). Phew, what a scorcher – superb hot sun all day and not too breezy. 
Joined the route near Dorking; straight up north through Leatherhead, Cobham, Esher to Hampton Court. Unfortunately they hadn’t closed the roads for me,
and this section is a bit of a suburban passage, with very busy roads. It improved with a left turn just before H C bridge, pleasantly following the Thames and past the reservoirs, passing through Walton-on-Thames. Then it’s southbound, past Brooklands, through Ripley. Pleasant enough roads from here (though still v. busy) via West Horsley, East Clandon and up a long testing drag to Newlands Corner. From here, it’s along what must be the most pleasant part of the A25, through Shere, Gomshall, Abinger Hammer (lots of schoolkids paddling in the river there, happy summer days!), on to Westcott and Dorking. I was pleased to pass the Dorking Giant Cock, after about 44 miles of the route, a round 50 miles in all back to car at Brockham. If you do it, I’d recommend on a Sunday, hopefully less traffic, and a bit of company would help; I got bored talking to myself. It’s really a route to do as an Olympic ‘souvenir’, it’s not really overly pleasant a route. It’s easy terrain compared with my usual North Downs-Kent sorties, virtually all big chainring riding with easy undulations. I’ll be doing the 10-mile Headley Heath- Box Hill loop some time – but not the nine times the pros will do this! Might also take train up to Victoria one day, for the start & finish drag out by way of Buckingham Palace, Fulham, Putney and the Richmond Park-Twickenham-Bushey Park loop. Well, at least Dave Brailsford knows I’ve got started on my preparation for next July ….
