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THE PILGRIMS WAY
This was our 2nd PHC+ ride, a longer and faster ride that gives us
scope to get a bit further afield. Once again we had 12 riders as we
set off towards Downe for our morning stop. This is where the
difference between a PHC+ and a normal ride is most noticeable.
Although we're not racing (especially up hills), we made it to Downe
within 90 minutes whereas previously, this has been a lunch stop. We
used Christmas Tree farm for the first time. It's a working farm aimed
at children but with free access to the refreshment kiosk and toilets.
It was interesting to see a Rhea up close, a kind of mini emu rather
than the Greek mother of the Gods (click the link!)
You've got two choices to get from Downe to Cudham and both involve
the same ridiculous hill but from different approaches. We opted for
the one that passes Charles Darwin's house, noting that it has been
refurbished and now looks like something that could be featured on
Grand Designs. The downhill swoop along Berry's Hill is swiftly
terminated with Church Hill, a steep climb topped off with a T
junction at the top of the 1 in 4 section. Not everybody rode up!
The lanes after Cudham are lovely. A couple of punctures slowed our
progress so we headed down Sundridge Hill into Brasted for lunch. I
wasn't sure where we'd end up for lunch as there'd been talk in the
week of going further afield if we were making good progress.
Subsequently, no one was expecting us and the first pub had a 45
minute wait for a table. The second pub was a locals bar and didn't do
food (but had a dartboard & pool table) and the third pub claimed to
be closed (although we later saw people going in). At this point it
was getting desperate. A sign pointing to the Fox & Hounds looked
promising but a local said they were often busy on Sundays. A few of
us decided to play safe and try a cafe and although they only had
toasted sandwiches on offer, it was still better than trooping off
aimlessly to find a pub. Some of the group tried to reach the Fox &
Hounds but what we didn't know was that it was over a mile uphill
towards Toys Hill. They came back to the cafe after a while.
We hadn't done an awful lot of the Pilgrim's Way at this point so we
rode directly up after lunch. It's a long section of country lane that
heads towards Titsey but I'd planned to pick up the North Downs Way to
ease the climb back onto the Downs. Unfortunately, half of the group
failed to wait for me at the junction with Westerham Hill so while we
climbed steadily on a gravel track to enjoy the lightly trafficked
lane it leads to, the others were busy climbing a much steeper hill.
We reconvened at Beaver Water World, a reptile zoo with a small cafe.
Normally we'd fly down Beddlestead Lane but it drops too much and you
have to climb back up Hesiers Hill. Instead, we used the cycle track
adjacent to the Limpsfield Road, heading for Beech Farm Rd which gives
you about 4 miles of downhill riding all the way to Gravel Hill in
Croydon. That's from the highest point in Greater London to Gravel
Hill in about 15 minutes! And after some of today's climbs, Gravel
Hill's cycle track felt that little bit more manageable today although
the corresponding descent down the other side was met with a short
shower.
We crossed Purley Way and used a bit of the Wandle Trail to get to
Beddington Lane which is currently closed in the middle, making a
pleasant return to Pollards Hill. We did about 46 miles and were out
for just under 8hrs.
Sunday 17th February
THE BLUEBELL RAILWAY
9 riders met up at East Croydon. We used the Group Save offer to get 4
tickets for the price of 2 and split the costs between everyone. I
left the ticket buying a little bit late and a huge queue nearly
scuppered our chance to get the train. We literally had seconds to
spare with the guard frantically blowing his whistle as we got on.
Good job we made it as there were another 5 at East Grinstead and 1
waiting out at Horsted Keynes station making a total of 15.
We started with a short section of the Worth Way. It's an old railway
line from Three Bridges to East Grinstead, now a Sustrans route and
continues the other side of the town as the Forest Way. However, that
was our only off-road of the day and we were soon on the lanes.
Just outside East Grinstead is Saint Hill Manor, the former home of L
Ron Hubbard and the worldwide HQ of Scientology. Followers believe
that when all the other churches reach the size of Saint Hill, details
of the next two levels of Scientology will be released. As it's a
beautiful Georgian Manor house set in extensive grounds which can be
glimpsed through the hedges further along the lanes, they might be in
for a long wait. Just along the same lane is the less controversial
Deers Leap mountain bike park.
