11. November 2025
FGCC rides in November 2025
Saturday 1st November 08.00am ride
RT, TK, with AM on a short new knee ride with a brek at the garden centre
A peletwo this morning with TK shedding off his image of being a fair-weather rider by turning up in the rain. A circular route with the intention of getting to the garden centre around 09.45.
Ride started with a detour to Kersley Towers as he had forgotten his backpack. Back down into the village and up Stable Lane to Gallops Farm. Then onto the long climb up to Chanctonbury and over to Langmead. With plenty of time available we decided to do a loop down the concrete road to Steyning and back up the Bostal. At the top we headed south towards Lytchpole Farm and then the track to Cissbury car park, down Nepcote Lane, Steep Lane and to the Garden Centre to arrive on time where Mr Mead also arrived shortly afterwards.
AM had a ride down the valley and then back round Cissbury drive for a total of around 5 miles.
Total 15.6 miles and 1,633ft
Meanwhile abroad in God’s own country, MA had a short ride from York
Total 10 miles and126 ft
..and even further abroad the Flying Dane almost took to swimming along the Vordingbord spit.
Total 29.6 miles and 504 ft – well it is Denmark.
Saturday 8th November Team Chaplain Trek and Brek
This was originally going to be the “Wing and a prayer” brek at the airport, a joint celebration of Team Chaplain’s and The Croc’s birthdays. However RK had to bow out as he had forgotten that it is also the birthday weekend of his better half. Mrs Allen had bravely offered to hold a brek at Cherry Cottage instead.
ZA, PT, TK, AM, MB, RT.
A pleasure to see both AM and MB on their first off-road FGCC rides since AM’s knee replacement and MB’s digital redistribution.
As per the previous week a circular route selected in order to get to Cherry Cottage at 09.45.
Up to Cissbury Car park and straight on turning left at the top of the steep climb and up to Langmead. Onwards to Chanctonbury for a loop round the ring and admire the autumnal view. Over the top via the dew pond for yet another fabulous view and down to the SDW by the gas plant and on to the car park.
Then the loop round Chalk and up to Gallops Farm for a fast descent down Stable Lane and up Nepcote to Cherry Cottage where we were treated to a sumptuous brek courtesy of our hosts, the Allens. Naturally an opportunity to put the world to rights, aka VT.
Total 10 miles and 1,250 ft
Post brek RT felt the need to burn some of it off (or maybe something to do with the presence of the sisterhood) and did a loop going up Cissbury, over to Lancing clump, Shoreham and the beach and returning to Worthing via the sea front. At Sea Lane cafe RT joined the sisterhood for a quick refreshment before returning to Findon via Durrington, High Salvington and the Bostal.
Total 20 miles and 950 ft
KBS
Meanwhile in flatland a starving Dane did an easterly mostly off-road loop from Vordingbord, a total of 18 miles and 723 ft.
Saturday 15th November 08.00am ride
PT, MA, RK, JR, RT with AM joining at Harbour Lights
A bit of a delay at the start as we all admired JR’s new ultra-light (for an e-bike) Trek e-bike.
We set off up to the SDW via the crem and onwards to the high barn to join it, all a bit soggy due to the heavy recent rain. Onwards to Kithurst and then fork left at the top to head down towards Peppering Farm and the Burpham road. At Warningcamp we turned left and then right to get onto the old Arundel road and up to Crossbush. Then south along Lyminster road and over the new bridge. Continued south and then a wiggle through LA to the Harbour Lights to find Mr Mead waiting for our arrival.
Return via the sea front through West Preston and to the A 259, with MA having parted company at Rustington and and a further parting of company at Hangleton Lane. At this point RK straight on the A259, past Tesco and up the valley to Findon, while the remaining peloton headed up Hangleton Lane and over Highdown ,on past Tesco and up Mill Lane and the Gallops home.
Total 27 miles and 1,400ft.
Saturday 22nd November 08.00am ride
A peleton of ZA, RT, PT and JR agreed on a route hoping to avoid mud, and a brek at DeeDees. Route was over Cissbury to the Steyning road, north along the road to the SDW, east along the SDW to descend to Botolphs and immediately climb back up via the concrete road to Langmead. Along SDW towards Chanctonbury, but dive down Buddington Bottom and return to Findon through North End and the A24.
Brek at DeeDees took so long to arrive that Andy was able to walk from Offington (where his road bike’s derailleur had failed) to join us and Tim for coffee!
Saturday 29th November 08.00am ride
Andy (no flies on him) arrives at OPG at an uncharacteristic 07:51, before PT (who is under strict orders not to fall off) has even got the bike out of his car. RT completes the pelethree, and a safe, non-muddy Amberley loop is agreed on (in red), with brek at the Garden centre after. Stinging SW wind and rain along the top of the SDW stretch.
Meanwhile JR (green) sallies forth down to the coast, and ZA (lavender) makes a road circuit round Steyning and Washington, timed to join in the brekking.
Also, sur le continong, our own Flying Brit/Dane hurtled round a 17 mile road circuit, climbing to the dizzy height of 250 feet, and a total ascent of 463 feet:
