Here, as it was 3.50 pm and we needed a break, we stopped at Claud's Coffee House Westfield. After a swift cola and coffee Peter, Neil and Janice set off at a faster pace for home. Gill, Guy and myself made slower progress for the 4 miles back to Ripley. I was very tired, but happy for riding with the others in good company. I appreciated Peter watching over at the back and thanks go to Dave W for organising a splendid country route and pub stop.

I reckon I had a much easier time of it!   My group showed exemplary conduct, sticking together like limpets all day, and studiously avoiding punctures and 'mechanicals'!   Dave B's excellent back-marking must have a played a part here!

We caught and passed Steve's group while they were having a quiet nap at Hook Heath (mending a puncture, they said), and just pipped them to the post at Greywell, where we enjoyed a shady lunch, efficiently served, and reasonably priced.   Much liquid was consumed.  The big climb of the day, over the Hampshire Downs, loomed soon after lunch, but it was mostly well-shaded, and my group made light work of it.

After that it should have been a long and gradual descent into Basingstoke, but we did turn more into the wind, and it had been a long day!   My group had behaved so well that I thought they deserved an ice cream stop, and the  shop in the picturesque village of Oakley duly delivered!

From there it was just 30 minutes to our final destination, and we arrived at Basingstoke station just before 4.00 pm.   Train travel home was not entirely without problems, but at least the trains were air-conditioned!   Many thanks to Dave F, Dave E, Fiona B, Mike R, Patrick W and Brian G for their company, and for putting up with it all in my group!

Minutes of the 2026 AGM

 The minutes of the 2026 AGM are now posted and available via the CTC SWL Information Hub or by clicking this LINK

Invitation to ride with B Group from New Haw on 27th May

Having led from New Haw in March I wanted to come up with something quite different for this Summer ride. So this time we'll start out along the canal again and after about 10 miles we'll climb up Trodds Lane to Newlands Corner for an off-road section along the Drove Road (North Downs Way).

Brenda, Mick and I are looking forward to leading you on this ride.

Elevenses will be at the Woodham and New Haw Day Centre and for anyone not wishing to ride to this distant Elevenses outpost there are good train services to West Byfleet.

Lunch will be at The Barley Mow in West Horsley, popular with many of us for its delicious Thai food. This is the lunch menu, with the more conventional pub fare listed on the second page. 

Yummy Thai dishes

Regular Pub Fare

After Lunch we'll head for Cobham and then some delightfully undulating off-road trails through the woodland in Esher and Arbrook Commons. We will visit Parade and Albany in Claygate for afternoon tea.

This will be our route:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/54633379

NB For anyone who would prefer to avoid the scenic climb up to Newlands Corner, the North Downs Way track, and the undulations which follow I have an alternative route which turns after Jacobs Well from Clay Lane onto the A3 Cycle Path at mile 9.2 and runs to The Barley Mow via Ripley. If you would like to do the ride this way, on a self-led basis, please ask me for the route; you can ride with one of our groups as far as the A3. When you sign up for this ride please tell me that this is what you intend to do; I will need to include you in the numbers I advise to the pub.

Please confirm by email that you wish to join us and note the 'Plan B' option if that is what you think you'd like to do. We don't need to pre-order our food.

We're looking forward to sharing this delightful cycling experience with you.

Tim, Brenda and Mick

A ride from Caterham May 20th

Caterham is always a challenge - both to arrive and often soon after departure. This was no exception. With other commitments ahead of the ride I decided to rerun one I led in 2023. The day was cool and breezy and although sunshine was limited we were fortunate that the threatened afternoon rain didn't materialise. 

Eleven of us met at Caterham and I let the first group away of Dave E, Dave F, Karl, Neil W and Andy C. Our ride up through Woldingham School was in the best sunshine of the day and the valley looked glorious. Gangers Hill provided the usual challenge but fortunately little traffic. We collected Dave W at the end of Beddlestead Lane to complete the group. After leaving Clarks lane we had a lovely and very lightly trafficked route to lunch at Lingfield via Trevereux Hill. 

We arrived at The Star shortly after Steve and Fiona's group. Lunch was promptly served and very good. Highlight of the day was meeting Geoffrey S at lunch who joined us for the return run to Brockham.  Even better he took the lead along Smallfield Road to give me a break from the wind. It was great to see him again in such good form.

 

My thanks to Geoffrey, to Steve and Fiona for subleading and to Andy C for back marking.

 

Steve's report...

Any ride from Caterham involves climbing to get to the coffee start (in my case from Bookham 1239 ft) and then going down to start climbing back up again. So I decided to leave early and go slowly on the way to Caterham to save my legs. I left with my fellow leader Fiona, Mike R, Richard B and Frances. Our gradual climb through Warlingham school I kept slow, as I knew what was to come after the recce. We all selected a low gear fro the hairpin left turn up Gangers Hill which was now a steeper gradient. The next hazard was a right turn into Rectory Lane, which bypassed Wesrterham. Here we spotted Brian's group ahead.  We passed them on the bridge over the M25 at Clacket Lane. Then a lovely section of single track south to Lingfield. This was subject to a strong South Westerly headwind. On the recce it was coming from the West and proved very tiring.

After arriving at The Star we met Geoffrey S who had cycled there for lunch. He joined us for tea at Brockham too. Our food was served promptly and was good. Fiona led us to tea at Brockham and in places we had a bit of help from the wind. It was about 1500 ft of climbing over the whole route, but generally gentle climbing, apart from Gangers Hill.

