The weather forecast for the weekend was thankfully clear of rain although a cold north easterly wind was predicted, so waterproofs were not much in evidence as we gathered at Three Bridges Station for the start - eight bikes and nine riders wrapped up against the cold and eager to get going: John V, Mick, PeteE, Barbara, Norman, John C, Bob, Pete S and Marian (the last two on their tandem).
We used the usual easterly route out of Crawley – up Worth Avenue, out on the Turners Hill Road and then down Old Hollow to cross the A264 at the Felbridge Hotel roundabout. Here, Bob pulled up with cramp in his right calf – the sudden effort he’d put in accelerating onto the roundabout was too soon for his rather cold muscles! A feature of todays ride would be that we would be avoiding busy roads where possible, so we travelled east along Copthorne Bank and also used Cross Lane, Dowlands Lane and Bones Lane before emerging on the B2028 to get to Lingfield. Deciding against a coffee stop, we carried on along Dormans Road and then Hollow Lane before arriving in Cowden. This village is really quiet and we didn’t see any signs of life as we passed through, still heading east. After crossing the Hartfield Road we forked right onto Moat Lane (which becomes Bassett Lane) and then went past the Penshurst Off Road Cycling (PORC) site before arriving in Penshurst itself and our lunch stop.
We split into two groups for lunch with Pete E, Norman and Mick preferring the snug of the Leicester Arms and the rest of us going to the café next door. After light lunches all round with lashes of tea, coffee or beer, we were all now ready for the rest of the journey. First off we headed through Penshurst Place on the cycle track. As we crested a hill there, the bitter north easterly wind really made its presence felt. Once we were down lower there was more shelter , then, turning off Ensfield Road, the NCN route we were following went offroad alongside a couple of fields before passing through woodland with lakes on either side and then passing under the Tonbridge Bypass. From here we skirted a picturesque lake in Haysden Country Park before making our way through Tonbridge to exit on the B2017 Tudeley Road. Forking right we went through a hamlet called Capel before crossing the A228 Maidstone Road onto Crittenden Road which climbed up to the village of Matfield. Here, one of the annoying features of the NCN routing made itself evident – by following the signs we were routed on a loop twice as long as we needed to just to leave the village on the Brenchley Road.
Taking Petteridge Lane we headed south then east again alomg Tibbs Court Lane, Marle Place Lane and Ruck Lane. This part of the ride was getting quite tough as we tackled four or five hills one after the other. Looming in front we could see the village of Goudhurst sat atop the highest land in the neighbourhood. At this point a tactical error was made and four of us took Blind Lane up the face of the hill, whereas the rest of the group were more canny and effectively skirted most of it by taking Lidwells Lane and then the B2084 to rendezvous on the Cranbrook Road on the other side of the village. We were now on the A262 as it travelled along a ridge. It was quite exposed to the wind and all of us were now beginning to tire. We got separated once more as Pete E got a puncture. The leading group carried on with the intention of finding a tea stop in Cranbrook where they could wait for the rest of the group to catch up. Normans local knowledge (he came to school at Cranbrook) gave us the shortest route to the High Street and we stopped outside a café. At this point Mick decided to carry on as we weren’t far from Tenterden and let the Hotel know we would shortly be there. The rest of us snacked on cake from the café and having contacted the rest of the group by phone to reorganise, carried on ourselves. We stayed up on the ridge and the Cranbrook Road soon became the Tenterden Road and then the Cranbrook Road again as it entered Tenterden. Turning left we travelled the length of the High Street before forking left onto Oaks Road to pull up at the Collina House Hotel. We’d not been there many minutes before all the rest of the group arrived and we dispersed to our rooms for a wash and brush up before reconvening for dinner at 7pm.
Why Ten to Tenterden when there were only nine of you I hear you ask? Well, Barbara's husband Ian met us at the hotel having travelled over by car.
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