I only left myself 35 minutes to get to Horsham but thought that having to push the pace would warm me up. Mind you, after the first mile I was regretting not wearing a bandana to keep my head warm – my brain was cold and I noticed my decision-making was decidedly sluggish! A quick cut through K2 and I started up Pease Pottage Hill. By the time I reached the top I was nice and warm and mentally firing on all cylinders. I’d like to say that I really ‘put the hammer down’ as I travelled through Pease Pottage and Colgate but the truth is that I just couldn’t step up the pace. It seems like I’ve been running on empty for a few weeks now although I don’t feel unfit or ill – perhaps I need a break from cycling?
Anyway, I arrived at Horsham Park Pavilions bang on 09:30 to find Barbara, John, Norman and Richard waiting for me. After chatting for a few minutes we headed off along Hurst Road, down North Parade and Springfield Road before heading up Worthing Road to turn right by the Boars Head. I always find this right turn as we go up a hill really awkward but usually speaking the cars give us plenty of leeway. After Tower Hill it’s generally downhill all the way to the Bax Castle where the road crosses the route of The Downs Link. Two Mile Ash road continues this downward trend onwards to Barns Green and apart from a slight up gradient on Valewood Lane and another on West Chiltington Lane, there wasn’t much to tax us.
The A272 was deserted as we crossed it at Coneyhurst and the B2133 was just as deserted at Broadford Bridge. All signs of the frost had long since disappeared – indeed there had been none on any of the roads – and the sun was now blindingly bright. Woods Hill was as steep as ever and for the second consecutive time we met a big (milk?) tanker at the top of the hill.
Heading on through West Chiltington the sweeping bends of The Hollow were spoilt for me by the slow-coach cars impeding my progress. Sunday Drivers!! Stream Lane was deathly quiet as was Nutbourne Road. As we headed towards the A283 I cast my usual glance at the bamboo thicket on the right in the hope of spotting a panda. I’ll probably fall off my bike if I ever spot one!
We resisted the temptation to stop for elevenses at Wiggonholt and carried on to skirt the north and west of the Parham estate down towards Rackham before turning right to Amberley. Here Barbara spotted a selection of knobbly squashes for sale and bought four to load into her panniers. I was trying to get a photo looking north over Amberley Wildbrooks but although it looked good with the naked eye, the photo was rubbish.
We stopped at The Black Horse for lunch and partook of good quality food and an excellent pint or two of Harveys Sussex Bitter. To be honest, I could have stayed in the pub all afternoon – but that wouldn’t have got me home for dinner. So it was back outside to the bikes.
In spite of the sunshine, it wasn’t warm and we didn’t hang around. Barbara had decided to ride on to Amberley Station and get a train back to Horsham, the rest of us headed back the way we’d come. Then at West Chiltington we carried on east to the B2139 Coolham Road. Heading north we then took Sincox Lane across to Broomers Corner and then passed The Countryman before heading into Southwater on the Shipley Road. It always seems like a long drag up through Southwater on the Worthing Road and I’m always glad when we turn off onto Southwater Street to cross over the A24. The first part of Kerves Lane is nicely downhill but then it’s slightly uphill for the last half mile to the A281. Skirting through eastern Horsham, we said goodbye to John as he headed down Depot Road to go to Horsham Station. Then it was goodbye to Norman at the Harwood Road roundabout and just Richard and me to carry on back to Crawley. As usual I found the Forest Road hard work for the first couple of miles but once past Colgate I got my second wind and on reaching Pease Pottage knew that it was downhill all the way home from there. 55 miles came up on my speedo as I said goodbye to Richard and pulled up at home six and a half hours after setting off.
Here's the ride profile from Horsham and back to Horsham:
Don't forget our AGM is this Thursday (22nd October) from 19:30 hrs at the Broadbridge Heath Village Centre. Please come along and influence the types of rides and destinations for the coming year.
The next ride is on Sunday 25th October and is a two hour ride to Chartwell from Three Bridges Railway Station starting at 09:30 hrs. Expected return will be about 15:00 hrs.
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