Sunday 30th August 2026

 

A feature of Summer 2026, the sunflowers as seen here at Shere.

Elevenses (West Horsley, Squires) - Andy C, Keith R, Dave W, Eric G, Sue F, Terry L, Dave V, Caroline & John B + Dawn.

Conventional roads to Farley Green then we took the pretty but still climbing Shophouse Lane & a short off-road exploit which was perfectly rideable even after the recent rain.

A very brief shower just before a cheeky back route through Cranleigh School took us to a quiet B2128 & lunch at Notcutts, Cranleigh

We all went our separate ways in the afternoon but I followed the published route to Ockley then to Broomehall Road to climb up to Coldharbour from the south.

The wiki entry for Broome Hall:

'The actor Oliver Reed bought the 56-bedroom property in 1971, and became the so-called "Master of Broome Hall" for eight years. 

Reed only bought the house because he was looking for a field for a horse he had bought from Johnny Kidd, the father of future supermodel Jodie Kidd, who ran a stud farm in Ewhurst. 

He then spent a fortune renovating it.

The naked wrestling scene with Reed and Alan Bates in Ken Russell's 1969 film Women in Love is said to have been filmed there. 

Reed was banned from his local pub there for descending a chimney naked and shouting out: "Ho! Ho! Ho! I'm Santa Claus'.

Later, the Grade II-listed building was bought by a property developer & converted into eleven flats.

Thanks to Keith for the ford photos & everyone else for your company.

Cycling UK Awards

Two of our longest-serving members, David W and Andy, were presented with awards from Cycling UK yesterday, recognising their dedication and hard work to support the Cheam and Morden section over the years.

In the days when Cheam and Morden had a reputation for hard riding, Andy was Rides Secretary for many years, developing a programme of longer rides to far-flung places, usually with a picnic lunch.   In later years David took over the Rides Secretary role, and Andy has now taken over the General Secretary role. Under their leadership, the Cheam and Morden section is in good health with a combination of quite adventurous rides plus some more local outings to include those who don't want a longer ride.

Both David and Andy are prolific ride leaders, drawing on their long experience of riding to come up with interesting rides, and are very deserving recipients of these Cycling UK awards.   Thank you, David and Andy, for your steadfast and quiet, no-fuss service and dedication, turning out week after week; and creating an easy-going atmosphere where people are welcome and there’s always an interesting ride on offer.

Thanks are also due to Maddie and Alan for their work behind the scenes to make these awards happen.

Doubly-discombobulated - Ride Report for Sunday 23 August 2026

 

We were having a very enjoyable al-fresco elevenses beside the river at Staines when Simon, very ominously, stood up, demanded silence, and began to make an announcement.   Oh crikey, I thought, I've been rumbled at last.  In front of everyone, including our chair and our secretary, my bicycle pump is going to be ceremonially broken in two,  my CTC badge torn off, and I'm going to be formally (and rightly) expelled from the group for disservices to cycling!   And not before time, either, you say!

Imagine my surprise when, instead of suffering this fate, Andy C and I were presented with impressive 'certificates of appreciation' from CUK for services rendered.   Many thanks, everyone, your appreciation is greatly appreciated!

Anyway, somewhat discombobulated, I began the ride I was due to lead to Camberley.   All went without incident until we were near Blacknest, when my chainset decided to spontaneously deconstruct itself!   It is somewhat disconcerting to suddenly find your left foot still connected to a pedal and crank which are no longer connected to your bike!

It could easily have been far worse!  Fortunately, the rest of the group managed to avoid me, and I managed to recover and refit enough parts to get mobile again, if not 100% roadworthy.    My first thoughts were to abandon my ride, and Simon very kindly offered to take over the lead, but, after brief reflection, I saw I had to get home somehow and seemed a good idea to ride along with the group for a bit and see how things went.   

As it happened, there were no further problems, and things worked out better than I had hoped, although I was, by now doubly-discombobulated!   I stopped to check my bolts every now and again, and in the end, was able to enjoy lunch at The Claude Duvall with the group, and then lead them on to tea at Great Cockcrow Railway.  How fortunate for them!   I don't doubt it will be of great comfort to C & M riders in future to know that have two certified people to lead them!

Many thanks to everyone for your company, and for putting up with a more than usually disjointed ride from me, and special thanks to Simon, and to Andy for back-marking, and the usual photo credits to all.

Unpublished photos from the Cambridge ride 9th August...