A sharp drop down towards the massive Weir Wood Reservoir is followed
by a long drag back up to Sharpthorne with salvation offered in the
form of fantastic views of the water to your left. More great views
can be had from the lanes as we glided gently down toward Horsted
Keynes station, our first stop.
The Bluebell Railway was the first steam railway to be preserved, way
back in the early 60s. We used club funds to buy everyone a platform
ticket as I'd overlooked the fact that you need to pay to get to the
refreshments kiosk if the trains are running. A special train with an
"auto coach trailer" pulled into the station whilst we drank tea.
After the steep climb back out of the station, it's fairly plain
sailing to lunch at the main Sheffield Park station although a
puncture delayed us for a few minutes. We passed the upmarket Trading
Boundaries rural retail complex and the National Trust's Sheffield
Park Gardens on our way into the station, both worth a look if anyone
is back out this way.
Lunch is pretty basic at the station's pub but they have no problem
dealing with large numbers. A train arrived just as we parked up so we
joined a reasonable queue but all those eating had food within 10
minutes. There was a fair bit of steam train activity during our hour
there plus your platform ticket entitles you to look around the loco
shed and the little museum on the platform. One rider caught the steam
train back from here. No problem taking bicycles!
The terrain feels very fair to me - for every incline, there's a
descent soon after. However, some of the longer climbs on the return
were starting to sap energy from a few riders' legs. Climbing to
pretty West Hoathly was particularly taxing but soon after there was a
descent of over 100m down to Kingscote Station, the northern most
station on the Bluebell line. We couldn't afford an afternoon stop as
the trains from East Grinstead are hourly and we needed to catch the
next one but we pulled up for a quick look.
Although Kingscote is nearly in East Grinstead, you're still left with
2 significant hills to get up. We had enough time for those who wanted
to walk and still had 10 minutes spare when we arrived at the mainline
station. We'd ridden for 30 miles and were out for 6hrs plus
travelling time.
Sunday 10th February
THE TIDES END
The good weather we're currently enjoying attracted a healthy 21
riders to the library with another waiting en-route. Whilst it's great
to see so many people out, high numbers on a ride can often mean plans
need adapting. Today, I decided to skip the picturesque Ravensbury
Park and Morden Hall Park section in favour of a direct route to the
morning stop at Merton Abbey Mills. I figured this gave us a fighting
chance of getting to the pub at midday before the crowds starting
arriving. Fortunately, the direct route for cyclists involves a
traffic-free path over Figges Marsh and the pleasant path along the
old railway line, now called Myrna Close Nature Reserve.
Another study of the map enabled us to choose the most direct route to
Kingston. The less we turn, the less likely we are to lose anyone. We
cut through the New Maldon golf course and used London Cycle Network's
quiet streets route into Kingston where I opted to join the traffic on
the main road for a couple of hundred yards. There's an interesting
network of cycle routes in Kingston but poorly signed. As always, I
got a bit confused but finally crossed the bridge and into Bushy Park,
the 2nd largest of the Royal Parks and a first for a PHC ride. It was
busy with walkers and cyclists, the central Chestnut Avenue jammed up
with cars as we sailed through and out of one of the gates near
Teddington.
Luckily no punctures so far. I'd been keeping an eye on the time and
food was now being served. Time to head direct to the pub. A
pre-arranged rendezvous with a Time Out photographer found the snapper
waiting for us, lying in the road to get a good shot! The Tides End
Cottage looks deceptively small but wasn't very busy and would easily
have accommodated all of us. Some opted for the beer garden of the pub
next door whilst a breakaway group, not content with the food choice
of 3 different roasts or a veggie mushroom wellington, rode off to a
deli back in the High Street and came back later with glowing reports.
After lunch, we posed for a few more pics for the Time Out
photographer. The final image will be used to illustrate the Health &
Fitness page which often lists our rides, although curiously we're the
only cycling leisure rides group in London that ever get featured. I'm
hoping they might do a feature one day on the myriad cycle groups that
ride in the Capital at the weekend.
We used a new cut-through in Ham by following Sustran's National Cycle
Route 4, all the way into Richmond Park, which is of course, the
largest of London's Royal Parks. Two green parakeets were spotted in a
tree and the resident deer were entertaining Sunday strollers,
allowing them very close access. Once again, hundreds of cyclists out
and about enjoying the views and the weather.
