Forthcoming famous Ripley Cycle Jumble

 

Adventures in the Hascombe hills - March 22nd

I promised a few hills, but we got hills with knobs on.   It felt like hills with hills on.

My intentions were good, to ride the lovely Thorncombe Street and see the horses head sculptures.    But the only horses heads we saw were extremely lifelike, as they were attached to real horses.  Beautiful scenery, but no sculptures.   Instead, my route followed a different bit of Thorncombe Street, down a lovely valley - at first - then up some fierce hills.   Still beautiful, but lacking in the horses head department.  Luckily we had strong group of riders, and I couldn't quite hear what they were saying when they saw the big hills for the first time.  

Full of the joys of spring

It started with a long climb up to elevenses at West Horsley Place, a new venue for us.   It's a manor house open to the public and operatic centre, with a bus collection, although we didn't see any of that.  We sat in the sunshine as more and more riders rolled in - twelve in all.   Diane, Niall and Terry weren't coming on the ride (lucky them) and we left them having an extended elevenses chat, before Diane and Niall headed down to Ripley for more sustenance and chat.

We went up and over to Shere, up again to Farley Green, a bit more up and then down to Shamley Green, Wonersh and Bramley.   Then it was up Snowdenham lane to arrive at the start of Thorncombe Street.   If you haven't been, you really should, it's beautiful.  The scenery reminded me of the Windows XP desktop picture, only better.

No horses

At the village of Thorncombe Street we took the right turn into Thorncombe Street, rather than the left turn, which is called Thorncombe Street.  It was all lovely, until we got near Hascombe and turned right to Mare Lane  (what is it about horses around there?).   It was a 'mare of a hill, but it led to some very pretty woods; Hydon Heath and Busbridge Woods.   A short step from there to the Jack Phillips for lunch.      

What a lovely hill!

Are we nearly there yet?

Since our recent Wayfarers ride to Godalming I have a considerable knowledge about Jack Phillips, the radio operator on the Titanic.  I tried to interest the group in an educational discussion about Jack Phillips, but they were not that interested, so I made them go and look at his memorial stone in Farncombe.   You can find out more in the wonderfully-named Encyclopedia Titanica.   Afterwards we rode over the hill at Littleton to Guildford, where Brenda left us, and the rest of us headed to Ripley for tea.  We were disappointed to find that Diane and Niall had already left without waiting for us, but on the plus side, Pinnocks was still open at 4pm and we had tea and cake (and what a cake!) outside in the sunshine.

Thank you to all of you for venturing to East Horsley and to those of you who came on the ride, I hope your legs stop hurting soon.   Thanks also to Alan for back marking and encouragement to the hill climbers, and Andy for photos.

Spring is in the air!

Plans for March 22nd - Horsley to Godalming

This Sunday we will have an adventurous ride to Godalming, via Shere, Farley Green and Hascombe so there will be plenty of scenery and a few hills.  It's about 20 miles to lunch at the Jack Phillips, named after the radio operator on the Titanic.   We'll return through Guildford and back to Ripley for tea, another 15 miles. 

Elevenses is at the Tiger Lily Bus Cafe, West Horsley Place, probably best reached by riding to East Horsley, and turning right at the Duke of Wellington pub onto the A246 - after about 1/4 mile you will see the main entrance to West Horsley Place, just before the church on the left.

 

I hope you can join us.

Ride Report - Sunday 15 March 2026

The ride on Sunday started at the Golden Cafe in Addlestone, which it being Mother’s Day was extremely busy, but all nine of us managed to get seated, very lucky. Good that Pam and Diane were there to join us for elevenses.

The seven riders headed off to New Haw where we joined the Wey Canal, leaving before Woking. Then on to Ripley, Send and Sutton Green before reaching Jacob’s Well where took the cycle route including the footbridges in Guildford. Back onto the canal which took us towards the station and lunch at The Rodboro Buildings.

Six stayed for lunch and surprisingly the pub was not crowded, luckily, so we could sit together.

After lunch we took the usual Dave W route out of Guildford, taking the cycle path along side the A3 towards Ripley then Cobham and tea at Claremont Gardens, Esher, the Cafe at the National Trust. Prior to that Dave E and then Niall and Martina left the group to go home, so only three of us went to tea.

Thanks everyone for your company and your friendship in making it such a successful day.

