For the ninth year a gang of Redhill riders head off to France to close the season with some cycling in the French Lanes. This year we move the location to the town of Étaples close to Le Touquet. The date for this trip moved three times because of clashes with two events that never ended up taking place after all: Denbies Duels and Velo South. but the date move ended up doing us a massive favour because the weather and hotel booking turned out in our favour. the cycling was also tremendous with the new location providing access to some fantastic scenery, routes and new sights.

Well, we weren’t headed for Scotland, only to the 1809 café in Hildenborough, but a similar challenge was laid down.

Most of the group (wisely/sensibly) opted for the flattish route I proposed, but Nick and Matthew felt the urge to venture on a hillier route – one we had used for a G2 ride a year or so ago -  so set off separately intending to meet at the café at about the same time.

Our flatter route took us through Smallfield, Lingfield, Edenbridge looping down through Hever and Chiddingstone before returning to the direct road through Leigh to Hildenborough.

It was cold when four of us left the Golf club for the Sunday Steady but dry with sun forecast.. At Smallfield, we joined up with three more riders from Team Cake. We then headed out for Lingfield, Marsh Green, and the climb up to Mark Beech. Dave Gill was suffering from sciatica in his left leg and decided to head back to Caterham via Chiddingstone. The rest of us wound our way through the small lanes to climb up to Fordcombe. Fortunately Roger Hopkins chose a sunny interkude to pick up a puncture so the resy of us could bask in the unexpected warmth and discard a top layer.