The Black Horse at Amberley

Young Men! Do you drive a light blue metallic car? Are you fed up with sky-high car insurance costs?

Well the solution is close to hand.



.........Improve your driving standards!!!!!

Example 1: When approaching a traffic island and a cyclist is just in front of you, do NOT speed past on the wrong side of the island. Instead, be patient and obey the rules of the road, it will only cost you about the same time as inputting 4 characters on your mobile phone! An amount of time you can easily reclaim as you studiously ignore every other traffic regulation you're aware of.

Example 2: When approaching a roundabout on a dual-carriageway, don't blast your horn when you're just a few yards from a cyclist and expect him to know that it means you're not very good at driving, you don't know how to overtake, you want to turn left AND that your mate in the back is an obnoxious little toad!

Anyway, those two oafs and the joys of climbing Pease Pottage Hill got my pulse rate going and I arrived at Horsham Pavilions in the Park a good quarter of an hour early!

Next to arrive was John C - I thought I'd seen him as I went past the Station - and then Barbara arrived. As we stood around chatting, Pete E walked up - unfortunately not riding, but on his way into work. Still, it gave us the opportunity to arrange a date for the next committee meeting.
We waited the usual 10 minutes after the published time but no one else turned up so we set off.
We used the golf course route out of Horsham and then passed through Broadbridge Heath and south on the A264 before turning left onto Bashurst Hill. On reaching Valewood Lane, Barbara had to leave us as she only had time for a short ride. John and I carried on south through Coneyhurst, Broadford Bridge, up Woods Hill and into West Chiltington. It's noticeable that the resurfacing has made the road down the hill a lot slower and I even had to pedal towards the bottom.

Stream Lane was next, and was as quiet as usual. Then after a fairly busy dash along the A283, we soon arrived at Wiggonholt RSPB where we stopped for a quick cuppa and Eccles cake each. As we sat in the patio area we were entertained by all the birds on and around the feeding stations - I counted at least six varieties during the 10 minutes or so that we were there - Blue Tits, Great Tits, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, House Sparrows (and possibly Tree Sparrows) and also a Tree Creeper. Most of them had young fledglings with them as well. There was also a Grey Squirrel that kept trying to get near the feeders, but a little Scots Terrier barked at it each time it appeared and it turned tail each time.

As we resumed our ride, so it started raining - but only in the form of a fine mist that didn't really get us wet. As we passed through the woodland that clings to the slight sandstone ridge we kept our eyes open for deer or other wildlife, but didn't see anything - they were probably keeping dry somewhere. After Rackham Lane we climbed Rackham Road onto Amberley Bank from where we could grab an occasional view of the lush green Amberley Levels.

Maintaining my earlier theme, we'd arrived at the pub ahead of schedule and it wasn't yet open, but there's always something to chat about and it wasn't long before the door was opened and we were sinking our first pints.

We both opted for a sandwich and, as is the fashion, they came with chips. The food was good and was deservedly washed down with a second pint.

For the return journey we retraced our path as far as West Chiltington and then we took a route using the Coolham road, Broomers Corner, Countryman Lane past The Countryman Inn and then up through Southwater. As both of us live in Crawley, we then used Sedgwick Lane, Doomsday lane, Hammerpond Road and Grouse Road to arrive at Pease Pottage. It was a bit wet blasting down Pease pottage Hill, but just a few minutes later we were home and dry.

Our next ride is at 09:30hrs on Sunday 12th June. Starting at Three Bridges, it will be led by John C and probably head North and East from Crawley.