As usual, I had done my best to deter people from joining my ride, in this case by threatening an 'off-road special'. I was only partially successful - Terry L, Pam J, Dave J and Tony H did arrive at elevenses intending to return straight home, but Andy C, Niall C and Steph W insisted on joining me for the rest of the ride!
We contended with a few miles of crumbly towpath from Coxes Lock as a warm-up' for the intended 'main event', the rickety, creeper-ridden, and previously virtually impassable (as this photo from 2022 demonstrates) footbridge over the Wey
on the Send Church to Sutton Green footpath.
Imagine my surprise and disappointment, to find not only that the overgrown approach to the bridge had been cleared of all stinging nettles, but that the bridge itself, previously too dangerous even for an SAS assault course, had been totally refurbished with new, readily-accessible stairs, and that all traces of creeper had disappeared!
I was flummoxed, and continued the ride somewhat subdued, and my spirits were only slightly lifted by inflicting the tortuous stairs of Woking station public subway on the group!
After lunch at Wetherspoons we took the shady towpath back to West Byfleet, and then the usual route back to Walton Bridge where there was a parting of the ways! I will not be done down and my spies are already out looking for fresh, hideous obstacles to include in future rides led by me, so if you ever see the words 'off-road special' on the rides list in future, you have been warned!
Many thanks to Andy and Niall for their excellent photos, and to Andy for back-marking.
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