Stooks at NewBridge

Thanks to Mick for leading what looks to have been an enjoyable ride with plenty of riders out who must have all remembered to alter their clocks!

The start was 9:15 @ HPP where I met Michael and Christine. Next was a new member, Frank from Christs Hospital. Then Norman and finally Pete. We headed off along the Forest Road to Pease Pottage where we met Pete and Marian, John C and Ken. After ringing Stooks to add two to the booking we headed for Handcross, then Slaugham and on to Lower Beeding. Turning right onto the A281 we then went left towards Maplehurst and Copsale. Right and left took us to Southwater Street then over the A24 and into Southwater itself. Bonfire Hill took us to Two Mile Ash and north to Christs Hospital. It was then a quick blast along the A264 to the lunch stop spot on 12:00!
Barbara met us there.
Lunch was good, see picture. 

After lunch Frank headed back home while the rest of headed towards Warnham. Christine couldn't manage the hill so she and Mike returned to HPP via the golf course. The rest of crossed the A24 and railway.
At the T junction Pete, Barbara and Norman turned right to Horsham.
The Crawley members were unsure on their route so I took them part of the way.
Not sure how many miles as my GPS battery died on me! 

Next weeks ride is an easy one - it's Old Crocks Day!  So we will meet up at There Bridges Station at 10:00 hrs, ride into town and see if we can spot a few veteran cars before pacing/racing/crawling along with them out as far as (perhaps) Staplefield before returning to Crawley, At 13:00 all members are invited to the Runs List meeting at Gordon's House (contact me for details) where we can determine what rides we want to go on during Q1 of next year (January, February, March 2015). Gordon and Jacqui are kindly providing refreshments once more.

Pooh Sticks

The weather forecast for Sunday was "unseasonably warm with occasional showers".  Waking up to a dull,  overcast day with dampness in the air I though the forecast must be wrong and was feeling a bit glum as I waited at Three Bridges station to see if anyone else would turn up. I'd already arranged to meet up with Ros and in response to a John V text, I'd arranged to meet him at the same place, so I knew there would be three of us but then Michael emerged from the rail replacement bus laden car park.  Due to the time I'd arranged to meet Ros and JV, we left Three Bridges bang on 09:30 and just a few minutes later I received a phone call from Ken asking where we were - we must have missed each other by seconds!  Anyway, we all managed to find each other at Keepers Cottage and continued along the Worth Way to East Grinstead. There was a bit of splatter coming up from the surface - it didn't trouble anyone though: everyone else had mudguards and I didn't care about getting muddy!


It didn't take us long to get to East Grinstead and here we split up, more or less according to bike type. The road and hybrid riders used a road route through the town and on to Forest Row, the mountain bikers tackled the station steps, the ascent of the west face of Grinny High Street and the motorway standard bike path that is the first part of the Forest Way before arriving at the Café (by the tip) in Forest Row (ahead of the road/hybrid johnnies).


The café was 10 minutes or so from opening so we didn't hang around but carried on east with the skies starting to clear a bit and allow the sun to warm things up a touch. We seemed to fly along and it was only a short time before we were at Hartfield. We rode up through the village and on up past the Gallipot Inn (I collected some sticks and twigs on the way). As we were paused to regroup at the crossroads we had a chat with some poor bloke who'd just filled his diesel car up with petrol and was waiting for a breakdown truck to arrive (he'd already been waiting about two hours!!!).


I had to ride carefully along the bridleway/private drive as I had a whole handful of sticks ready for the coming competition. As usual, I said hello to other people as we passed them and remember doing so to an oriental couple shortly before arriving at Poohsticks Bridge - they seemed amused that I had brought my own Poohsticks.


We had a good few games of Poohsticks and also spotted a rather large crayfish in the river - although it disappeared when a large dog jumped in and started hauling an eight foot long branch through the water!

As it was now 11:45 it was time to head for the pub, so we climbed up through the woods to the car park and then enjoyed the quiet lane heading West. As I approached the ford it looked like it was really deep - at least two feet - but on closer inspection it was only about 5 inches deep so I rode backwards and forwards through it a few times, washing the mud off my wheels and demonstrating to the others that it was easily negotiable.


From the ford it was just a half mile up the lane to the pub at Colemans Hatch (not Chucks Hatch as I keep calling it). The pub was busy and full inside, but it was pleasant enough to sit outside and we quickly got our beers and food ordered. Unusually for pubs these days, this one did a good range of sandwiches on a Sunday. The beer was very good and the sandwiches (which were very nice) arrived pretty quick. We would definitely recommend this pub for cyclists (as would the other twenty odd cyclists that were also there).