 

Plans for Sunday 23 August 2026

 

Sunday's ride will be as billed, from elevenses at Staines to lunch at The Claude Duvall, Camberley, and then back to tea at Lyne.  In the event of a wet start, elevenses will be at The George, Staines, but you can safely assume it's at the Little Green Boat Cafe, Lammas Recreation Ground unless you hear to the contrary

As it's a long ride for some from home to Staines, it's a fairly short ride to lunch (about 15 miles), then about 12 miles back to tea at old summer favourite, Great Cockcrow Railway.

The route is here https://connect.garmin.com/app/course/503733675

Plans for Sunday 16th August – Ride to Hayling Island

You are invited to join this week’s ride from Tilford to Hayling Island on an undulating route via Rushmoor, Headley, West Liss and Petersfield (where will stop for lunch). Our afternoon route is via Buriton, Idsworth, Rowlands Castle, Havant and Langstone to Hayling Island.

The return journey will be by train from Havant back to London.

The route is around 42 miles in length, which includes the route around Hayling Island and back to Havant. 

The ride will start at The Little Latte Coffee Shop in Tilford. Lunch will be at Petersfield with the lunch venue to be decided by the group. Petersfield has numerous pubs, coffee shops and cafes to choose from. Tea will be at Langstone overlooking the Harbour.

The route has two hills plus a gravel section on Hayling Island between Langstone and the Sea Front. This follows the disused Hayling Billy railway line and is loose gravel and stones.

Dave has kindly offered to lead a group from West Byfleet station to the Little Latte Coffee Shop to arrive in time for Elevenses. He will be leaving West Byfleet station at 8.30 sharp if you would like to ride with this group. There is a connecting train which leaves Wimbledon and Surbiton and arrives at West Byfleet at 8.24 if you were considering this option. Alternatively, the closest stations to Tilford are Milford or Farnham stations.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

Alan

The GPX file of the route has been sent by WhatsApp.

Remembering Ken Day 😢

Ken nearest camera - April 2015

Pondering over the map with Jeff T - August 2015

Ken Day

I have received the very sad news that Ken Day died yesterday, at home with his family.   Ken was a regular rider with the Wayfarers over many years and perhaps even longer riding with the Cheam and Morden, often with his son Paul.   He was a very accomplished racer and rider and a captivating story-teller, having toured in some of the world’s most inhospitable places, including Iran and the Himalayas.   Despite his many achievements in cycling and at work (chemical engineering in oil refineries) he remained a quiet, humble man, but his natural enthusiasm could be sparked by a question on a topic that interested him.   I remember a lengthy and animated discussion resulting from a simple question “what does octane mean?”

In the last few years Ken’s health suffered, first with untreatable prostate cancer and later with Parkinson’s disease and diabetes.   He also suffered a complicated ankle injury when a driver drove into him while he was cycling.  Despite all this he was determined to keep cycling as long as possible, riding an e-bike for the last few years until his doctors told him very clearly that he must give up cycling.

Cycling in Ladakh, in the Himalayas

Many in the club will have fond memories of riding and conversing with Ken and he will be very much missed.  We send our condolences to his wife Maggie and their family.

Funeral details are not yet known but will be posted later.

Details for Sunday 9th August

I do hope you can join me for a Tour of Essex, Hertfordshire & Cambridgeshire!

Aiming for the 09:23 Departure from Liverpool Street Station arrive Sawbridgeworth 10:03 

Suggest Super Off Peak Day Return (Route Any Permitted £16.70

Elevenses at The Shed Coffee House

Then 19 Miles through the lanes of Essex (plus a small bit of disused railway - Flitch Way)  to Lunch in Stansted Mountfitchet at Yeomans Cafe

After lunch 19 miles mostly following National cycle route 11 towards Cambridge to tea at Cafe 19

.

Then 10 miles to Cambridge where we will explore some cycling provision (including a Dutch style roundabout),

We will pass the Station on the way into Cambridge if anyone needs to get an earlier train.

Faster trains available to King's Cross or Thameslink to Blackfriars (change for Thameslink or short ride to Waterloo)

Then I have planned a short 5 mile sightseeing loop with a short riverside pub refreshment stop!

Total 53 Miles: GPX Route

A Towering Success? 2 August to Leith Hill

Well, people can't say they weren't warned.  But still they came, for a ride that was a bit different, braving the parched heat even at elevenses to sit outside at the the Tiger Lily Bus Cafe.  No tigers were in evidence, nor, for that matter, any buses.  Just a lot of sunshine, coffee and chat, and not a lot of shade.  Terry set off for home while ten of us headed for the shady lanes and the hills.

