Mt. Biking - New Haw Lock to Stoke Lock

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Forces-of-Nature » Personal Diaries » Mt. Biking - New Haw Lock to Stoke Lock

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Owner: squiz
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Member#: 6644
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Registered: 27-05-2007
Diary Entries: 2882

21st October 2018
Mt. Biking: New Haw Lock to Stoke Lock
Wind Direction:
Wind Stength:
Surf / Sea State:
Air Temperature:
Sea Temperature:
Weather: sunny and warm
Max Speed: 13.60 (knots - unless stated otherwise)
Distance Covered: 23 miles (Nautical Miles - unless stated otherwise)

Sunday 21st October – bike ***** – New Haw Lock to Stoke Lock – sunny and warm.

Yet another top night at Bignor Hill on the South Downs Way and woke to the noisy barking stag, more deer in the field, the big red ball of sun rising over the sea and the valley behind us full of cloud, just perfect, so peaceful too:) I had an early stroll with the camera but couldn’t find a spot to take the cloudy valley. Relaxing lay-in reading with not many people about, surprising for a Sunday! Breakfast in the warm sunshine enjoying the view deciding what to do today, go home, go for a bike ride or walk here or try somewhere else? With the best wind coming on Tuesday I was in no hurry to get home so floated the idea of a bike ride here but Mag was not keen as its very up and down, and two days running would be a bit much!! Then our minds were made up when two amateur radio buffs set up a huge aerial and started talking, all Romeo, Delta, Oscar, they didn’t need the radio as half of Sussex could hear them shouting! that and a small generator running ruined the ambience so when Mag suggested we do the Section of the Wey Navigation Canal from Guildford to the M25 to link up other parts of the same canal we have done before the deal was done. We were soon packed up heading north. The narrow road lead us back to Petworth through some lovely little villages. At Guildford we looked for somewhere to park but couldn’t find anywhere so headed for a spot just under the M25 at Byfleet near Weybridge we spotted on a previous bike ride. We were lucky to actually find the dead-end road getting under the height restriction and got the best spot right at the end near the canal, result! It was getting on a bit now so Mag rustled a mackerel salad together - we are getting short of supplies now! while I sorted the bikes leaving the van at 1.30. Another day without a cloud in the sky made the canal look lovely in the dabbled light even though with the sun in our eyes to made seeing the tree roots in the tow path difficult! We soon passed under the M25 turning left towards Guildford, past a fishing competition with many hundreds of pounds worth of fishing tackle but they were not catching much:( Being a Sunday the tow path was quite busy with walkers and bikers but most were friendly enough standing aside for us to pass. Guildford Rowing club had a big sponsored row which involved several boats of mainly four heading back to Guildford with a team of several helpers to get them through the many locks. There was a big diversion past the golf course due to repairs and the path just went on and on, mile after mile with the worn track becoming narrow in places the canal more like a river now but very pretty still:)
We crossed from side to side of the canal with no where we recognised, we were getting tired and hungry now but soldered on. After two hours of steady peddling we finally came to our destination - Stoke lock just North of Guildford, where we had cycled to from Godalming last year – a memorable occasion because we were killing time before going to visit our family and new born Grandson at Guildford Maternity Unit!!! The salad went down very well as did nearly a whole bag of yummy liquorice before setting off on the ten-mile return trip. We seemed to whizz along and got back just before dark. That leg completes the Wey Navigation on our canals biked map and leaves only a short section of the Basingstoke Canal in this area left to do!! 23 miles, out 4 hours 15 minutes, with a top speed of 13.60. We will stay here the night and head back in the morning to prepare for a trip to Bradfield on Tuesday. Another top six nights away in the van:)

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