Sunday 10th August 2025

 This brilliant summer weather continues resulting in respectable numbers at both 11's & lunch.

Today was no exception despite the climb to Polesden Lacey with just Caroline & John turning for home (something about packing).

Geoff left us at Westhumble on his new ebike & Terry also left us to be reunited later whilst we continued to Brockham, Bunce Common Road turning left at the Seven Stars.

Here, Fixie Dave was spotted going in the other direction, destination unknown.

Doubling back towards Brockham Keith left us after which we stopped for a pic.

Andy C, Dave J, Alan C, Gina C, Dave W, Dave E, Niall C, Jennie J

Jennie kept us guessing up to the last minute with a lovely off-road section across Ashtead & Epsom Commons where Colin G was spotted sans bike.

Colin Q, Diane & Terry were waiting for us at Spoons in Epsom & we all stopped for a natter.

Thanks to Jennie for leading, Dave for backmarking & everyone else for their support.

Plans for Sunday 10 August 2025

Sunday’s ride from Polesden Lacey will be via Brockham and Leigh then on to Epsom for lunch at Weatherspoons, about 25 miles. If anyone wants to ride after lunch, then we can take them Bushy Park.

Mainly on road but some off road on tracks and paths.

See you on Sunday 

Jennie J

Punctures, Lights and Level Crossings

 Sunday the 3rd August 2025

What a day, got to Staines fine, left 11’s, flat rear tyre, repaired and off we go, level 

crossing barrier down, off we set again. Egham, level crossing barrier down. Through

 Egham and a short stretch of the A30 heading up to Englefield Green, road works 

and traffic lights, I think we encountered another 3 road works with lights during the

 day. 

 

 

Leaving 11's

Eventually we entered Windsor Great park(WGP) and left to take the edge of the 

Peanut round about, through Crambourne and then Maidends Green and Nuptown, 

hen Wellers Lane took us to lunch at Moss End and on;ly about 1.20. At this point 

Dave W headed for home to do allotment duties.

 

 

 

Just arriving at lunch

There were delays with food as they were a tad busy, we elected to sit outside for 

about 15 minutes until the rain started, and then quickly changed our minds, luckily 

there was seating enough for us all. The food was good and we were soon ready 

for our photo session. Time to do the road again. Heading South and Warfield, 

then along Forest road to  the gated Coach road, and into Ascot race course. We 

avoided the jumps and came out on the A330 before turning into New Mile road 

down to Cheapside, it looked expensive to me!

 

 

Kids on the naughty seat

We were soon at Blacknest Gate of WGP, but as we had already been in the park, 

we turned onto the A329 to Virginia Water, tea was planned for Walton Mariana, but 

we decided on the Ferry cafe instead, it was a straight run from there to tea apart

 from a loo stop at Chertsey Bridge Hotel. Only 4 stopped for tea, Andy, Pam, Karl 

and I, Liz, Niall and Martin headed directly home. It was nice to see Graham and

 David Vine at 11’s. Thank you all for joining the ride today, luckily the rain was very 

short lived. Thanks to Dave W and Andy C for back Marking.

 Photos courtesy of Dave & Andy

Tony.. 

PLEASE NOTE RIDE CHANGE

Sunday the 3^rd August

11's is now at The George Staines

Lunch wi be at Moss End Garden Village

Tea at Walton Marina

34 miles total with a few hills.

Tony..

Four Years In The Making

 It didn't start well with no trains running through Worcester Park for 45+ minutes (engineering overrun). But the first service in any direction was for Dorking. I’d arrived early but now I was running late (10-15 minutes). To my surprise they've cut back the A25 verges. I had to investigate -  only as far as the golf course.

At Brockham Dave and Chris were eager for the off. Overfamiliar ways saw us through Newdigate to Rusper. Down from Langhurst (Schroders!) we rode walking over the A264 into Horsham where Wetherspoons was suffering from a temporary lack of clean mugs.

Three were now seven (Alan, Andy, Simon, and Patrick). After a leisurely departure Christ's Hospital was followed by Pear Tree Farm and a brief lecture on Frank Patterson. Here Dave headed for home.

This is Low Weald country so unless you know what's coming up the last 100+ yards into West Chiltington may be a surprise. Thereafter choices are limited. Sometimes single track, sometimes No overtaking (Stream Lane-Wiggonholt-Rackham). Amberley is well worth a short detour if only to admire scaffolding on the Castle!

Alan and I headed up the steep Mill Lane for an unfettered view of the Downs. The rest rode the B2139 (but not the footpath which is sometimes on the right, sometimes on the left and sometimes on both sides!)

At the Riverside Tearooms we discussed where next. Five of six were for going over the Downs and were last seen heading for North Stoke. The lone rider had done that ride early in the month and was yards from a station with no steps to climb.

The back home was not without incidence: Signalling problems (Amberley), Uncoupling (Ford/Barnham), Speed Restrictions, Recoupling (Woking). Four trains but I was home before six. About 40 miles.

a small part of the 1972 South Downs Way  guide

"Nearly" ride 2025 aka 27/07/25 mk 2

Filling in some of the missing details.

