Sunday Ride: 21st June 2015

Lost in Kent

Jim was away, Jeremy was away, Graham was away … we had a good turnout but no one knew the way to Chiddingstone Castle, no one had brought a map and there wasn’t a Garmin amongst us. Panic!

We also welcomed two new riders who had ridden with the Anerley before but never on a Sunday. Well we knew Chiddigstone was vaguely South East and the land to the South and South West would be overrun by the massed annual London to Brighton bike ride so off we set up Marden Park. Ruth had an unscheduled dismount on the descent which bent her hanger restricting her range and ability to change gear for the rest of the trip but she gamely pressed on.

We felt our way to Crowhurst noting that the old Bricklayers Arms has re-opened as The Griffin. (Time to put it back on the winter runs list?). And then put our fate into the hands of Mr GoogleMap on my diminutive Moto G. It showed where you were brilliantly and our destination but not both at the same time without losing the detail, i.e. the lanes rather than the ‘A’ roads we needed. But with a bit of fiddling and frequent stops to re-check (as above) we found our way with only one wrong turn and about 100 yards of gravel that was supposed to be a road.

We were welcomed on arrival by Ewa who, being late again, had bravely done the ‘up and over’ rather than our preferred circuitous but mainly flat route.

Miles, Frank, Ewa went back directly after tea. Frank reports that (cough) Ide Hill was no problem, the view was wonderful and after doing the Pilgrims Way to Botley he pointed Miles in the direction of Mitcham.

Meanwhile the rest of us continued our allegiance to Mr GoogleMap and took a loop back to join our outward route at the Bricklayers. Ruth with her ‘technical’ didn’t think she would make it but did with aplomb. Bravo!

About 50 miles