Jennie 

Plans for Sunday 15 March 2026

We shall be leaving from elevenses at The Golden Cafe in Addlestone, then going to on to Guildford for lunch at the Rodboro' Buildings, (approx 14 miles)

After lunch it's back to the National Trust Cafe, Claremont Gardens, Esher, (approx 14 miles, slightly undulating)

DON’T FORGET, THE GOLDEN CAFE IS CASH ONLY*

The route is mainly on-road but with a couple of sections beside the canal on paved tracks, and there is also a pedestrian footbridge in Guildford to walk over.

Looking forward to seeing you on Sunday.

Yours 

Jennie 

* It's rumoured that they may accept cards for orders over a fiver, but don't quote me on it (Ed).

Sunday 8th March 2026

 We're well into March, the days are longer, the early Spring flowers are opening, the birds are singing (or squawking as parakeets do) but venture outside as I did today to ride the 5.3 miles to New Malden it felt like something was missing.

Warmth.

Last year's 2nd Sunday in March......

Never mind, it was nice to see a good turnout at The Watchman (Wetherspoons) where long queues formed at the two coffee machines, possibly down to an earlier malfunction.

Leaving Keith, Niall & Dave V, a large group of thirteen - Dave W, Simon, Dave J, Jennie J, Steph, Eric, Ruth, Sabina, Bernard, Tony, Martina, Geoff & myself ventured out into the cold on a route largely direct to Hammersmith Bridge.

The bridge opened on 11th June 1887.

There were repairs in 1997 & 2014 when the bridge was closed to traffic.

A further closure in 2019 led to a funding dispute between the government, TFL & the local council, the bridge was closed to vehicles & buses that year.

It currently remains open for cyclists & pedestrians only.

The necessary cost of repairs & reopening the bridge fully to all traffic is upwards of £300 million according to Sadiq Khan who has said that he's keen for that to happen.

From the local council website:

'Hammersmith & Fulham Council and the Department for Transport are currently considering a range of options and engineering solutions for the long-term future of the bridge.'

I led the group under the Hammersmith flyover to join C9 cycleway going west through Chiswick to Brentford & lunch at Hilliers Garden Centre at Syon Park.

Just after 2pm, we rode south to cross the Thames at a ferry crossing to Ham on the opposite bank.

Hammertons opened in 1909 & the musician Phil Collins is the grandson of the original proprietor, Walter Hammerton.

Photo from Eric

We carried on south of the river to Kingston, then north to Hampton Court & Molesey Boat House for tea.

photo from Bernard

Thanks to Jennie for backmarking, Simon & others for corner marking & everyone else for your company on a chilly March day.

Sunday 1st March 2026

 Meteorological boffins would have us believe Spring starts today as they split the seasons into 3 month groups.

March 20th is the actual date of the Spring equinox.

Anyway it's same old, same old as regards the weather - light rain & mildish.

I joined Dave, Niall, Tony, Simon, Diane & Chris at Squires, Long Ditton....later to be joined by Steph & Brenda.

Six set off towards East Surrey CTC territory which are still going strong with the section meeting at Purley.....today they had 11's at Tanhouse Farm & lunch at Warnham.

They appear to avoid Wetherspoons (judging by the list of pubs on their website).

Unlike C&M who today are riding to a 'new' aquisition just beyond Croydon called Coombe Lodge.

I chose a north-easterly route along quiet suburban streets, briefly losing Steph & Brenda who had gone to see the sights of Mitcham Eastfields.

Holmsdale Road takes you past the towering stand at Selhurst Park where shortly after Dave left us & after the best part of 2½ hours we arrived at this 'out of town' pub.

Online reviews point to 'teething problems' - it opened in December 2025 after a million pound refurbishment having previously traded as a Beefeater.

I sat in the conservatory whilst the others went to order food.

Quite quickly I sensed several meal & drink options were not available (run out I assume) which is not something we're normally used to in Wetherspoons.

Anyway other choices were made & served without any problem indeed at one point some chips & something breaded was plonked on our table only to be swiftly removed after realising the error.

The toilets were tiny by 'Spoons standard & the pub is run as a franchisee so whether that has anything to do with its failings, I've no idea.

There were brief glimpses of the sun on the way to tea at the Honeywood Museum, Carshalton.

Thanks to Steph for backmarking & everyone else for your company.