I gave everyone the choice of a road route home or to use the Forest Way/Worth Way again. They all opted for the latter which pleased me as it was the one I wanted to do. The ride back to East Grinstead was very pleasant with the sun flickering through the trees and colourful leaves swirling around in the wind, which we were just beginning to notice (it was now in our faces). Arriving at East Gribnstead station we said goodbye to Ros and just before we pulled off I noticed the oriental couple we'd seen earlier just going to catch a train (I said hello again).


We made good progress back along the Worth Way with the trees sheltering us from the effects of the headwind and reaching Worth we said goodbye to first Ken then John before I left Michael to head back to the station by himself.  I swooped down through Maidenbower and used the newly reopened second tunnel under the railway - it's all neatly surfaced and illuminated now. Just a couple of minutes later I was home and getting ready to head across town to a family party.


Our next ride is on Sunday 26th October and will have an 09:15 start from Horsham Pavilion in the Park (it's not early, you'll have had an extra hour in bed due to the clock change). Going via the Black Swan at Pease Pottage at 10:00hrs, Mick will lead you on a very nice, clockwise loop to the south and on to lunch at Newbridge Garden Centre. This will be a medium rated route entirely on road and about 35 miles in total.


Before then, it's our AGM.     Please come along to the Dog and Bacon in Horsham on Wednesday 22nd October at 1930 - help make your club work for you.

Rudgwick Apple Day

We tried to run a ride to Rudgwick Apple Day last year but it was raining so heavily that we only got as far as Slinfold before turning back! This year, the weather was much better - Autumnal and overcast but pleasant enough for riding a bike.

Malcolm got in touch on Saturday night and we arranged to meet up at Furnace Green shops to ride over to Horsham in the morning. I was there at the allotted time but where was Malcolm?  A quick phone call revealed that he was at Furnace Green shops in Tilgate!!  No matter, I soon joined him and off we went. For some reason my legs were feeling really good and I got a nice spin on going up Pease Pottage Hill - I couldn't quite keep my speed in double figures all the way to the top but the hill didn't seem to hurt me as much as usual. As I was about to turn right at the mini-roundabout towards Pease Pottage I was engulfed in a throng of scooterists and just managed to stay on my bike in spite of clipping the back of one of them who had insisted on riding through my outstretched, right-signalling arm!! No problem though, they were all heading south - perhaps to a date with some deckchair-hurling rockers on Brighton beach?

Arriving at Horsham Pavilion in the Park, we were met by Mick and Barbara. and after hanging around for a few minutes in case of latecomers, we headed off. We left Horsham using the glf course/Robin Hood Lane route but then headed north to Warnham. Here I opted to go past the Greets Inn and then up the quiet lane northwards - I was hoping for some autumn colour in the woodlands here, but I think we were just a couple of weeks early. We carried on north and east, passing the unusual Tower House:

Next we headed up the A29 for a mile and then across to Okewood before turning south to Ellens Green and Cox Green. As we reached Rudgwick so we turned right and headed down past the old Rudgwick Brickworks. There's a nice cafe there but we didn't stop and carried on down to the t-junction at the end. Now we only had a short 80 yard ride along the A281 before turning right into the playing field where the Apple Fair was being held.

The next few shots show the apple pressing process:

We each sampled the ciders but to be honest I thought they were all a bit rough, however, the Jerk Chicken with rice and beans that I had for lunch was superb. There were several stalls around, some selling things, others just showcasing facilities or organisations but the one I made a beeline for was the plate-smashing stall!  Six throws for a quid - it had to be done and with three direct hits I managed to render about half a dozen pots and plates down to mere fragments....

We'd been met by Michael and Christine at the Fair and we'd all sat around eating, drinking and chatting. We'd also noticed that there were a lot of red faces amongst the apple folk and we came to the conclusion there had been a lot of cider sampling going on before we'd got there!!

Eventually we remounted and headed back home. We used a fairly easy route back via the Haven, Slinfold and Broadbridge Heath. Returning along Robin Hood Lane, I took this photo of the deer in the deer park.

Mick and Barbara left us in Horsham and Malcolm and I rode back to Crawley along the Forest Road to get back not long after 3pm.

