#SouthDownsWay Stage 10. From Cocking (yes, again, sorry) for coffee and cake/sausage roll at the @cadence_clubhouse (what a fabulous place, see menu pic 2) to Buriton.
Delayed start due to heavy rain.
Foggy and damp all day as you can see from the pics, this reduced visibility of views significantly.
Highlight was hearing snorting growling fallow deer bucks at the height of rutting season through Harting Down. They sound like growling pigs and it took us a while to work out exactly what it was. Saw some doe being chased by a fully rampant buck. Very impressive but a bit startling.
#SouthDownsWay Stage 9. We are back to finish this thing. Had to do this in reverse from Cocking (yes, that`s correct) to Amberley as we couldn`t get a taxi at a reasonable price to take us to the start. So we walk the route backwards then at the end of the day got a train from Amberley to Chichester (with one change) and then a bus from Chichester back to Cocking (yes, that definitely us correct) to retrieve the Van. What a faff.
In between it was a lovely day and beautiful expansive views - but it`s suddenly got cold. Cocking (yes, absolutely that is correct) to Buriton tomorrow.
#NorthDownsWay Stage 2, Dorking to back home in Rochester with @vanzie_73 . 92km of hard riding.
Epic day on the bike. From really hard climbs when we had to get off and walk to flowey yet sketchy decents - it had it all. Could`ve done with a support vehicle to change from road bike to gravel to MTB!
We`ll do the rest into Folkestone another time. When we`ve recovered!
Went with a slightly fatter @schwalbetyresuk G-One Ultra Bite 40 tyres this time for a puncture free experience - amazing.
Thanks to @tbw_gillingham for the tyres and cassette and chain upgrades.
#NortDownsWay riders route with @vanzie_73 . Stage 1. Farnham to Dorking. Quite different to the walkers route. Very gnarly in places. Sections of soft sand that brought the bike to a standstill and gave us no choice but to walk. But then there was the long flowy sections through woods that were fast and exhilarating. Iinteresting route by @wearecyclinguk - Stage 2 tomorrow.
#ndw
And we`re off! Train to Farnham to ride the riders route of the #NortDownsWay with @vanzie_73
Bikes looking pukka but I guess I could`ve cleaned my shoes?!
Just doing 2 days as we couldn`t find a time when we could both do 3 days.
Farnham to Folkestone is 150 miles. Should finish at home tomorrow (all being well) and then ride from home to Folkestone another time.
Here we go again. Wigmore CC Hollingbourne Hill Climb 2026. Huffing and puffing my way to the top as usual. One year I will beat the 5 minute mark. 5 mins 31 secs this year, which is not my best and not my worst.
Pic with thanks to @mike_savage_photography
@wigmorecycling
#ProudOfYouSteve - they may not all be enormous but this is definitely Steve`s biggest crop so far. Not sure the weather this summer has suited him as he looks a bit spindly and bare but it`s certainly boosted his production line!
#SouthWestCoastPath last catchup post of our last leg of the holiday from Lands End to Lamorna (about 3 miles shy of Penzance).
We`re almost half way now. This was really hard work - I guess accumulated fatigue played a part but we were on our last legs well before we arrived back at the van.
Think we might take a break from the SWCP for a while and explore some other adventures before coming back for the finsl push towards Poole.
