The Green Man

I may have over-egged the pudding - I'd advertised this ride on the Runs List as "50 miles, Hard, at least 8 hills". However, Google maps reckoned my route was only 26 miles but I still rated it hard because of all the hills. I knew Mick would not be joining us and that Anton would meet us at the pub but when I woke to find that the fine weather promised for Sunday was actually heavy rain I feared I'd be the only one to turn up. I could tell it was still very cold because some ice I'd brushed to one side in my back garden on saturday morning was stiil there in spite of the rain!

I dressed accordingly: three layers and then waterproofs on top; waterproof gloves and liner gloves; Buff round the neck and Buff under my helmet. I gave the bike a quick spray over with a light oil and headed off to Three Bridges station. There to meet me was Barbara - she'd come across from Horsham by train and then Pete S arrived. We waited around until 9:40 but no-one else turned up. We chatted about whether to do a shorter ride or abandon altogether but as we'd all made the effort to get out and we're not big girly wimps, we decided to do the planned ride.

Firstly we headed up Worth Avenue and then out on the Turners Hill Road. The wind was on our right quarter carrying a lot of bitterly cold rain but the trees and hedges provided some degree of relief. Wallage Lane was more sheltered and as we crossed the old railway line we were talking about the impact the Beeching cuts had on people's lives - Barbara's family had to move north to Derby to remain working on the railway. At the end of the lane we turned left then right to go through Crawley Down and out down Hophurst Hill. The rain was fair bucketing down at this point and there was a lot of water running down the road. As we entered Felbridge I stopped to see if the bridleway south to Gullege was usable but unfortunately it was too rough and muddy. This meant we had to continue into Felbridge and use a short stretch of the A22 before turning right onto Imberhorne Lane. There were quite a few potholes and puddles on this lane but that was just a taster for what was to come!

Going straight on over the crossroads onto Saint Hill Road the road surface deteriorated markedly and we had to weave our way around and between potholes and puddles of indeterminate depth - this didn't stop a couple of cars pushing past at unnecessary speed though. From here we went past Deers Leap Park - I still haven't gone for a ride there... and then down to the bottom and Weirwood reservoir. The reservoir is nice and full and we were presented with good views across it as we embarked on Legsheath Lane. After a while this lane turns away from the water and climbs upwards. Barbara was saying "Are we there yet?" - I think she was using it as a mantra to get her up the climb......

As we regrouped at the crossroads we noticed a large puddle in the road but with sheets of ice on the verge next to it. We then realised there were still some patches of ice on the road! Going straight on over the crossroads we had a good view to the north and we were now more obviously in Ashdown Forest. Taking the first right, Twyford Lane, we could enjoy a downhill glide. As we went along, so there was more and more water running down first one and then both sides of the road. Pushing ahead I was doing about 30mph when I realised I wasn't certain whether some of the shine on the road was just water or whether it was still ice! It's not easy slowing down on a wet, debris strewn and winding lane that may or may not be icy but I had the incentive of knowing a ford and a sharp bend were looming ahead (and I had no idea how deep the ford would be). Ashdown Forest is primarily situated on sandstone rock and the water running down the road must have been carrying sand because I could feel and hear the grinding sound as my brake rubber, the sand and the water combined to erase more life from my rims! I splashed through the ford several times just to wash the 'paste' off my wheel rims. This area is a particularly nice part of the forest and looks even better in the summer. From here there was a short sharp climb during which we encountered a group of horse riders coming the opposite way. Just as Barbara reached them the smallest horse decided to stop and stand sideways across the road. I think Barbara was glad to have a breather whilst the other riders persuaded the little horse to get going again. Once we crested, it was just a short couple of slightly downhill miles to arrive at Horsted Keynes and the Green Man. This pub has a nice big CTC sign on the wall and as were discussing this, Anton turned up - I didn't spot him at first as I was expecting him on a bike but he arrived by car. As ever, he'd been on an Audax event on the Saturday (only 140kms I think he said) but he was feeling a little sore as he'd slipped on ice two or three times. No major damage done, just a bit of bruising.

Being first in the pub we had the choice of where to sit and bagged two leather sofas right in front of the open fire. Arranging our jackets and gloves to soak up the warmth we ordered our food and settled into the settees to enjoy our pints of ale. I highly recommend this pub, the beer was truly great and the food was excellent and reasonably priced. A second pint was soon despatched and, to be honest, I could have consumed several more and spent the rest of the day enveloped in the warmth and comfort. BUT................

It's no use, we'd have to go home sooner or later. Reluctantly we dragged our (slightly) drier top layers back on, persuaded our fingers to venture into the cold and clammy gloves and said goodbye to Anton (he'd only had one drink by the way) as he sped off down the wet road. We followed, then forked right and went down the hill past a building that sits on mushroom shaped legs My dad told me such legs are designed to stop mice and rats climbing up them into the building. A short climb up between some sandstone rocks was accompanied by the sound of a steam engine on the ascent to Horsted Keynes station on the Bluebell Railway. Passing the entrance to the station, the presence of some cars parked on the verge suggested to me that a special engine was running today - in fact, I suspect it was the one I'd heard for it sounded bigger than the usual Terrier class locomotives the Bluebell use. However, on looking at their website I can see that it was a special event: "Sat 20 & Sun 21 February 2010: Branch Line Weekend. A special service using our smaller branch line locomotives and appropriate carriages. Visiting and recently overhauled engines: Fairburn Tank 42085, BR 2MT 78019 and LBSCR B473 plus 72 "Fenchurch", 592 and 80151." Well, so much for my 'expert' ear!! Mind you, those 2MT's sound quite big...

Anyway, enough anoraks corner, let's get back to the ride. Two short hills later we turned right onto the B2028 and headed up into Ardingly. From here, the quietest/safest route home is also the hardest: down and over the eastern arm of a very full Ardingly reservoir before heading north and up the long slight incline of Paddockhurst Lane and Back Lane. Turning left there's a downhill glide through Worth Abbey before we forked right to use the tarmac bridleway at Whitehill. We were all flagging a bit after what was basically a four mile climb from Ardingly and so went through this bit of forest at more or less walking pace. Emerging onto the fast B2036 the worry of the faster moving traffic was offset a bit by the smoothness of the road surface - probably the best we'd enountered on the ride. I flashed though the roundabout over the M23 so fast that I nearly caught the Mercedes that had entered it some 50 yards ahead of me and I increased the gap on the boy-racer in his Fiesta behind me by most of those 50 yards. Not bad for a fat bloke on a bike (gravity-assisted, mind)!

Taking the path alongside the Maidenbower playing fields, it was fun watching the joggers and the man walking his dogs try to work out which side of the path was for bikes and which for pedestrians - it should have been the righthand side but Mr Pooper-scooper decided to stay on that side, so we had to cross the white line!!!!

Back on the road, we said goodbye to Pete and carried on up Billinton Drive and under the bridge to the railway station. Here I left Barbara to catch her train and finished off what was a 30 mile round trip for me.

Getting all my gear off I realised that my waterproof jacket seems to have lost some of it's waterproofness and that my left waterproof boot had let some water in - my left foot was absolutely frozen and took some time to warm up (I used a hairdryer on it and got away without any chilblains).

Next weeks ride is led by Pete E and starts from Horsham Park Pavilions at 10:00 hrs for a medium rated 40 mile loop with lunch at the Queens Head, West Chiltington. I seem to remember that the food and beer were absolutely excellent last time we stopped there - go on, come along and treat yourself!