Sunday 4th February Ride to Ashington

It was a beautiful sunny day today marred only by the cold temperatures from 2 to 5C and a strong NNE wind bringing a high windchill. I headed out to the start at Walberton stopping briefly near Bersted to take a picture of the Bognor Rife.

I was the leader and I was joined at Walberton by Sam and Bob in high spirits.

Then it was on via Madehurst and up to Whiteways. Then a steep descent of Houghton Hill and on via backroads through Amberley and Rackham. We stopped briefly in the sunshine taking due note of a sign cautioning us about Hedgehogs crossing.

Then it was on to Wiggonholt to warm up and an early elevenses and spotting from the widows a herd of Deer in the field below. When I took a picture Sam and Bob decided the Blog needed an injection of drama

Then it was on via Stream Lane and West Chiltington. Sam was cutting down on the use of electric assist so as to warm up. Then it was on to the Coolham road and for a direct route we turned off on the Billingshurst Road straight to Ashington. The Jungle Tea Rooms is just south of Ashington in the Big Plant Nurseries. The Tea Rooms opened last year and was suitably warm. We all had a hot soup.

For the return route we headed south via Wiston and then a stretch of the A283 to Washington. We climbed the Downs on the old road (the old Hill Climb Event road) Then it was a fast descent on the A24 to Findon and west on the Long Furlong Road with some great views but a bit too busy. Then it was a turn off on the empty road of the old A27 past the turn for Patching and on to a road under the A27 and down to Angmering. Then backroads via Rustington and Littlehampton seafront. As we approached our tea stop we coincidently met John Maxim on the way back from Rowlands Castle. He decided to join us for tea at the Look and Sea Centre Cafe.

After tea we headed back with us spitting at Yapton as I took a left towards Middleton while Sam and Bob headed straight on towards Chichester.

Mileage from and back to Walberton would have been about 40. My mileage from Pagham was 55.

My latest picture is taken from Bognor Beach and is not sunrise but the Supermoon rising on Wednesday. The yellows and reds came because the moon was partly obscured by clouds coloured by the sun which had set 15 minutes before in the opposite direction. Moonlight also gains colour when it is low in the sky having more atmosphere to pass through. Taken with a 300mm lens.