The Next Ride Sunday 8th August

Dave Churchill’s Portslade ride

This will start at Portslade station at 10.30 and head up past Sainsbury’s in the Benfield valley,
then up to north Hangleton to the Dyke Railway Path past Egbert the emu, (could be Edwina!)
then down through the Dyke on a bridleway.
There are options at this stage:
Repeat the famous Chattri Ride by joining Ride 1 route at the Wild Flour Café at Saddlescombe or
Poynings Crossroads thence to Pyecombe etc.
Do the Ride 1 route in reverse to Preston Park
Do Ride 1 route in reverse to Sweethill and then up Mill Road on off road cycle path to Dyke Road
and drop down to various locations.
These options can be decided on the day so route will vary but the longest route, being past the
Chattri, will be no more than about 15 miles

The Last Ride Sunday the 18th July Chattri Circular

Ride report: Chattri circular, July 18th, 2021 by Nick & Sikka

The day before the government launched its idiotic July 19th Covid ‘freedom day’ celebration, five of us (Angela C, Doris, Sikka, Dave & Nick) gathered in Preston Park for Dave’s off-road Chattri circular ride across the South Downs.
The twelve-mile cycle ride didn’t seem too much of an ordeal on paper, but the warmest day of the year did make it more of a challenge than I had envisaged.

Sikka describes the alternative route, devised with Angela & Doris, which they planned to take:

‘Thanks to Dave for leading this ride yesterday. And to Nick for great photos. I believe we all enjoyed a wonderful day. Nick and Dave on an outdoor adventure trail and Doris, Angela and myself on a leisurely on-road reduced length cycle ending with coffee in Hove Park cafe.’

The plan was for Dave & myself to meet the rest of the group at the Wildflower Cafe, when we had cycled over the Downs. My newly refurbished bike (thanks G-Whizz Cycles!) coped admirably with most of the uphill paths, although there was one steep stretch which was too overgrown for cycling.

The five of us did eventually meet outside Wildflower Cafe. We were surprised to see the cafe had closed for a few days for a summer break. We found time to use the drinking water tap & heard about Angela’s conversion to electric bikes.

Dave & myself cycled to Pycombe Churchyard for an afternoon picnic. The Chattri memorial was only a few minutes away, then it was downhill all the way (hurrah!) to Brighton.

Thanks to Dave for an exhilarating day out in the July heat. Covid third wave permitting, it would be good to do something similar soon.

The Guardian view on socialism and cycling: fellow travellers

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jun/16/the-guardian-view-on-socialism-and-cycling-fellow-travellers

The Last Ride Sunday the 23rd May Egrets Way Circular

Following the recent easing of many Covid pandemic restrictions, it felt slightly strange to be joining the first Clarion ride of 2021. Jim had adapted Sikka & Tessa’s Egrets Way circular route with a similar cycling experience, which excluded pub stops & train travel.
The Clarionistas who gathered at Brighton’s Palace Pier for the circular ride along the Undercliff & Egrets Way were Angela D, Jim, Sally, Sikka, Doris, Graham, Chris, Dave & Nick.
Jim suggested that the nine cyclists could be represented by the report writer in a Lord of the Rings narrative style. As I’ve not read the book, or seen the films, I didn’t really know what Jim was talking about. There will be no further Lord of the Rings references in this ride report, although I hope to find time to mention Ben & Jerry’s new peace pop ice cream.
It was overcast for most of the day. Apart from a couple of brief showers, none of the forecast stormy weather materialised. This was a relief to all of us.

We set off along Madeira Drive, next to the impressive, but unfinished, new cycle lane. It would be good to return to Brighton’s latest Covid cycle lane when it’s finished.
There was a vague plan to stop for a coffee in Rottingdean. It was unfortunate that the seafront cafe was only offering a takeaway service, so we decided to continue with the ride. It was a good opportunity to stop & marvel at the majestic butterfly mural on Rottingdean’s public loo though.

Our first coffee stop of the day was at Yemeni Coffee in Peacehaven. All of us were impressed with the nine cups of coffee served. They offered us a completed loyalty card for our next visit, which was a very nice gesture. Although grateful, I don’t think we accepted the Yemeni Coffee freebie. I look forward to returning soon though.
It was great to leave the decidedly noisy South Coast Road in Peacehaven and head along the much quieter Egrets Way towards the proposed picnic stop, outside the church in Southease. Some of us also had a look at the nearby Southease youth hostel to investigate lunchtime cafe options for future rides.

The Southease church picnic stop was so calming and relaxing, I found myself nodding off on the grass after lunch. I’d like to suggest optional siestas on future Clarion rides and may pack an inflatable pillow for a future post-lunch snooze.
Sikka & Doris left us after lunch. They had a cycle route via Newhaven they wanted to investigate. The remaining seven cycled back to the Undercliff via Telscombe.
The afternoon tea stop was the busy Molly’s cafe on the Undercliff route. Graham & Chris had cycled ahead & were quite possibly already in Brighton by the time we reached the cafe. I was tempted with Ben & Jerry’s new cookie dough peace pop ice cream, but decided against it when finding out it wasn’t vegan.
An excellent day of cycling with plenty of coffee, tea & ice cream opportunities. Thanks to Jim for adapting Sikka & Tessa’s original route for our first post-lockdown ride. Let’s hope Covid doesn’t stop us from meeting again soon.

In between lock-downs 2020

Early August 2020.  Ten Clarionistas assembled at the pier: Angela D, Doris, Joyce, Jim, Richard S, Sally, Sean B, and Wendy T, together with our joint leaders, Sikka and Tessa. Because of restrictions on numbers travelling together we were divided into two groups. Sikka took Group 1 (Doris, Richard, Sean and Wendy) while Tessa led the rest.

