CLAYGATE 07/01/07

Hands up who didn't come today because they didn't want to get wet.
The forecast was terrible and that probably accounted for the
relatively low number of 7 on this joint PHC & CTC ride. However, the
weather was fantastic, very mild and I was even blinded by the sun at
one point!

We started with a meander along the Wandle Trail to Carshalton,
cleverly avoiding all the barriers that force you to dismount. Then
it was backstreets to Sutton and onto Cheam for Nonsuch Park and a
morning stop. I never tire of that small stretch of road behind the
Whitehall with the cute wooden cottages.

The key to this ride is that although it's very suburan, it uses
short green links to take you on a direct route that a car wouldn't
be able to follow. However, after all the rain, there was no way we
could use the bridleways on the way to Claygate. It's horsey country
and they were impassible when I'd been out that way earlier in the
week. So I had to revise the route at the last minute. Fortunately,
the Hogsmill Path is tarmac through King George's at West Ewell so I
kept that bit in.

Once over A3, the ride finally becomes rural but you're pretty much
in Claygate at this point. We'd made such good time that the Foley
Arms wasn't even open. I think this was a combination of a smaller
group, no mechanical problems, relatively flat route and having a
good backmarker who can get us through junctions in one go so we're
never waiting for people to catch up. We'd still gone at the usual
slow pace. By the time the bikes were locked up in the beer garden
the doors were open so we were first to order food.

I tried a new route on the fly for the return by heading towards Long
Ditton where we picked up a route we've ridden before. We couldn't go
through the Joseph Hood Rec because of the mud so after the short
stretch of busy road at Tolworth we headed for Bushy Mead and sought
out the path alongside the fishing lake on Cannon Hill Common. It was
slightly muddy but nothing too bad as the path is on a hard surface.

A short detour in the John Innes Conservation Area took us past
Ronnie Wood's old house and studio. A quick nip through a forlorn
looking Kelsey Gardens put us back on track for the afternoon stop at
Morden Hall where the group separated after tea and cakes. 3 of us
carried on to Pollards Hill taking the unusual step of going through
Phipp's Bridge estate and along roads behind St Peter's church to
Mitcham town centre. We took a quick look at the formerly underground
river at Three Kings Piece and then back to base.

Out for 6hrs, see the pix on Flickr at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pollardshillcyclists/sets/
72157594465162760/
or
http://tinyurl.com/wefxn

As always, most of these pictures are taken whilst riding the bike.
Amazingly, this picture below just won the inaugural Merton photo
competition and is the January picture on the new Merton calendar:

http://tinyurl.com/y5rwtm

Seems like the awards are just flowing in!! I wonder if the judges
had any idea how this was taken!!

Next week's ride is an urban affair to the George near London Bridge.
Very good back roads and quiet streets plus a cafe stop at the
Horniman museum. 9:30 depart from the library.

Mark
PHC Co-ordinator
07711 688189