Sunday 25 February Ride to Midhurst

It was a beautiful clear blue sky day though with a strong NE wind and very cold minus 2 when I left home. It had dropped low enough for a grass frost but there had not been much rain of late and there was only the occasional melting icy puddle on the route. Plenty of woolly hats and many layers in evidence though.

Sam was the leader and he was joined at Chichester Cross by Bob and Edwin and Jeff and 2 friends of Jeff, Chris and Tim from Selsey.

We headed out via West Street and then on the quiet route along the Centurion Way coming across only the occasional dog walker and jogger. There were a few ice puddles before Lavant but the unmade part up to West Dean was much improved from a few weeks ago being fully dry. Unusually we did not have to go to the difficult exit as the farm gates were open

This enabled is to go straight across onto a lane through the village which made for a pleasant bypass of some of the main road. Then it was a a short stretch of main road to the Wattle &Daub Cafe at the Weald and Downland Museum, Singleton. The cafe is a new building before the Museum pay point next to a beautiful pond. We got there early enough to avoid crowds in the cafe. The Cafe opens at 9.30 about an hour before the Museum.

I had decided to make it a half day ride and headed home from Singleton gaining the benefit of a tailwind and a gentle downhill on the cycleway. Part way along I encountered Chris Dart coming the other way. I directed him to the Cafe the others had said they were aiming for in Midhurst. My mileage from and back to Pagham was 31.

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Jeff continues the story for the main group

Sam relented on his planned longer route and took us left at Cocking westwards along the foot of the downs in glorious winter sun with the wind behind. We turned right for Bepton and on to the usual ‘old prison cafe ‘ Gartons Cafe Midhurst for a very early lunch.

Again after lunch we had a wind assisted ride back to Bepton then the pine forest Severals road to the A272.

A quick ride followed to Elsted then a slow up the steep back road to Harting hill. We then cut through Uppark and afternoon tea in the sun at Compton was also good

Usual route back and a very enjoyable 38miles

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One of my recent pictures was taken on a Camera Club day trip last Sunday to Kimmerage Bay in Dorset. As the Tide goes out rock platforms are exposed all along the bay