Dear fellow members and friends
29 August 2005
Good to see such a good turn out for the last few rides – with new participants joining us as well as many of the 'usual suspects'. Nice to see John who'd ridden down from Tunbridge Wells and incorporated a bit of pottering with us into his much more testing schedule.
Boots!
Ian
The Next Rides
Sunday 11 September
Back of the Downs – from Hassocks
Usual untaxing distance and pretty flat, East through Wivelsfield on quiet roads then back parallel to the Downs – excellent views but no climbing of them - using bridleway tracks through East Chiltington and Streat – including the one that skirts the end of Plumpton racecourse – then along the bottom of the Downs along Underhill Lane – to Clayton for another chance to have a look at the wall paintings in the church (and the early Victorian Gothic of the castellated railway tunnel entrance and the windmills up on the Downs – returning to Hassocks via the little road that goes round past Danny. Possible stops at the Jolly Sportsman at East Chiltington and the Jack and Jill at Clayton
Catch the 10.58 from Brighton station or meet at Hassocks station at 11.10. Return trains at 38 minutes past the hour. All are no change Southern trains.
Sunday 25 September
Hickstead – Wineham – Shermonbury – Blackstone – from Hassocks again – but in the opposite direction.
Our route goes north for a while, by Hurstpierpoint College then round the lanes to just by the motel off the A23, crosses (on a bridge!) to Hickstead and then takes Bob's Lane across to Wineham (possible lunch stop at pub). Then down the lane and track through Shermanbury which I have checked out – much better than that Abbot's Wood stretch on the Cuckoo Trail ride in August. After that there's short unavoidable bit of A281 with another possible pub stop (which I hope to check out before the ride) and then down the B2116 as far as Blackstone Lane; down that and across and round by Bramlands, joining A281 for just a short spell before Shaves Wood and back to Hurstpierpoint and Hassock via the aptly-named Bedlam Street (or near it). It's about 19 miles and pretty flat mostly.
Catch the 10.58 from Brighton station or meet at Hassocks station at 11.10. Return trains at 38 minutes past the hour. All are no-change Southern trains.
The Last Ride – Suzanne's Report
Berwick – Horam – Berwick
28 August 2005
The 35K ride!
Take one cloudless sky, one gentle breeze, seven riders on seven bikes plus the rolling road from Berwick station and there you have all the ingredients of a Brighton-style Clarion Sunday ride.
Neil, John, Mei, Suzanne, Ian and Roger at Berwick station
Ian led the way along the gently undulating foot (or more like, big toe) of the Downs to join the Cuckoo Trail just south of Hailsham. John, Neil, Fred, Roger, Suzanne and Mei gratefully followed. Look out for possible imminent Bank Holiday congestion charging on local trails. This one was packed with walkers, ramblers, strollers and dog exercisers, not to mention the full range of cyclists from men on mountain bikes to tots in trailers.
Neil, Mei, Roger and Suzanne
Sustrans 'chuggers' accosting passing cyclists on the Cuckoo Trail
The dappled shade of the Cuckoo Trail
The joy of the Cuckoo Trails is that is takes you imperceptibly up and up through Hailsham, past the once active Hellingly Station into the hills of Horam. The cyclist-friendly gradients did not stop these cyclists being very glad of a pit-stop at the May Garland pub for a bite lunch and a chat.
The May Garland at Hailsham
At lunch – it was a carvery, but Neil and Fred negotiated a veggie version!
Neil, John, Fred, Ian, Mei and Roger
John parted company with us to cycle (what appeared to the rest of us) the punishing two hours to get back home to Tunbridge Wells. Now we were six and ready for the graceful slide back down the hill to Berwick.
Outside Farley Farm – note blue plaque on the left
It was Roger spotted the Blue Plaque on Farley Farm at Muddles Green. It announced that Lee Miller (surrealist photographer, war correspondent, wife of Roland Penrose amongst many other things) had lived in the house (and died there in 1977). So, we couldn't say that the Clarion ride hadn't given us a dose of culture as well as fresh air, scenery and exercise. The fifth element we were all seeking by then was a cup of tea.
The Berwick Inn for tea
This we found in the pub at Berwick Station. No need to look at our watches to check the time of the train. As the barriers started to come down over the level crossing the remaining five Southern Trains-borne cyclists wandered over the road and on to the platform, in perfect time to board the train at the end of a perfect day.
Suzanne