The Victory at Staplefield

Having agreed to lead this ride rather late in the day due to Bob revelling in the delights of Ibiza and not returning to the UK until the day before the ride, I decided to set myself a challenge of finding the easiest (ie flattest) route to Staplefield from Horsham. A quick search on Google revealed that Horsham has an altitude of 50m and Staplefield one of 76m so in theory it shouldn’t be too difficult but Horsham is surrounded by hills and it was always going to be a case of minimising the hills rather than avoiding them altogether.

Arriving at Horsham Park Pavilions I was pleased to see that there was a good turnout of riders: Bob (refreshed from a week of idling on beaches), Anton, Michael, Ken, Gordon, Val and myself. Just before we set off John V also arrived having ridden from Crawley. I had decided to leave Horsham via Pedlar’s way and the Downslink but after the heavy rain of the night before I was uncertain how muddy it would be. Anton, Bob, Ken, Michael and John  decided to take a road route while Val, Gordon and myself decided to brave the off road route agreeing to meet at Copsale. When the off road group reached Coltstaple lane however we found the others waiting for us. Bob had got confused and used Kerves Lane instead of Sedgwick lane and decided to join us along Jackrell’s Lane. At Copsale we again parted company with the roadies going via Maplehurst and up a couple of hills while the rest of us took the Downslink to Partridge Green where we regrouped. From there we took an undulating route via Shermanbury, High Cross and Albourne to Hurstpierpoint. Despite being at about the same altitude as Horsham, on turning north along Cuckfield Road we were rewarded with a long downhill stretch on which Val recorded a new high speed record of some 26mph on her new bike. We soon paid for this with some uphill stretches as we continued north through Goddards Green to Ansty where we met John C who had missed the start at Horsham. Continuing north via  Deak’s lane we encountered the worst hills of the morning before joining the B2115 Staplefield Road where Anton left us. Bearing right at Slough Green there was another long downhill stretch to Staplefield where we stopped at the Victory for some much needed refreshments and were amused by the notice in the window.



The two Johns left us to return to Crawley via Handcross while the remainder of us stayed a little longer and eventually and somewhat reluctantly decided that we must leave. We headed westwards via Slaugham and Hammerpond Road where Bob and Gordon left us at Grouse Road leaving Val, Michael and myself to suffer the final climbs near Mannings Heath and return to Horsham.

My newly loaded Google Tracker app on my mobile phone displayed the following statistics at the end of the ride.

Total Distance 32.09 miles

Average moving speed 9.1 mph

Max speed 34.57 mph

Minimum elevation 156.30 feet

Maximum elevation 525.46 feet

Elevation gain 3291.85 feet

How accurate these figures are and whether I achieved my objective of finding the easiest route I don’t know but I think everybody enjoyed the ride which is the most important thing.

Pete E.

Our next ride is on Sunday 4th August and is the DA Picnic. Pack a picnic in your saddlebag/bumbag/backpack/barbag/pannier and make your own way to Wisborough Green where we will rendezvous with the other West Sussex groups at about midday to sit on the village green, eat, drink and be merry! Every member that turns up earns 5 points in the DA Trophy competition.

Please note that we do NOT have an organised ride from Horsham for this event as we have no one to lead the ride - sorry.  Feel free to make your own way to Wisborough Green though.

The Horsham 100

I can't moan - we have to run this ride when the days are long (we schedule it to take 12 hours) and it's nice to see the sun but ............by 'eck it weren't half hot on Sunday!  By mid afternoon I'd consumed over eight pints of fluids and I reckon every drop had left my body as sweat.

