Sunday June 17

Along with about thirty members of the fairly recently formed Dorking Cycling Club, Pete, Ray, Paul and I met at Dorking Sports/Leisure Centre on by far the best day of the week. The DCC departed eastward bound (they tend to do morning rides on Sundays), we four headed south via Coldharbour to elevenses at Cranleigh Sports and Leisure Centre. Here we were soon joined by Graham and Jeff whilst Ray returned home. Continuing south via Knowle Lane and further shady, green, quiet lanes we passed through Tisman's Green, noticed anglers near Drungewick Aqueduct on our route to Wisborough Green. To avoid the wrath of Jeff I chose not to use a roughish track I'd found on recce but instead to tackle the Heights of Fittleworth. It was now a fairly undemanding run to The Sportsman at Amberley via Coldwaltham and Greatham.

The lunch (taken outside) was very adequate and we spent a little time unsuccessfully studying Jeff's vintage OS for nearby airfields from where a light aircraft towing a glider might have come. After lunch we retraced our tyremarks briefly, to be joined by Andy who'd spent much of the morning trying to catch up with us by trains. The return route was less demanding than the morning's, plus we had a little assistance from the wind. After a short stretch of the A283 we turned off to Nutbourne and West Chiltington then via Broadford Bridge, Barns Green, Broadbridge Heath, Warnham and Rusper to fours plus (not plus fours) at Tanhouse Farm - and very welcome they were.

After refreshments I only had a short distance to go home to Dorking - I recorded just under seventy miles - others will have done more.

Terry     

Author: Terry

1 Comment:

Jeff 20 June 2012 at 19:23 BST

I hadn't realised that my trusty o/s map of Chichester & the Downs was quite so dated - 38 years! However, I do have a 2008 version which identifies the airfield as Parham airfield, Cootham, 2½ miles from Amberley as the crow flies and home to the Southdown Gliding Club. My gliding days also go back a bit!