Group 2 left first, but confusingly arrived last at the picnic spot on the Egrets Way. We had a change of Angelas at Saltdean, with Angela C replacing Angela D who disappeared in the general direction of Newhaven. Angela C departed after lunch, along with Group 1. After a suitable delay the reduced Group 2 followed their speedier comrades to Telscombe and Saltdean, with wonderful views of the Downs and surrounding countryside; then back along the Undercliff to Brighton after a welcome tea stop at Rottingdean.

Thanks to Sikka and Tessa for a wonderful ride, the first for so long; let’s not wait too long for the next one!  

Richard and Jim.

Back in the saddle soon

No ride reports at the moment — but we’ll be back.

Image courtesy of Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton and Hove

February 2021

Ian Bullock, Secretary of the Brighton and Hove Clarion, writes in his February Update: 

“I’ve been chairing monthly National Committee meetings via Zoom for what is starting to seem like ever.  It’s now planned to have a National Conference on Zoom too. 

We and other sections can of course propose anything we like but it seems likely that the main business of the conference will be to consider the rule changes concerning the structure and functioning of the national committee that the committee will be proposing.  There will, of course, be elections (or re-elections) of officers.  I’m hoping to be able to stand down as chair so if anyone would like to propose themselves for the post do let me know! i.bullock@ntlworld.com Tel: 01273 682133”

The Brighton and Hove Clarion hope to run an AGM via Zoom in the near future.  We are seeking a new Secretary and a new Treasurer.  If you are interested in either of these posts, Ian Bullock (details above) will be pleased to explain what’s involved.

Lockdown blues

Regular rides currently suspended … but watch this space.

The Last Ride Sunday 27th September 2020. A Brighton Circumnavigation

Doris,Jim, Joyce, Richard, Sally, Sikka and Tessa gathered outside the Level cafe.  As we were more than six, Richard led Doris, Sikka and Tessa off first, the remaining group stayed to wait for Nick to join them.

The first part of the ride was daunting: uphill with much traffic and many turnings. We journeyed east through Queen’s Park area up to the Racecourse ,battling cold strong winds. I started to enjoy the ride when we sped downhill along Tenantry Down Road fringed completely on either side by allotments, full of autumn produce.

Bear Road was a bit hairy but we soon turned into Bevendean Road. We travelled through Bevendean streets, finding large communal grassy areas in front of houses with some roads where whole streets faced woodland and wild spaces rather than other houses.

We arrived at Stanmer Park where we hunkered down in the wind to eat our picnic lunches beside the cafe. About to leave, we spotted Jim and Nick and as a group of 6 headed uphill to Stanmer Woods. At the top we cycled south through the woods to join the horrendous junction Ditchling Road/ Coldean Lane.

Negotiating busy roundabouts we came to a gap in the hedge and onto Ladies’ Mile Nature Reseve. Beautiful relief! Wonderful views on our downhill grassy descent into Patcham where we continued till we reached Mill Road . Uphill again until a discreet turning that took us to Green Ridge where we headed west along a delightful grassy path to Dyke Road.

At this point I left the group to head home.

Thank you to Jim for this voyage of discovery. Over lockdown I have cycled and walked all over Brighton, but have never discovered Bevendean.

Thank you also to Richard for leading us and to Sikka for helping, due to her encyclopaedic knowledge of the area

Tessa

The Last Ride: Sunday 8 March Lewes to Berwick

Nick’s Report

International Women’s Day 2020 found Joyce, Angela, Sally, Doris, John, Jim & Nick at Brighton station waiting for a train to Lewes for the day’s bike ride to Berwick. The 20 mile linear route included plenty of daffodils and only a little rain.

Jim had devised a route which avoided any steep hills when leaving Lewes. After looking at some impressive graffiti, reminding us of the potential imminent extinction of the Blue Spix Macaw, we cycled through the town centre and turned left to follow the river Ouse past Harvey’s Brewery. It was then a short cycle ride to the morning’s coffee stop at the Ringmer Cafe.

While the other Clarionistas drank coffee, I attempted some emergency bike maintenance and removed a rubbing brake block. The coffee break was also an opportunity to take in the first daffodil moment of the day.

The route from the coffee stop to lunch at the King’s Head was perfect for cycling. We all agreed with Joyce that we enjoyed the long, straight, car-free B-road, which took us most of the way to our lunchtime meal of crisps & chips (the Mediterranean vegetable tart looked good too). Jim provided us with a copy of XR’s latest Hourglass paper to read while we waited for the chips to be served.

Interesting signage has featured on quite a few Clarion rides. There were three particularly intriguing signs on Sunday’s ride, which were worth reading and photographing.

The punctuation on the ‘Very Slow. Cats!!!’ warning sign to motorists had been amended to give the impression there were some very slow cats wandering through the village. We also passed a sign which marked the graves of two soldiers who had died in a dual ‘circa 1800’. The third sign of note was the ‘Warning – Dogs Running Free’ attached next to a ‘Keep Out’ sign on a barbed wire gate outside the High Cross estate of violent thug Nicholas Van Hoogstraten.

Most of the day’s rain had coincided with a 20 minute cycle ride to the pub lunch stop. The afternoon weather was dry and cool and it didn’t take too long to reach Berwick station, following some useful amendments to Jim’s route from Angela. We were slightly annoyed to have just missed the return train to Brighton, but it’s good to know that the Berwick Inn always seems open for people like us who have just missed trains.

An excellent day of interesting signage, daffodils, chips & cycling. Thanks to Jim & Angela for pointing us in the right direction.

Nick