 

 

 Thanks to Brian for a very lovely route and for organising the pub. I appreciated the company of my fellow riders and particularly Fiona who did a turn as back marker and then led us faultlessly to Tea.

Do Join the 'A' Group Rides from New Haw on 27 May

Invitations will be sent out to the usual suspects via 'Spond, but please contact me (cycledave23@gmail.com) if you're not on 'A' group 'Spond but would like to join either of the 'A' group rides on offer.

There are two separate rides presented as separate events on 'Spond - please see my previous post https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8196660132091707769/5352538944410772474 if you're in any doubt which to choose (don't sign up to both)!

Whichever option you choose, when accepting the invitation on 'Spond you also need to let me know your menu choice (or 'no food') by submitting a 'Spond 'Comment'.  Here are the menus:

Apologies - not very clear photos (not my work), but for enlargeable versions of the menu, please see https://photos.app.goo.gl/7ZYMoanf7CT1o6uU8 and https://photos.app.goo.gl/VqSBKtGnMihx4WVS6 .

The Alternative New Haw/Greywell/finish at Ripley option still needs a ride leader - please let me know if you can help.    Otherwise, Andy C has very kindly proposed an alternative within an alternative (!) - a different return route from Greywell to Ripley for those not continuing to Basingstoke.   But note that it's rather longer than the official version and has some off-road sections, and a tea stop at the Watts Gallery, Compton, before continuing to Ripley.  If you're want to join Andy, sign up for the Alternative ride on 'Spond (Ripley Return) and we'll sub-divide the group on the day.   

Report for B Group ride from Caterham on 20th May

After the rugged undulations of Mt Banstead and Farthing Down we were pleased to arrive at the Westway Centre and sit in their small but cosy recovery room for our Tea and Pastries.

Traversing Farthing Down

Twelve had signed up but Martin and Julie were unable to join us on the day. So we ran with two teams rather than three; John led the first group of five and another Tim led our second group for which I was happy to be the back marker; I know my place.

The morning ride was unchanged from our previous runs down to Horley in recent years although we did have some discussion about whether we should opt for the safety of using the network of footpaths to get from one side of the Ann Summers roundabout to the other. But though it is notionally safer we decided that we would just be careful and ride around to the third exit into Woldingham Road as we usually do.

But the real delight of this ride comes after we peel off to the right under the railway bridge into the road leading down to the Woldingham School. The school’s mission is to develop “courageous, confident and compassionate” young women and, unusually for this ride, we came across a number of these young women, all exuding these worthy virtues. The road through this beautiful Woldingham Valley and part of Marden Park is always a joy to ride for its exquisite scenery and lack of traffic, if not for the quality of the road surface. The cows always look as if they are posing for John Constable although Steph stopped earlier to take some photos of a now rare breed (traditional English Longhorns) that the artist may never have encountered.

An English Longhorn studies his visitors 

Beyond the school and down the Quarry Road we passed up our opportunity for the challenge of Gangers Hill as that experience had been earmarked for the pleasure of A Group. We enjoyed our long and fast descent of Flower Lane and were soon enjoying the next highlight of the day, Church Lane and the splendid architecture of Church Town. Our leader Tim G gave us a brief history lesson, describing the 12th century origin of St Nicholas Church, verified by Paul who recognised the Norman style of the arch over the door. The church had endured several reconstruction projects through the centuries but was notably restored in a 13th century style by Sir (George) Gilbert Scott around 1872. We also noted briefly St Mary’s almshouses and chapel which Gilbert Scott designed in a Victorian Tudor/gothic style. The famous architect lived in the village for a time.

But we were all eager to tackle The Enterdent, high on our list of fun climbing experiences in Surrey so we zoomed down past the Old Packhouse (painted pink) which dates from the 15th century, and then got on with our climb.

On The Enterdent I was able to ramp up my power level to get ahead of the bunch and take a few action photos as Tim and the others chuckled their way up the incline. Fun indeed!

 

We joined the Old Tilburstow Road for a fast descent to the A22 junction and in Blindley Heath turned into Byers Lane to cruise through the countryside all the way to The Farmhouse Pub in Horley. John’s group were well into their lunches when we arrived, and we didn’t have to wait very long for ours. This is a nice venue for us; the alternative would have been the Spoons in town, but the Farmhouse pitches us on to quiet roads for the afternoon ride without having to negotiate downtown Horley.

John's speedy team

Tim G is hiding behind the umbrella

 

For the sake of varying the afternoon route, rather than taking the Avenue Verte (NCN 21) up to Whitebushes, we crossed the A23 south of Salfords and headed along the wide cycle path into Meath Green, a route pioneered by Steph several years ago. Once beyond this housing development it was very agreeable cycling along Lonesome Lane up to Doversgreen. We rode west then practised our descending techniques for the Freewheel Competition, riding down Root Hill, then turned into Tilehurst Lane for our usual route to Tea at Lucio’s in Leatherhead.

Action on the Col de Tilehurst

We sat outside with our tea, coffee and cakey things, marvelling that we had cheated the forecast of rain. However, on the home leg I got caught in a shower and I suspect others did two.

Thank you to Tim G and John for leading their teams. Thank you to everyone who joined us and enjoyed the day.

~Tim C

Basic Bike Maintenance Course Notes

 Following the recent Basic Bike Maintenance I've updated the notes and linked below.  I've added Steve D's DIY lube, Clik valve details and corrected a few links.  Let me know if I've missed anything.  Mick A

Basic Bike Maintenance Notes PDF