Sunday 15 October. Ride to Hayling Island

The weather today was exceptionally warm for the time of year reaching 18C due to a flow of air coming from the far south. Early cloud gave way to spells of warm sun with light winds.. Harvey was the leader and he was joined at Chichester Cross by Bob, Arthur, Sam, Lynn and newcomer Bill with Edwin behind the camera making 7 out in all.

We headed out via West Street and Clay Lane among beautiful Autumn colours. Then it was on via Woodmancote and Westbourne to stop for elevenses at The Garden Cafe, Emsworth.

Then it was on along the cyclepath alongside the main road before crossing to take the tunnel under the A27 and stopping briefly to regroup.

Then down the Hayling Billy cycle trail and the cycle path over the bridge to Hayling Island. Then it was on via the lane to Northney to our lunch stop at Meadow Farm Nursery Cafe. We were able to sit outside round one big table.

For the return route we retraced via Northney and the bridge and then took the path along the waterfront adjoining Langstone Harbour.

Then we turned off on a path heading back towards Havant. We then took the backroad via Warblington and the cyclepath alongside Southleigh Road and across to Westbourne. Then it was more lanes round to Woodmancote and a stop for tea at the Woodmancote Arms. Bill left us here finding it was too many coffee stops for the miles. He probably had a point but the rest of us enjoyed the break.

We then retraced our route on the South Coast Cycleroute lanes and back to Chichester. Mileage from and back to Chichester was about 32. My mileage from and back to Pagham was 42.

My latest special picture was taken 9 days ago at the Natural History Museum in London showing the Blue Whale skeleton. The large number of people in the hall were removed by taking 34 pictures and using an automated process in Photoshop to delete anything which moved apart from 2 people which I choose to keep.