Twenty years ago the ride was North Cheam to Amberley and back (90-95 miles) hence the "nearly" tag. A ride to the coast would have been 115-120 miles. FNRTTC rides finished in Bognor (Felpham) rather than Climping.

Sunday will include the missing Amberley to the coast. Each section terminates near a railway station. Whether you ride, train, go only part way or whatever is your choice.

Rough mileage

1 Start (Brockham) ?
2 11s Horsham (Wetherspoons Lynd Cross) - 15 miles
From station S/O rbt into Hurst Road, at end turn L onto B2237,
at fork bear R to cyclists' traffic lights, S/O dual carriageway. Spoons is R.
3 Lunch Amberley (Riverside) - 18 miles
4 Off-road options to Arundel including "catching the train" (0.5 miles) and "over the Downs" (7 miles). The motorists' route (B2139/A284) is no fun (5 miles, 500 feet)!
5 Arundel to the coast and back to Ford - 8 miles
6 Home ?

Train services

leaving the choice of intermediate stations to you! Don't believe all you read

Out

Waterloo - Dorking (probably from Wimbledon or Worcester Park as Raynes Park has no lift)
0802 - 0853

London Victoria - Horsham (probably from Clapham Junction, Croydon East)
0902 - 1006
0935 - 1032 direct
1002 - 1106
1035 - 1132 direct

London Bridge - Horsham (probably from Croydon East)
0939 - 1032
0955 - 1106 (direct but all stations)
1009 - 1106
1039 - 1132

Back 

Ford - East Croydon
xx07 - via Horsham
xx35 - via Worthing
xx48 - via Worthing

Ford - via Havant!
xx06
xx16
xx46

If you wish to browse more of this useful(?) info try

 https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Je6L4V9y0nankIAUDb-mswoxudmO3PTj 

"Nearly" ride 2025 aka 27/07/25

In the early noughties there were C&M all day rides to Amberley in West Sussex. Terry led the last in 2012 (see blog). The same roads were travelled by the all-night FNRTTC rides. These started at Hyde Park Corner and ended at the coast with return by train. 

It's time for a revival! An all day ride could be too far for some so I'm proposing: ride to Amberley, train back. I assume most will travel via Clapham Junction and return from any of the following: Horsham, Amberley, Arundel, Ford, Barham, less likely Bognor, Littlehampton (for "Brighton"). 

It's 15+ miles from home to Dorking (18+ to the start). Thanks to my Freedom Pass/Senior Railcard, I need only pay for Ewell East to Dorking and Coulsdon South to Ford.  I'll buy returns for both journeys.

Trains (hopefully accurate)

For Dorking the only direct service is : 08.11 arriving Dorking 08.53.
No Sunday service south of Dorking.

Elsewhere
(1) the only Southern direct service is hourly from Victoria to Bognor (via Gatwick etc).  A second service terminates in Horsham (unless heading to/from Spoons you might be waiting 30+ minutes. Shunting?
(2) From Ford services run west to "Portmouth" and east to "Brighton".
(3) Redhill to Betchworth might be fun (Surrey's least used station)! but arrival time is 0915.
(4) Thameslink has services (mostly direct sometimes nonstop)
      from East Croydon to Horsham at xx53 and xx23
      from Horsham to East Croydon at xx20 and xx50

Possible Route

        Plenty of alternatives except south of West Chiltington

Start: Brockham Reading Room (open 0900)

ride 15 miles to Horsham(11s) Wetherspoons (1100)
        from station to Spoons:
        S/O station rbt into Hurst Road,  at end turn L onto LB2237,
       at fork bear R to cyclists' traffic lights, S/O dual carriageway. Spoons is R.

ride 18 miles to Amberley Riverside(Lunch) 1300)
        Has 2 or 3 pubs, 2 or 3 tearooms, Museum, Castle,  Store/PO
        Traffic lively on B2139. Tarmac footpath from village to station verges sometimes trimmed!

        miles to coast: 0(train home, not step free), 5 (train to Arundel then ride), or 15 (over Downs)
        To whet your appetite:

        Over the South Downs https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/21792
        Gurkha Bridge https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4936877
        other routes (walks and kissing gates guaranteed)

Arundel 

        full of tourists and shops catering to their needs
        long step-free footpath beside A27 connects platforms (not signposted).
        Cycle path (with subway) from/to town centre.
        A27/A259 traffic often nose to tail and overflows onto side roads.
        No more hills max: 25 feet

ride 2 miles to Ford

        level crossing, prison

ride 3 miles to Climping Beach (cycle path beside A259)

        Clear view of the sea thanks to Environment Agency's
        new embankments, extra concrete blocks
        No touristic attractions (café or loos)

The End

       Return from Ford - step free

Miscellaneous Notes

No lifts except Horsham but plenty of steps. 

Getting back other ways (not investigated)
(1)Thameslink(from Horsham) see above
(2)ride from other station eg Christ's Hospital(Downslink) to Dorking and home.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sJ1ucwdtXpTH1mMFmGcahwVhdMebh83b/view?usp=sharing
this link should allow you to copy a GPX file of seven "routes".
The smallest is Horsham Railway Station to Horsham Wetherspoons.
The largest is Dorking to Amberley.