Four of us started from Horsham Pavilions in the Park at 7am - Michael, Pete, Anton and myself. We headed out over a deserted golf course and then down through Broadbridge Heath. We carried on through the roadworks at Newbridge and along the A264 until we forked left onto Bashurst Hill. It was perfect cycling, hardly any wind, the temperature just right, almost no traffic and good company. Mick had prepared the route and it was using some nice quiet lanes. Near Barns Green we turned west and not for the only time in the ride we climbed up one of the DA Freewheel hills. Reaching the A29 we found it to be fairly busy with quite a few sporty cars on it - there was probably a do on at Goodwood. We were soon over it and then heading south on Rowner Road before using the A272 for a few yards. Heading on past the Limeburners Arms the sun was climbing higher and the temperature was doing likewise and it was still not 9am! We recrossed the A29 at Adversane and headed on before turning right at Broadford Bridge to climb Woods Hill (the second DA Freewheel hill). West Chiltington was next followed by West Chiltington Common and then the turn north up past Smock Alley.

Heading east and north and east again we arrived at The Countryman Inn but instead of going the short route from there to Dial Post, we had to put a loop in through Shipley Village - we assume this was to make the mileage up a bit. But it was not long after that, having crossed the busy A24, we pulled up at the Old Barn Garden Centre for our coffee break.

John V met us there and we had a pleasant half hour sat in the sunshine watching two of our number scoffing a fried breakfast each and being watched by a wandering Peacock!

Now there were five of us and we continued on towards Ashurst and then to Partridge Green. Resisting the urge to shortcut through the Shermanbury Estate, we headed south towards Henfield but then east on the B2116 before finally turning north towards Wineham. 

The sun was really getting into its stride now but fortunately we were negotiating the Forest Ridges and were mainly in the shade of trees - except that is for that tiny, nasty little climb into Warninglid! We needed a brief stop in the shade in front of The Half Moon to cool down and recover our breath, then we had a pleasant, mainly downhill run to Slaugham Pond. Now we were on the home run to lunch and we coped pretty well with the climbs that the Hammerpond Road threw at us. John headed back to Crawley as we turned into Depot Road and just a few minutes later we arrived at our lunch stop, the Park Cafe. We managed to find a shady table outside and enjoyed a relaxing hour eating, chatting and watching the world go by.

Pete and Michael decided that the mornings 50 miles was enough and this left just Anton and myself to carry on and clock up the afternoon 50. We decided to do it as an anti-clockwise loop as we fancied it looked slightly easier, the trouble is, this meant that as soon as we left Horsham we had a very stiff climb up Old Holbrook . As we got to the top we looked at each other and queried our sanity, but once we got our breath back we were ok again - and we were sidetracked by what looked like a puncture in my rear tyre. We stopped at the end of Wimlands Lane and looking at my tyre I couldn't find a puncture even though it seemed to have lost at least half its pressure, so I just reinflated it to see what happened (nothing - it didn't lose any pressure for the rest of the ride). 

After Wimlands we went through Lambs Green and then took the Rusper Road all the way to Ifield Green. Heading out of Ifield I missed a turn and instead of using Bonnetts Lane towards Charlwood we used the Charlwood Road. The distance looked the same on the map, so I wasn't too concerned. I was hoping to get an ice cream at Charlwood but the shop was shut and I had to make do with another swig of water from my bottle. In the full sun we continued on to Povey Cross and then up Horse Hill and on to Ironsbottom. Next we passed through Leigh and then reached our northernmost point as we turned into Gadbrook Road from Snowerhill Road. We were getting pretty tired but only had to travel down through Holmwood Common and over the railway before we could enjoy our afternoon break at Henfold Lakes. We sheltered from the sun and had a couple of pints of iced drinks each - here's Anton just starting his second:

We refilled our water bottles with fresh cold water and remounted. The first 100 yards was a stiff climb but then the road settled down and we had soon passed through Newdigate and Capel to get to Weare Street. Weare Street heading south is one of the best rides around these parts and once again it provided a lovely, relaxing, sun-dappled breather as we cruised down its two miles or so of quiet perfection.

