Saturday 24th June, off road to Ockham Bites.


Five riders met at Nonsuch Park at the usual time. Adam Domaingue, Bill Kent, Mick Curtis, new rider Ed Pegg trying the club out for size and myself leading.

The day was overcast, but humid and warm, and there was very little breeze on my ride over from Horton to the meeting point. We set off on a regular route out of the park along the Hogsmill River and into the north east side of Horton Country Park. We briefly crossed paths with the Kingston Phoenix Road Club who were going to Polesden
Lacey on Barry Toogood’s Birthday bash ride, which some of our club who ride regularly with Barry were also joining.

Our route continued out via Epsom Common, across the A24 and into Prince’s Coverts, which had transformed from the last time I cycled through it from porridge to hard concrete. In Oxshott we took the Bridle Path to Stoke D’Abernon,  unusually it was well overgrown and the nettles fought back! Soon we were in Downside, south-side of Cobham. The little steep climb of the day was to Telegraph Hill on Ockham Common around half a mile from the cafe. This is where Bill missed a turning at the top and went missing! He was found safe at the cafe drinking coffee a few minutes later having mysteriously got past us without being noticed.

The sun was beginning to shine through holes in the overcast sky and the slight breeze was warm. Our route back retraced to the top of Telegraph Hill over the slippery sand and descended the hill the other side crossing a very chaotic, busy M25. I took a route back over Bookham Common, Fetcham, Leatherhead and back along the west side of Epsom Common back to Horton Park.

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