Woking Midweek Wayfarers Ride ~ 15 March 2017

After a spate of bad weather Wednesdays, here at last was some real spring weather. Spring flowers, sunshine and warmth! Our 55 mile ride (2,300ft of climbing), planned and led by Bob(by), took us from Pirbright to Farnborough – Church Crookham (coffee) – Odiham – Froyle – Binstead – Churt (lunch) – Tilford (ice creams!) – Runfold and back to Pirbright.

Here are a few shots from the ride.

Lunch was taken in the garden of the Crossways pub in Churt and the next photo gives an indication as to the state of the weather!

And to finish, a couple of group shots from the ride:

And finally, the ice cream team – not entirely sure why yours truly is enshrouded in a haze…

Thanks, Bob, for a really excellent ride and route!

WMW Ride to Walbury Hill ~ 19 October 2016

This was a great ride, planned by Phil, which started and finished at Micheldever. It was great to cycle outside of our usual area, particularly when the route was so good….. and so quiet! There was very little traffic and what a pleasure that was! Below are some photos including one in the churchyard of St Peter’s parish church in St Mary Bourne; we stopped there for a moment to focus our thoughts for a few moments on Ron Richardson, whose funeral was today.

We were a large group of 18 people for some of the ride. A couple of our number got stuck for well over an hour in a jam on the M3, following an accident, on their way to the start of the ride, so they didn’t join us till later on the ride. Other than that, the day went smoothly enough and in fine cycling conditions. The pub wasn’t bad either.

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

Near the summit of Walbury Hill

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

In the churchyard at St Mary Bourne

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

Walbury Hill again

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

Lunch

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

Another from Walbury Hill

Sunday All-Day Riders ~ 14 August Ride

Some fabulous August weather saw a small group of us heading out to Lasham aerodrome for coffee, followed by lunch at The Good Life at Headbourne Worthy, near Winchester, and we even enjoyed yet more cake on the way home at Selbourne.

Is there really a better way to spend a mid-summer Sunday!

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

 Below is an image of the route we took. For further details of it, you can click on the following link:

https://www.strava.com/activities/677795716

Map of Route

Wednesday 20 July Ride to the Coast

The day after the hottest day of the year so far came the second hottest and we were bound for the coast. Whilst some opted for some assistance, others opted to ride the full distance and here are some shots from the group which started riding prior to meeting at Rowlands Castle. In case you don’t recognise them, we have Tim and Debbie, Anne, William, Patrick, Nick, our great leader, Cap’n H, and yours truly, embarking on his longest ride of the year (so far, he hopes).

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

South Harting

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

The day didn’t start as bright as forecast and almost looked like it could rain a one point; but by the time we reached the coffee stop, the sun had come out for good and we enjoyed fine, sunny weather for the remainder of the ride. The route began by climbing up over Hindhead before running down through South Harting and on to Rowlands Castle, where we enjoyed some delicious eats at a historic house there. Remarkably soon after, I thought, we reached Bosham to find the spring tide very high, with the road round the shoreline covered in at least a foot of water.

Peter then led us along a cunning succession of tracks and paths, which involved passing some attractive yacht havens and even making a ferry crossing to Itchenor.

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

Bosham

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

Approaching the ferry

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE Exif_JPEG_PICTURE Exif_JPEG_PICTURE Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

The Itchenor Ferry

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

Lunch was taken at Dell Quay where the pub really is in a perfect position next to the water. Sadly the crab sandwiches had all been consumed before we arrived.

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

Lunch at Dell Quay

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

After lunch we took the Centurion’s Way to West Dean (almost), from where we rode to Midhurst for yet more refreshments at the Cafe Verdi; these proved useful as we then climbed up and over Bexley Hill before taking the usual lanes back to Witley and Godalming.

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE Exif_JPEG_PICTURE Exif_JPEG_PICTURE Exif_JPEG_PICTURE Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

A great ride: thanks, Peter, for your usual expert leading.

Here is the route we took. Further details may be obtained from this link:

https://www.strava.com/activities/647598230

Route Map

WMW Group 3 Ride ~ 16 March 2016

What, no rain and no frost? It must be spring! It is and we all know what that means – cold easterly winds; and we were not to be disappointed. Nevertheless, it wasn’t too bad, and as the day wore on, it became sunnier, but not much warmer. Certainly more riders had crawled out of their burrows than on the past two or more rides and here they all are at the bus stop on Pirbright Green – well, the thees and fours anyway; the ones and twos were allowed another half hour in bed so we didn’t see them.

The threes quickly overtook the fours – Mr Murdoch was re-named Mr Puncture for the day, although they still somehow beat us to coffee in Odiham – must have taken a shorter route. The route is only glorious for the last section; unfortunately there are things called connurbations between Pirbright and Odiham and they have to be passed through: never mind, close your eyes and think of England (or the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, if you prefer – you see a lot of it!).

The coffee stop in Odiham, the ‘Next Door at the George’ – it looked like the Bel and the Dragon to me – with no fewer than two blue plaques on the outside, is a very pleasant place to take a mid-morning break; and it really was a mid-morning break today, since we had to cycle a lot further than usual to get to it. The place was buzzing; nevertheless, a large young man with a Scottish accent took our order before we even had time to sit down and make ourselves comfortable – now that’s service! I had a delicous cuppacino and toasted tea cake and still got change from a fiver – 30p!

After that we enjoyed a most enjoyable twelve or so miles south to Churt, along comparatively quiet country lanes – they are seldom very quiet in this part of the world. There were a few ups and downs but nothing that stopped the surge of energy being put into a multitude of cranks by the fourteen of us; oh yes, the Spring sap is beginning to rise!

Luncheon was taken at the Crossways in Churt, who told us they weren’t informed that we were coming; they didn’t seem unhappy though and served us quickly and efficiently, mainly with sandwiches. Neil and a.n.other bought baskets of chips and passed them round – how very civilized! And very good they were too! Thanks!

As always happens after lunch, it wasn’t long – well immediately on this occasion – that people start peeling off bound for home; this time Marion left first heading back to Haslemere, and not long after, once we had passed through Tilford, having done a stretch along the dreary Rushmoor straight at a speed of over 22mph, I noticed with surprise, we lost Ian and Brian who were headed for Godalming. I should have been with them but they had cycled to Pirbright and I hadn’t, so I had to see this ride through to the bitter end.

Once over the bridge at Tilford, I noticed that it’s uphill all the way to the top of the Hog’s Back, although we crossed opposite Tongham, so it didn’t involve a big climb at the end, but I, for one, was looking forward to something a bit flatter; and indeed the final stretches to Pirbright are thankfully fairly flat but we did have to fight the wind all the way.

Thanks, John, for the ride, the route, and for not getting upset with all the people who didn’t keep behind you all the time. Riders out today were: Marion Davison, John Child, Neil Eason, Brian East, Phil Gasson, Pete Hathaway, Russell Johnson, Alec MacKenzie, Ian Pickering, John Pletts, Keith Rickards, Keith Stainer, Chris Williamson and Mark Waters.

The route may be viewed below and if you want to see it in more detail, then click on this link: https://www.strava.com/activities/518600034