Ploughing on we were now effectively heading away from Horsham as we passed through OkewoodHill, Walliswood, neared Ewhurst, Ellens Green, Cox Green and Rudgwick where we hit our most westerly point as we turned south onto Haven Road. We were now on the home run and after a quick burst on a mile of Stane Street, climbed up for a fast freewheel down through Slinfold. As we turned onto the Five Oaks Road near Newbridge, Anton remarked that just over 11 hours previously we'd passed that same point as we'd headed out in the cool of the morning. In the middle of Broadbridge Heath I pulled over to take this photograph:

...and a couple of miles later we arrived back at Horsham Pavilion in the Park. I asked a passer-by to take a photo of Anton and myself to mark the achievement.

.Thanks to Mick for working out the route - it was actually very enjoyable. Thanks to Pete S for the mapping. Thanks to Pete E, Michael and John V for taking part and thanks to all the cheerful people working in sweltering conditions in the three cafes we visited.

If you've got eight minutes to spare, here's a low definition video of various parts of the morning (speeded up to make us look fast!!)

Next weeks ride will start from Three Bridges Station at 10:00 and is a Beginners Ride suitable for all riders. It will last a couple of hours or so and may well use The Worth Way. Fill up your water bottle(s) and get out riding!

The Two Weald Ride (DA Event)

During the summer months, we have a number of events designed to bring members of Arun/Adur, Bognor/Chichester and Horsham /Crawley CTC member groups together. In July we stage the Two Weald Ride. This gives our members a choice of four different 25 mile routes looping out from Wisborough Green in the general direction of each of the four main compass points.

For this years event we had a total of 15 riders turn up. It was a gloriously sunny day and I opened up the checkpoint a little earlier than advertised and got the first rider off at 09:35, with the second following along just before 10:00. As in the last few years, Frank and Pat brought their camper van and it made a great base for everyone to congregate around and enjoy their refreshments. Frank had manoeuvred it under the tree and so we could sit in the shade to avoid getting sunburnt. 

The bulk of the riders set off in two groups at about 10:15 - one group using the North loop and the other using the West loop. This left Frank and myself manning the Control but we were soon joined by John V and then Anton. We were hoping to ride as a quartet but we needed to wait for someone to take over the Control and time was slipping away, so John and Anton set off on the West loop by themselves. As I was getting hungry, I popped into the pub for lunch and got back to the van just before Pat arrived back (with John C). This meant Frank and I could set off, along with Colin - this was his second loop of the day. We'd decided on using the West loop because we think it is the nicest although it does have a couple of hills. This slide show covers all but the last mile of the entire route in a mere 6.5 minutes! If only we could ride that fast! Mind you, we'd miss the fantastic countryside that it goes through - hopefully the slide show gives some flavour, but believe me, there's no substitute for the real thing.

Arriving back at the Control bang on 16:00, all that was left to do was wave goodbye to the last of our fellow riders as they headed for home and then pack up the camper van and head for home ourselves. It had been a wonderful days cycling although the heat had probably stopped some people doing additional loops. That said, we'd collectively cycled well in excess of 400 miles taking into account those people such as John V, Anne and Colin who had all ridden to and from Wisborough Green on top of riding their loops.

Next weeks ride is a big one - it's the Horsham 100.  And this being England, the 100 means miles not kilometres!  It will start from Horsham Pavilions in the Park at 07:00 hrs and comprises of a 50 mile loop to the south with a tea stop at The Barn Garden Centre (Dial Post) at 09:30 and lunch at the Park Cafe in Horsham at 12:30. The afternoon 50 mile loop will head north and have a tea break at Henfold Lakes at 16:00 to finish back at Horsham Pavilions in the Park at 19:00 hrs. Feel free to do as much or as little of the ride as you want - perhaps just one 50 mile loop, or just a rendezvous at one of the refreshment stops which are both within about ten miles of Horsham. Hey, why not just meet up at lunch and give your encouragement to those trying to make it to three figures :-)