Our next ride, on Sunday 19th October is a 9:30 Three Bridges Station start. We will be going to Poohsticks Bridge in Ashdown Forest. The probable route will be Worth Way/Forest Way all the way to Hartfield, climb up the road and into Ashdown Forest, Poohsticks Bridge, The Hatch Inn at Chucks Hatch for lunch, then back either by road or returning along the Forest Way/Worth Way. I would recommend strong tourers, hybrids or mountain bikes for this ride and we'll probably clock up somewhere between 35 and 40 miles.

Gordon's B-Ride

Lot's of words begin with B and Gordon tries to tick off as many as possible with this ride - breakfast, bacon, beans, bread, bikes, Broadfield, bridleways, Bob, beer, beautiful weather,

I took Gordon up on his offer of breakfast and rolled up on his doorstep at the unearthly time of 08:30. As we ate we discussed the coming ride and speculated on who else would turn up. When we ventured out the early morning chill was starting to dissipate and by the time we reached Parish lane we were getting quite comfortable. Gordon, Jacqui and I paused at the noticeboard for the Tilgate Downhill Bike Park where we read that it has ceased to be!

I enjoyed a speedy run down the firebreak to the "Orange" tree and having crossed the motorway I was just winding up to speed down through the golf course when I spotted two horses coming up so I came to a halt whilst they passed.

The downhill was clear so I rattled down at speed with a big smile on my face. Then it was through the woods and down the steps into Marion Road (everyone else uses the gate, but I love using the steps). Gordon took us on, into Maidenbower and then up the cycle path to the Worth Way and across to Three Bridges Station.

The station forecourt was a scene of carnage - the railway to Brighton was shut and so there were buses everywhere, taxis toing and froing, and displaced cars filling in the remaining gaps. Three cyclists (Ken, Eric and Sebastian) managed to negotiate through it all and now there were six of us.

We headed through Three Bridges along NCN20 until Northgate Avenue where we followed the cycle path towards the town centre. Next we travelled along The Boulevard and then up the High Street before negotiating the one way system, crossing the railway and turning right onto Springfield Road. The day was getting better and better as the temperature continued to rise and the blue sky stretched from horizon to horizon. We passed through Goffs Park, crossed into Gossops Green, ran down into Bewbush and then through the scrubby woodland to the railway crossing point.

This is NCN228 and we stayed on it until the far end of Wimlands Lane where we turned right (instead of left) onto Wimland Road and headed towards Rusper. At the end of the road we turned left onto the Horsham Road and followed it down the hill before turning left (and back onto NCN228) onto Channells Brook Bridleway. There was quite a strong chemical smell here, but we soon passed it. At the end we turned right, crossed the railway and then the A264 before stopping for a tea break at the Strawberry Fields café (at New House Farm).

Refreshed, we carried on along the Crawley Road to the Roffey traffic lights and onto Harwood Road. we popped in to the car park at Leechpool woods to see if there was a route across to a bridleway we wanted to use, but no luck, so we carried on, turned left at the roundabout onto Comptons Lane and then left, just after the mini-roundabout, onto Hampers Lane. This lane is a public bridleway and starts off as a tarmac surface but then turns south away from the tarmac. Eventually it spat us out onto Hammerpond Road for a quick downhill across the tail of Roosthole Pond. Everyone else faced up to the incline to the car park entrance but I cheated, leapt off the road and road through the undergrowth to avoid the climb. I rejoined everyone in the car park and was greeted with some sarcasm (although I reckon it was envy). The trail up from the car park to Mick Mills Race has been much improved since last I rode it and was very enjoyable in the bright sunshine. The main drag up Mick Mills Race was a pleasure too and seemed to take but a couple of minutes.

On reaching the Forest Road we headed east to Colgate and then turned right onto Blackhouse Road. This was a pleasant downhill roll followed by a short climb and a left onto Grouse Road. From here we headed on into Pease Pottage and my party-piece ride down the slope by the Marie Vesco steps. Once over the road, we said goodbye to Eric and Sebastian who were heading through Tilgate Forest and back to Maidenbower.  The rest of us pulled up at Gordon's where we were treated to a delicious lunch - ahhhhh, this is the life - cycling, sunshine, food - and beer!

Thanks Gordon and Jacqui for a most enjoyable day.

Next weeks ride starts from Horsham Pavilions in the Park at 10:00 hrs and will be an easy ride over to Rudgwick for the Apple Fair.  Hopefully it won't be wet like last year when we didn't actually get there because it was so wet!