MTB RIDE SUNDAY 4TH SEPTEMBER 2016

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MEETING TIMES ARE 09:00 IN SOUTH CROYDON AND 10:00 AT WOLDINGHAM STATION.

The meeting points are at the Swan and Sugar Loaf in South Croydon (junction of South End, Brighton Road, Warham Road and Croham Road) at 09:00 (http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=532509&y=164471&z=0&sv=CR0+1BJ&st=2&pc=CR0+1BJ&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf) and Woldingham Station 10:00 (£2 car park charge on Sundays or zilch in Church Road adjacent to the station (http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=536162&y=156163&z=120&sv=woldingham&st=3&tl=Map+of+Woldingham+Station,+Surrey+[Station]&searchp=ids.srf&mapp=map.srf).  It is roughly seven to eight miles from Croydon to Woldingham with some tough(ish) climbs (ask Andrew and Trevor).

This year, to make a change and because our well placed lunch stop at Hurst Green has closed, I will run the ride in reverse.  This also means that Icehouse Lane and Pitchfont Lane (Titsey Hill) will not have to be climbed near the end of the ride after lunch.  However, missing a big granny gear climb (ten minutes plus for some) at the end means more niggling smaller climbs on the route.  The lunch stop comes earlier on this version of the ride at around 18/ 19 miles which will give riders a little extra milage to work off their lunch.

The ride itself includes virtually everything off-road: rocky trails; dusty hard-pack trails; open country; shaded wooded trails; bits of tarmac; climbs and descents, lovely scenery, the highest elevation on the North Downs in Surrey and, if it rains, mud, though the current forecast looks to promise dry trails.  The distance from Woldingham to Woldingham is just over 30 miles and the speed will be that of the slowest rider.