Wimbledon Common have let the lower half of the cycle track on
Gravelly Hill get into quite a bad muddy state. We headed for the
Windmill Cafe which was very busy. Some felt they hadn't made enough
use of the day and sauntered off towards Morden Hall. The remainder
were rewarded on departure with a sight I have been waiting for all my
life - a Womble on Wimbledon Common! And of course, being a Green
lifestyle originator, he couldn't resist a go on one of our bicycles. Riders started to disperse with those returning to Pollards Hill doing
27 miles, out for 7hrs.
Sunday 3rd February
THE INSANE ROUTE 21
One of the most popular rides that we do is along Sustran's Waterlink
Way to Greenwich. It's a clever, flat route that links parks and river
paths, providing the most direct route to Greenwich for any form of
transport. However, if you follow the route going south, you get an
insane combination of unnecessary hills, muddy woods and suicidal
descents on bridleways when there are perfectly good alternatives on
pretty and lightly trafficked lanes. The route heads towards Gatwick
and has been promoted as a cycling route from London to the airport.
There is NO WAY you'd ever want to endure this route if you had a
flight to catch but it's a lot of fun on a mountain bike once you know
what you're letting yourself in for.
15 were at the library with 10 braving this particular ride and the
other 5 on the alternative local ride to Woodies. Another problem with
the route is the lack of refreshment stops along the way. We stocked
up on supplies at the Tesco just after South Norwood Country Park,
only to spot an open cafe on the other side of the road. We'll
remember that for next time.
You lose all of your first climb on the rapid descent of Spout Hill,
leaving you to trundle up to New Addington from the very bottom of the
hill. We were fighting a 20mph headwind which made the climbing much
harder. Several opted for a shortcut once we were at the top as the
official route inexplicably dives back into the housing estate only to
make you climb back up again.
The offroad section starts as New Addington ends, with a muddy path
through a field. Although it cuts a corner, it's about 100 yards
longer on the road and doesn't involve dismounting to bypass a locked
gate. Then it's another cut corner, this time on an old road. At this
point, we're out in the lanes and the route would work just as well on
the tarmac. But no, we shoot down a steep bridleway, only to climb
straight back up again when the road alternative is flat. You get the
idea!
A couple more muddy woods and you're ready for the fast, stony descent
of Plantation Lane, a bridleway high above Woldingham Golf Club. After
fighting the wind up the road to Woldingham Girls School, I suggested
a straw poll to see who wanted to change the lunchstop to Godstone
Vineyard. They're not very good at coping with more than 4 people in
their cafe at any one point, despite it seating about 30. They've
often got no food and on several occasions they've been most
unwelcoming. However, it's well placed for lunch. I'd emailed the week
before to see if they could accommodate us but no reply. Those who'd
experienced previous frosty welcomes thought we'd best move on.
An unavoidable hill follows and leads to the Caterham Viewpoint. The
originally proposed lunchstop meant more hills that were off-route so
we opted to descend to the Inn On The Pond at Nutfield, even though I
couldn't raise them on the phone. Several paths through quarries later
and one about-turn simply to ride up a track (because it's there?) we
arrived at the pub only to find it has closed down. It's well after
1pm at this point and we need food so we push on to Redhill through a
nature reserve for lunch at the all-day Wetherspoons in the town
centre.
Normally our rides are carefully planned to ensure lunch is at the
right time at the right place. By taking a gamble, we'd ended up doing
well over 20 miles before the pub, leaving only a short distance to
the planned return point of Horley station. It seemed silly to not do
the extra mile or so to Gatwick airport, simply so we could use the
'secret' cyclist's lift to the trains that pops you out right in the
middle of the South Terminal amongst the holiday makers checking in
their luggage. It's quite surreal to find yourself in that environment
after miles of farm tracks, countryside and bridleways. Group Save brought the cost of a single to East Croydon down to £2.50
each. 33.5 miles, out for 8hrs.
See some photos from today on Flickr
Click here for ride reports from 2008
Click here for ride reports from 2007
Click here for ride reports from 2006
Click here for ride reports from 2005