I was set the task of leading a challenging ride for those wishing to do a longer/hillier
and/or faster ride.This is a temporary departure only from the usual A group rides and
there will only be 5 or 6 such rides for the whole of this year, all taking place during
the summer months. It will be necessary to leave Dorking11s by 10.30 to ease the timings
for the rest of the day.
I’m conscious that my ride for Wednesday won’t be for everyone and hopefully by giving
a few days notice all necessary arrangements can be made. So that you can decide and
to give you a rough idea, when I reccie’d the route starting and finishing in Epsom, the ride
was further than usual (98 miles), hillier (just over 5,000 feet) and of necessity at a good
average speed to enable lunch to be eaten at lunchtime, afternoon tea to be taken
before the cafes close and for me to be home by dinner time.
It is without a doubt a stunningly beautiful route with a couple of off-road sections. I first rode
it with Cheam & Morden in 2014 and it made a big impression on me then and I was reminded
why when I reccie’d it yesterday.
I’d say that to enjoy the ride you need to be comfortable cycling at an average pace of 13.5mph+
over 75 miles (on the basis that we can all grit our teeth and put our heads down once on the
home stretch). Strava is especially helpful to look at average speeds over a total ride, as is a
Garmin or a good old fashioned bike computer. It’s important to be able to make this average
speed comfortably even if you intend getting a train back from lunch or later. Otherwise any
slower pace as a group will mean those who are cycling the whole route will risk finding
that lunch is very late, the afternoon tea stop is closed and they get home unreasonably late.
So I hope you’ll be happy to join me on this stunning ride on little used roads (by either us or
indeed other people) but if you’re unsure what are the alternatives? They might include taking
the ride at a slower pace and getting the train back from Worthing/Horsham/Dorking; however,
you’ll need to have a copy of the route, a map or a sat nav and hopefully the company of others
who are like minded.
You’ll find a map of the route if you look on my Strava for the ride titled ‘Dorking to Tanhouse
via Goring by Sea’ on 18 May.
If you’d like to upload the route to a Garmin, the file can be found at:
http://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/24457874
In outline, from Dorking we’ll head to Rusper, Warnham, Broadbridge Heath and Barns Green.
Our ascent of the South Downs will be made using the somewhat brutal Chantry Lane which at
the top meets the South Downs Way. The first mile or so of our descent will be slow as it’s on a
stony and rough bridleway through Angmering Park Estate.Those who know me will know that I’m
not keen on off-road (and on my new bike too). However, even I would concede that it was justified
by the sheer beauty of the surroundings.
Finally, after 37 miles and 2,092ft of climbing since leaving Dorking we’ll arrive at the Bull pub in
Goring by Sea. I was assured I don’t need to book numbers so I’ll keep my fingers crossed that’s
right on the day. Lunch was medium to pricy but excellent quality and sandwiches include chips or
salad (I doubt anyone needs to know that last option).
Post lunch we’ll cycle along the seafront to Worthing and after an unpleasant 1/2 mile on the A27,
we’ll leave the noise and chaos behind and turn left into the calm of Church Lane and climb Titch Hill
(so it can’t be that big given its name, can it). More stunning South Downs scenery and big views.
Once the descent has started it’s important not to go shooting ahead as we’ll be taking the 1st left,
otherwise if you overshoot it’s a very steep hill to climb back up in the wrong gear as I discovered
on the reccie.
From the bottom of the Downs we pass through Steyning, Dial Post and aim for the delightful
surroundings of the cafe stop at Southwater which is open til 5. This is 23 miles and approximately
1,150ft climbing from lunch. (There is an earlier stop at the Old Barn nurseries just before Dial Post
but there’s still a long way home at that point so it’s probably best avoided).
After Southwater we’ll head to Horsham via Lovers Lane, the second gloriously quiet off road track
of the day.From Horsham to Rusper we take a quiet but steep climb at the side of Holbrook Park.
After Rusper the route ends at Tanhouse Farm which will have long closed by then. The totals for
Dorking to Tanhouse are 72 miles and 3,881ft elevation.
I made my way back to Epsom by backtracking the outward route so home via Dorking and the
A24 cycle track to Leatherhead. Annoyingly I was a couple of miles short of 100 and so of course
I had to do a loop at the end.
Posted by Janice
NB Let me know if you plan to attend this ride - so that arrangements may be made to cater
for those joining a more-than-normal B Group Ride. Also it would be a good idea to bring
snacks/energy bars for eating on route.
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Author: Ged Lawrenson
8 Comments:
Geoff Gregory 20 May 2019 at 15:42 BST
Hi Janice, thank you for a very precise view of the ride, I feel that I will not be up to it but I am sure that it will be great. I shall though be joining you at Dorking with the intention of checking out the 100k Trivets route, if anyone from the A group would like to join me they would be most welcome, my intention is to ride through to Brockham and start as we would on the day of the Trivets, lunch will be in Brockham either pub or cafe then hopefully out to do the second half.
Geoff
Janice 20 May 2019 at 16:28 BST
Thanks for letting me know Geoff. That sounds good use of your time!
Brian 20 May 2019 at 17:38 BST
Hi Geoff/Janice
Only back from holiday Tuesday evening and don't want to be too late back on Weds so will go with Geoff. Geoff: are you starting at 1100 or 1030?
Frances Stewart 20 May 2019 at 17:56 BST
Janice great information. Have downloaded route - this is my first 100 of the season so will do ny best to keep up with you! Many thanks Frances
Janice 20 May 2019 at 19:03 BST
Brilliant. See you 10ish for a coffee and cake in Dorking, ready for our 10.30 start. Bring a couple of snacks with you, I certainly needed it on the way down.
Geoff Gregory 20 May 2019 at 20:07 BST
Well Brian I don't know, was not expecting company though I should have thought I might, so I think we should be away at 10.30 as its 32ish miles on either route.
Be good to have you along and any other A's who wants a flat ride, please be aware of the distances on either route are 32ish miles but you can drop out after lunch if you wish to, no pressures on anyone.
Janet, just looked at your route, believe it or not I had been looking at a ride to Worthing a month or so ago and the route you have is so similar, looking on Google maps Street View your hill climb certainly looks long.
Geoff
David W 21 May 2019 at 07:08 BST
Looking forward to joining your ride, Janice, but I'll be returning by train from the coast as I need my legs intact for Thursday!
Just possibly I might be a bit late for the Dorking start but I've got the route so I'll chase you down if this happens.
Janice 21 May 2019 at 09:07 BST
Ok great. Dave B will be getting the train back from Worthing.
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