Bank Holiday Monday 16/17ish

[Phil H]

Me and Tom are thinking of doing a ride. I had plotted a route from CSS out over Farthing Downs, Bletchingly and taking in Kidds Hill and Toys with a late stop in Brasted then back via Caterham/Farthing Downs.

Anyone want to come? Anyone got any route pointers? I'm guessing a bit as I don't know that area that well.

[Simon S]

I am very tempted but I would need to be back in Coulsdon by 1200. What start time are you thinking of and how far are you thinking of going?

[Amy]

Might be interested - depends on what weather like tomorrow

[Phil H]

Slight change: We've been looking in the 100 climbs book and Tom has never done Kidds or Yorks. I can see how to get from Kidds up through Penshurst, round the reservoir and up Yorks. Then drop down Ide for Brasted back along the Pilgrims'* Way.

Forecast for Monday is pretty good at the moment - much the same as today.

Simon: It's quite a long one so wouldn't be back that early.

9:30am at CSS.

*Pilgirm's? Pilgrims?

[Amy]

I'll be there - had quite a profitable day in the flat after deciding it was too cold to go out. Looking forward to some warmth

[Phil H]

According to the map, it's Pilgrims'

Proposed route [url]http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/214705389[/url]

[Amy]

[quote="Phil the Pie"]According to the map, it's Pilgrims'

Proposed route [url]http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/214705389[/url]

[Phil H]

Just me and Tom out. Bright day with a bit of a headwind on the way down. He's not been down to Ashdown before. I seem to have cracked the settings on the Garmin so as not to mess me around although I knew most of the route.

Got onto Kidds and he went past me. I knew what was around the left-hander and sure enough I heard him shout "Doh!" when he saw the final pitch. I stayed with sitting and plodding. The Weald is lovely in the sunshine but the constant up and downs do get to you. By Penshurst we were ready for lunch but the pub where we stopped on the Royal Wedding Avoidance ride has closed down. Instead we stopped at a place opposite Penshurst station (which is a way from Penshurst) called "The Little Brown Jug". In spite of the name, the lady behind the bar actually had ... nevermind. Ate exactly the sort of heavy lunch that you don't want before hitting Yorks.

I hadn't ridden up Yorks before. Bit of a nasty one, isn't it. I have decided never to ride the Catford hillclimb.

The wind, which had been Southerly was veering Westerly later in the day - just as we were heading West along the Pilgrims' Way and up Clark's Lane. Opted not to go down and back up Caterham for the Farthing Downs finish - we figured we'd done our ration of climbing for the day.

73.6 miles. Nice route - would ride again.