Sadly, on a perfect day for mountain biking, only Andy Huddart and Paul White joined me at Woldingham for the 30 or so miles around North East Surrey. We headed off via Marden Farm Cottages and the convent road making our way across to Gravelly Hill where we descended to Godstone and onto the sandy drag to Rabies Heath Road. Here Paul left us as he was still feeling weak after the virus that he contracted a few weeks ago. Undaunted, Andy and I made our way around the South Park loop and then across to the old Eastbourne Road.
Here I gave Andy the choice of a diversion as sections of the coming bridleway were overgrown with nettles. The decision made, we carried on as planned and took the pain emerging in Jackass Lane to be greeted by an old classic sports car. Now being fit riders we were ahead of schedule and decided to dispense with a refreshment stop and rode on up Icehouse Wood and across the Limpsfield Chart. Skirting around the flooded ford at the foot of Pitchfont Lane (Titsey Hill) we made our way to the foot of the major climb of the day and spent 8 minutes climbing it. At the top we carried on along the B269 and descended Uplands Road, and still not being satisfied, climbed up the Vanguard Way where I took a tumble and managed to gash my arm on some barbed wire.
We emerged on the Ridge and descended to Woldingham golf course where we went off road again to end our ride with a mainly downhill scoot back to Woldingham Station.