Enjoying the shade

Leith Hill is a serious hill, the highest in the south of England, and must be treated with respect.  So we respectfully approached it via Shere, Peaslake, Holmbury Hill and then Pasturewood Road.  Diane decided she'd had enough excitement on her first group ride with us for a while and peeled off around here - it was great to have your company, Diane.  By the time we arrived at the bottom of the track up to the tower, we knew we had climbed a big hill. 

Shere

Pond Lane

Radnor Road

Everyone seemed to manage well on the half a mile of stony track to reach the tower, and we found an idyllic picnic spot, in a glade of large trees within sight of the tower.   Andy and Christina climbed to the top of the tower (at a bargain reduced price of £4.05 during the August VAT holiday) to enjoy the amazing views.  A guide lent Andy his binoculars, through which he could see a wind farm on the Channel.  Andy was planning to take a photo of the rest of the group assembled down below but this didn't go as planned.  For one thing, it was like herding cats trying to rouse the group from their shady position to stand in the heat for a photo, and for another, Andy found that he got vertigo looking down from the tower, so the guide eventually attracted our attention and took a photo of us.

After all the climbing, the descent of the Leith Hill Greenway was even more of a test.  We skipped the first very rough section, instead going round on the road to Coldharbour.   Then we descended a long section of the off-road Wolvens Lane down to Wootton, about three miles but it seemed longer, with a few more sandy stretches than when I recced it a month ago.  At Wootton, Niall opted to take the road home while the rest of us headed for a bit more off-road across the valley and zigzagging up the other side towards Denbies.  Unfortunately I missed a crucial turning half way - or possibly fortunately, because it got us back to the road more quickly near Deepdene station, and we completed the ride along the road.   Most people headed for home and Rykas was packed with long queues for service, so Martina and I had a quick drink in the Stepping Stones pub before heading home.

Thank you everyone for coming on this adventure, for surviving and even perhaps enjoying the heat, the hills and all the off-road, and thanks for all your lovely photos.  It's nice to have some willing friends to try out "new" places and routes, even though as Andy reminded me, the C&M has had lunch at Leith Hill Tower before, under Graham Hill's leadership.

C&M's last visit

Have you ever wondered what you would do if you were faced with a medical emergency whilst out on a ride?

Have you ever wondered what you would do if you were faced with a medical emergency whilst out on a ride? I know some of you have had to deal with situations whilst on our weekly rides and it can be a pretty scary experience. Knowing basic first aid is an important life skill and can be a life saver if you are faced with a medical emergency in any aspect of your life.

The  trainer is an experienced nurse Jen Craven who runs Wimbledon First Aid. As a cyclist herself she perfectly understands our needs and tailors the learning to situations we may encounter on a ride. The course will run for a morning and you will be awarded a certificate which is valid for 3 years.

We are hoping to get funding from Cycling UK as we did last year, but there may be a small charge if they do not fully cover the cost.

There are up to 10 spaces available on the morning of 14 September - to sign up please contact me juliembuckman@btinternet.com or 07803 005516. Closing date for applications Friday August 7th.

Here are some thoughts from Sue F who attended last year:

'Jen proved to be a great trainer and placed a lot of emphasis on not immediately diving into a situation, but pausing to assess first using the DRABC (Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing and Circulation) mnemonic. We returned to this when discussing almost all medical emergencies. Jen knows our riding territory well and had an excellent idea should an accident occur around a blind corner: place a bike with a bright coloured jacket draped over it to warn any oncoming vehicles or riders that there was a casualty on the road. 

Perfecting our CPR skills occupied a good part of the course. Jen uses dummies that light up when you are using the correct technique. Many of  the group found it surprisingly exhausting giving effective CPR for a prolonged period of time.

She  highlighted the importance of locating a defib quickly and having the locator app What 3 Words and medical info on our phones for a helper to find should we be unable to give this information. I have  now set up the Apple Health app with emergency contact numbers and any medical issues that can be accessed quickly from the locked screen. 

Being faced with a medical emergency can be challenging, especially if it happens in a remote and isolated location. Following the course I think we all felt more confident to deal with a potential situation and give some emergency care. I felt I learned a lot despite having done First aid training in the past. Techniques (particularly CPR) have changed considerably over the years so even if you have done some training this course is great refresher'.