Six to the Tower on Chatley Heath

The weather was looking very grim as I gazed from the kitchen window at 8.00am on Saturday morning – in fact rather a white out. 

So much so that I wimped out on the ride over to Ranmore and opted to drive instead. 

 

It was a chilly damp start from the car park and before we had dropped to the bottom of the Hogden Lane byway my fingers were frozen. We six intrepid riders pressed on to the Chatley Tower at Ockham Heath via Great Bookham Common and Downside. The promised downpour never materialised and by the time we got to the Tower the conditions were drying.

 

Striking due south we made our way to West Horsley for tea and cake. There is a lot of road in this section linked by some short squelchy trails but I think it suited our mood and the conditions.

 

By the time we emerged from Squires to make our way back, the sun was shining weakly and out of the shade it was almost balmy! Our return took in one of my favourite climbs from A246 up to Netley Heath. We dropped down to the wood yard to tip toe through the muck and then up again under the ruins of two Lovelace bridges. To make sure nobody felt short changed I tacked on another short loop to arrive back at the car park on the dot of 1.00pm.

 

Thanks to Sue and Stuart who did most the corners, to the two Robs for turning up and to Phil for providing the photo!

 

Fran