Well, we’ll have our white ‘Dorking Cocks’ tops on so we’ll be easy to spot.

Yep, 3 of us ‘Dorking Cocks’ hoping to leave Winchester at about 8am tomorrow assuming the trains get us there on time and do the whole thing.

Mattjg – Etherley Farm is the only venue I can think off and its perfectly placed, I even know some of the people involved there. Its got a tril pretty much on the doorstep, short walk / ride to the Parrot at Forest Green and Holmbury, Ockley & Coldharbour all reachable.

Its ownwed by the Natioanl Trust but has a tennant Farmer. Barry and Di have just opened a Eco holiday place there sleeping 20 in pods as well.

tallgavin has it spot on. Its a franchise and Bobby has run it for years and the staff were from local villages including Coldharbour. Booby’s cakes were homemade which I can vouch for as I used to be her next door neighbour and got the odd freebie when she was baking.

Facilities have been improved as the NT hollowed out more of the old rubble filling the tower to create a bigger interior and have put in a mains water supply. She declined the new franchise for the reasons tallgavin gives above.

Added bonus is that both of those are only a couple of miles by bike from the ‘Square and Compass’

I’d be amazed if ‘Toms Field’ isn’t full up by Friday night and its very family orientated. Having said that Acton Field is literally just a field away from Toms Field so between the two of them there’d probably be room.

Well, currently thinking doing Gaick paas to stay at Blair, then Glen Tilt to stay at Breamer then back to the Railway/A9 for the train home which I guess could be via Tromie & Feshie !

Right, thanks, so it’ll be wet which is kind of a given really. I suppose the real question is, will they be passable ? will we have to wade above say knee height ? whats the best pub in Blair Athol with real beer to warm up with :-)

Very true Sui, plenty of trails have come and gone over the years.

Invites, I thought it was just a bunch of mates ! Looking forward to mine for next year.

Funny thing is, I was actually out biking on Leith Hill on Wednesday night and for a lot longer than you by the sound of it.

Joker22, well I must say thats a very appropriate name

xterramac – that is possibly the single most stupid post I have ever read on here and that really does take some doing. I’ll give you credit for making me laugh thou.

Or me for that matter

Another +1 for Daver27. As said above, I don’t think anyone is taking issue with the trails whoever is building them (and not all are down to this one mythical god) its the raceing thats the problem.

If he has this dialogue with the Hurtwood Ranger perhaps it would have been more sensible to arrange to have the race over there with his approval.

lol @ Cheespleez

Chucker, not really sure what you’re getting at but if you are reffering to the Olympic Road Race then you have a point. After all that has been planned and approved by all the relevant authorities, will be marshalled and have hugh resources to make sure the route stays clear and safe just like the Leith Hill mega – oh, hang on a minute !

Cheezepleez, it seems like you’re banging your head against a brick wall, why people can’t see how wrong illegal racing on Leith Hill is, is quite simply beyond me – its just so obvious.

But they are just a bunch of mates, they all now each other – doing a good job at leaving this thread alone thou I’ll give them that.

Well according to Strava, the great and good of Surrey as you put it were slower than Tony B who I believe is from Sussex.

Yep, nice one, just whats needed in that area, what a stupid and foolish idea.

I did the Inverie to Kinlochourn route back in 2004 I think. It certianly is doable but we were blessed with a beautiful hot suuny day that probably helped.

The ride out of Inverie was ok but we did have to push the last mile or so up ma Barrisdale. The decent down the other side was 100% rideable and very enjoyable. The hardest bit is the section from Barrisdale to Kinlochourn, from memory we rode maybe 50% of it but were constantly on and off the bike and had a couple of quite long ‘hike a bike’ sections.

From Kinlochourn it was road all the way to InverGarry. It was a long day but we had plenty of stops for tea/food and to take in the scenary.

It was one of the best days biking I have ever had but as mentioned before we were blessed with very hot dry sunny weather and I’m not sure I would have enjoyed it anything like as much in adverse conditions.

We had small daysacks each not panniers as we find it much easier to travel that way especially on any hike a bike sections.

Rest of the trip followed a similar route to the one you suggest, we went via Glenmore & Tomintoul which was great. Not sure why we choose that route as your other suggestion seems to be very popular too.

