New Forest Cycling Week

Information about this excellent family-focused event has recently been received. It’s an event which has run successfully for many years, partly due to the efforts that have been made to prevent CTC (CUK) HQ getting involved in any way, despite it being pretty much a CTC event, organised by CTC people.

Full details may be found below.

The 42nd New Forest Cycling Rally will again take place at Avon Tyrrell from Friday 28 July until Saturday 5 August.

Bookings will once again be made through Avon Tyrrell. Bookings will be open from 1st April, via a special direct web link which will be exclusive to the New Forest Cycling Rally where you make your booking for the rally. Alternatively you can make a telephone booking direct with their bookings team or by post. If telephoning please remember to tell them you are booking for the New Forest Cycling Rally in order for you to take advantage of the special camping fees which they have agreed to give us. We will also have full use of their rally field.

Once again we receive tremendous support and cooperation from staff and management at Avon Tyrrell. Besides attending our rally Avon Tyrrell is a great place to consider for holidays at other times of the year. Come with friends and family they will appreciate your support.

Please note the logo on the Avon Tyrrell web site has changed from showing CTC to ‘cyclingUK’ which reflects the rebranding which took place in April 2016 and head office have asked us to reflect these change in future information.

Web Contact details for information and bookings

This week Avon Tyrrell will be finalising the web site, so please do not try to make a booking before the 1st April..

https://avontyrrell.cinolla.com/avontyrrell/courses/category/new-forest-rally

Telephone bookings: 01425 672347

General Information

You can also visit our web site to look at pictures of previous rallies and general information on www.newforestrallycc.org.uk

Electric Hook ups

Should you wish to reserve a hook up you will need to speak direct to the Avon Tyrrell bookings team who will give you a reservation number. Priority will be given to campers staying for the week and then 6 nights then 5 nights etc. so that the hook ups are used effectively.

Please give the bookings team the following information so they can make up the list.

Name,

Email address and Telephone number

Dates arriving/departing and total number of nights camping,

Unit type, ie. Large, Medium or Small Caravan, Campervan or Tent.

Any special request, ie camping next to friends?

The number of hook ups have been increased to 24, however, 6 hook ups in the copse area which are more suitable for tents. Two weeks before the rally, Avon Tyrrell will send me an email list of hook up reservation. I will then do my best to allocate pitches to each type and size of unit. I will then email you with your pitch number in advance for when you arrive.

Activities

We have once again  booked the Barn Dance for Sunday evening and plan to include complimentary cheese and wine.

Monday evening will be our AGM. Please bring your CTC/CyclingUK membership card or number to be able to vote. Although we welcome any adult camper to come along.

Swimming on Monday and Wednesday. You will still need to reserve your places, but this year there will be no charge made to campers, this cost will be covered by the rally fund for the swimming.

We will hire the Calshot Velodrome which is likely to be Monday.

Tuesday the children’s time trial

Wednesday Avon Tyrrell activities

Thursday I.O.W

Friday evening BBQ

Other spontaneous activities run by members.

Helpers during the week

I would like to thank people for their help during the week last year and hope I can count on your support during this years rally to make it another success. Please let us know when you arrive if we can call on your support during the week.

Spring is now on it’s way and so I hope you will all be out on your bikes getting fit for he summer!

Look forward to seeing you all at this years rally and please spread the word amongst your friends, work colleagues and family to come and join us.

Kind Regards and safe cycling.

Geoff Clark

New Forest Rally Site Organizer

Oil Exploration in the Surrey Hills

Pat Smith of Brockham Oil Watch (BOW) writes:

Oil exploration and drilling in the Weald is changing and this has huge implications for cyclists.  Recently passed plans for Leith Hill involve extensive movements of huge lorries along Coldharbour Lane (from the village of Coldharbour to Dorking) which is narrow and constantly used by cyclists. The road surface is fragile to start with and will probably not be repaired until the 18 weeks of exploration finishes.
BOW is a non-political group of concerned local people who want to raise awareness of the implications of the changing face of oil developments in this area.  We are increasingly worried about loopholes in regulations and this has received a lot of media attention. 2 BBC News items / front page of The Times / article in The Independent / current edition of Private Eye (p11).
We are holding an event on Easter Sunday: come along to Brockham Oil Watch’s ‘All About Oil’ on Easter Sunday April 16th, 2.00 – 4.30 at the Village Hall, RH3 7JJ. Find out more about controversial drilling proposals near Brockham and Leith Hill and discover the wider picture about oil-drilling in the Weald and how it will affect cyclists. Knowledgeable speakers, stalls, activities and videos to watch. Then relax at the first of Brockham’s famous Teas on the Green with delicious cakes and treats in aid of Children with Cancer UK.
Feel free to phone me on 07867558284 if you have any questions.
Editor’s note: see also: http://www.surreycommunity.info/lhag/ regarding the Leith Hill Action Group. Here’s an article from a recent edition of MBR: http://www.mbr.co.uk/news/trail_news/surrey-hills-under-threat-from-oil-drilling-353179

This weekend’s events

I hope you are all now well prepared for a strenuous weekend.

On Saturday it is the Phil Hampton Memorial Ride, organised by North Hampshire CTC, starting in Medstead at 10am.  Phil lived in Farnborough, was a keen member of Audax UK, and often rode with us, being a key member of the WSDA team that was highly placed in the CTC’s DAs’ Touring Competition:  9th in 1989, 2nd in 1990 and winners in 1991-3.  Sadly, Phil was killed in 2002 by a lorry driver who was under the influence of drugs.  The entry fee for this ride in his memory is a donation of at least £5 to the Cyclists’ Defence Fund.  There is a choice of routes, 30 or 50 miles, see http://nhampshirectc.org.uk/phil-hampton-memorial-ride/.  I am planning to do the 50, which ranges over the scenic Hampshire lanes to the south, out to Bishops Waltham and Hambledon.  A treat!

On Sunday we have our own ‘Bicycle Icycle’, starting from Mark’s house in Godalming at 9.30.  Slightly shorter, but a bit more climbing.  Details from our events page:  http://westsurreyctc.co.uk/rides-and-events/cycling-events/.  Two treats in a single weekend.  Wow!

Annual Dinner 4 March

The annual dinner and awards presentation will take place in just over two weeks, and this is the final reminder to book your places if you have not already done so, taking advantage of the subsidy which has been made available by the Club.  Simply e-mail me (johnmatsouthview@btinternet.com) with your menu choices by this coming weekend; see the Latest News Post of 5 December, and Blog Post of 3 December, for further details, including menu.
John

Ride Cancellations – Sunday 15 January

In view of the weather forecast for tomorrow, Sunday 15th January (heavy rain after a cold night), the planned rides  for both the Guildford and Godalming Wayfarers and the Woking Sunday Riders have been cancelled.