It was a smashing morning full of reason for why I enjoy cycling so much. Bumped in to Bashers and the Old Ports early on at the top of Hessiers Hill before we made our way out in the direction of Tatsfield to the lanes I wanted to get to. I'd worked out a bit of a loop with some cloverleaf shape loops off it.
I'd told my Dad in advance there were a couple of climbs but we could find others by accident. There were a couple of others but just little kick ups rather than full on lungbusters. I was delighted with what we found as every lane I was sussing out was a country cracker, one car wide and looked as though they saw as much horse traffic as motorised. This didn't mean it was a slalom through the horse's deposits although there was one pile that must have made the horse feel as though they'd lost their rider with the sudden weight loss. Some fantastic twisty lanes that I'll be revisiting often.
One bit I wanted to try was in Chevening but I wasn't sure we'd be able to ride it (Lord Chatham's Ride) as it looped around in front of and then down towards the massive country pile that is [url=http://www.cheveninghouse.com/current-use.htm]Chevening House[/url] which is a high ranking member of the cabinet's residence (their Checkers as it were). At the moment it's shared between Hague and Clegg, we didn't spot either.
Unsurprisingly when we got to the end of the approach to it, which had been signed as a dead end, there was a gate and the look of "do not go beyond this point". Oh well that's a shame, however according to the map there was a footpath down the side through Minny Wood. Oh look at those lovely hairy highland cattle in the field to the left of the gate, ah hang on that's the footpath entrance. So over the style and on to the grass we went, the cows moved away a bit wondering what these lycra clad fools were doing in their field. Okay so it look more like the grassy rather than gravel type of footpath, never mind riding on grass isn't a problem.
About a 100m later we came to a gate and on to the next bit, this was a downhill of the through the woods variety, so packed mud with the odd root and stone sticking out. It would be rideable easily enough but we walked it as it was quite steep (it runs parallel with Star Hill) and it was only a few hundred metres so better than risk punctures from a stone in the mud. At the bottom and over another style and back in to another field. Grass again so back on the bikes and ride across/down the field moving left (another Do Not Pass gate ahead for the Big House) which took us to cow sh1t corner. The corner of the field must have been where the cows ran when they were scared as there was quite a bit of 'pat dodging, all firm though so just bumpy rather than squelchy if you hit one.
A quick jump over another style and on to the last bit of footpath, woody again but more grassy and flat so a smoothish ride. This brought us out at a church and we were back on the black stuff. A true old-school rough-stuff section and great fun. We were both on normal road bikes with normal tyres and had no problems, just big grins. It's only a one mile section and adds some great adventure to the ride and is fine if it's dry although I wouldn't use it on a road bike in the wet or after rain.
After that and just a little bit left to check, first bit after Brasted Hill was fine but then I took a turn too early so we missed my last last recce road. I'm pretty sure I know most of it and apart from a bit of loose gravel and stones to start with it's another good one. Just before Brasted Hill we bumped in to Big Dave P with Mr. Kennett and Nick Mann and I had a brief chat with the Big One, nice to see him again. Another tester who never took things too seriously.
Next time you may join me for a ride you may find yourselves having a bit of an adventure as I've got a great way of repeating today's ride with another great laney bit afterwards to take it up to about 50 miles. Best to leave your posh wheels at home though
.Thanks to my Dad for the thread title, his journalistic experience coming to the fore.
My Dad negotiating the steep bit of the footpath we walked, it's steeper than it looks in the photo.
[img]http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n315/andrewgreen23/Dadroughstuffweb.jpg[/img]