I do highly recommend the whole trip, great few days of riding.

7 of us Dorking Cocks out last night but as we start at 6.30 to 6.45ish I guess thats also too early for you. Was a fantastic night to be riding, the trails are in great condition I just love nights like that. The ride back to Westcott after beers at the Plough at 10 down summer lightning and Wolvens lane/Rookery was just the best, wonderful.

Thats true Matt, how could I forget about Steph but to be fair you can’t really call her a regular Wednesday night rider(Cock).

That happened twice Matt and now they are both in New Zealand. I wonder if there is a link lol

lol, everyone fighting over groovejunkie.

Ah, was wondering who that was – thought it was Joe at first !

3 Cocks on one thread, now that has to be a 1st !

Dig n daft, LHS and of course TJ seem to have it right – not everyone loves dogs which may come as a big surprise to several people on this thread.

I’m with Bent Udder on this. I simply can’t understand why anyone would want to organise or get involved in a full hardy scheme like this. It is exactly what isn’t needed in such a senstive area like this.

Yep, we live there as do plenty of other bikers. All good really, great access straight onto the trails, easy to walk in Dorking, generally a quiet place and yes, a little cheaper than Dorking town although of course thats all relative as nothing around the Surrey Hills is ‘cheap’ as such.

Oops, that should have read ‘Clash of the Titans’

They are filming a small part of ‘Class of the Titans’ something like a 15 minute scene so I was told

I’m at work so I’m afraid no pic possible. Its small and pink, came in a box sealed with an off cut of innertube in a jiffi bag and also had one or two little extra items like sweets. Hopefully a few others will be getting there’s when they return home or the postman arrives and hopefully they’ll be able to post a pic.

You’ll just have to take my word for it.

My jewelery has just arrived and very nice it is too

JoB – Yep, interest here too

I would be interested if you could give some idea of how much it'll cost. I've had a few I used as necklaces but the metal was too soft, the hoop gave way and i lost them.

There is a cracking trail that goes through there and comes out near the road at Warwicks bench. From there go down the road accross Shalford park, over the River Wey then follow the tow path back into the middle of town coming out very near the station.

glenp – Don't know where you read the comment about the flare spoiling night riding, that really seems to be rather a silly argument. Also I don't see where the protesters are claiming that the site is on top of Leith Hill. Perhaps the well should be put in Abinger Common somewhere ! as you point out it has no implications for the local community, Abinger Common is actually on Leith Hill and is more accessable from the A25 so has better transport links – sounds like a fairly ideal spot.

As for the proposed site, I can confirm it is used by mountain bikers regularly, on average I will be in that area at least once a week, there are several roll ins in that wood and A jump/play area used a lot by Nirvana, this in know way means its the wrong site, that is for other reasons, it does however mean that perhaps you should take the bike there a little more often.

Lastly, Abinger Common and Friday street are on the other side of the hill and this proposed site would have no effect on either of those places either visually or with increased traffic. My main objection is that the roads are simply not suitable for any kind of high level of large vehicles (yes I wish fewer of the locals had large 4×4's which are unecessary)and that it will have a negative impact on a AONB which is allready under hugh pressure from all kinds of other things.

As said before,(geology allowing and I'm sure in this day and age that wouldn't be a problem after all it would be drilling from the same sandstone rock strata)I just don't understand why a site off the A24 can't be used giving much better access, possibly outside the AONB and at a lower alltitude. Its not the fact that oil is being extracted that the protesters don't agree with, its just the proposed site.

Joe, you are right, lorries are the main objection and whatever you may think surely you can see that Coldharbour Lane is really not that appropriate for lorries – its the danger aspects of this traffic that is of most concern. As my previous post, can you please tell me why drilling from a site accessable from the A24 duel carrigeway isn't being put forward.

Ewan, your remarks seem wide of the mark and rather childish not to say of little relavence, does it really matter what someones house is worth and what car they drive !

Yep, It would cost the oil exploraton company a bit more money, thats about it though. Take a look at the map on the virtualvillage website linked above and you'll see what I mean. Somewhere around Mid / South Holmwood /Beare Green would seem more sensible to me and by that I don't mean right in the villages but in the land between them and the lower slopes of Leith Hill.