Lanzarote, Monday 23 January to Thursday 26 January
Monday 23 January

Monday was cloudy but dry with temperatures up to 18C. I got in a good hard bike ride with first a 1100ft climb to the central plateau and then down the main route towards Teguise but turning off on a byroad to descend back to sea level on the far coast at Famara overshadowed by towering 2000ft cliffs. Then a hard uphill climb into the wind via Soo, Tiagua and Masdache to return back via Tias.

38 miles today and 2300ft of climb

Tuesday 24 January

Today there was light rain most of the day so I decided I needed a rest day!!

Wednesday 25 January

Wednesday was a great sunny day with temperatures up to 21C. Today I took another ride over to the far coast but using different lanes. I rode via Tiagua and then a billiard smooth descent to Soo and then down to the coast near Club La Santa (a complex full of cyclists) Then up via Tinajo to the craters and lava fields and a great fast descent back to base via La Asomada. The afternoon was spent sunbathing on the terrace. 37 miles for the day and 2400ft of climbing.

Thursday 26 January

Alan and Liz and taken their hired bikes back and yesterday they hired a car for the rest of their trip. Today they drove over to my apartment for elevenses and then we took a drive round some of the sights of the SW corner of the Island. Weather was warm and sunny most of the day reaching 19C but with one short shower in the middle of the day.

We first went to view El Golfo Crater followed by lunch at a seafront restaurant in El Golfo Village. Then on down the coast to Los Hervideros where the sea has eroded caverns under the lava cliffs. Today the Atlantic rollers were very big pounding over the rocks. Then on to Playa Blanca for tea and cake at a seafront cafe

Edwin

Lanzarote. Wednesday 25 January. Descending towards village of Soo

Lanzarote. Wednesday 25 January. Club La Santa

Lanzarote. Thursday 26 January.Waves pound Las Hervideros

Lanzarote. Thursday 26 January.Alan and Liz on Playa Blanca Seafront

Sunday 22 January. Lanzarote. Costa Teguise.
Today I met up with Alan and Liz again and then we all joined Avryl and her friend who had arrived in Lanzarote for a week last Thursday.

Weather was warm and sunny with temperatures reaching 21C.

I cycled over to Tahiche and met up with Alan and Liz who had cycled over from Costa Teguise. We had elevenses at the cafe for the Cesar Manique Foundation. We then had a look round the Museum which is the former house of the famous sculptor, Architect and Painter. The house is built on a Lava Field with a lower level built out of small caves created from Lava bubbles.

We then cycled down to Costa Teguise to meet up for a lengthy Restaurant meal on a warm sunny terrace with Avryl and her friend before a short walk round to their nearby apartment for tea..

My mileage for the day was 31 with 2100ft of climb.

Edwin

View from Cesar Manrique House

Riding to Costa Teguise

Tea at Avryl's

22 January - Walberton start - Limeburners' Arms, Newbridge near Billingshurst
3 women (Jill, Anne & Mary) and two men (Jeff & Phil) met at Walberton Pond on a clear but cold morning to tackle the challenging ride to Newbridge and back. The temperature rose slowly as we rode, but it was still jolly cold when we stopped for coffee at the RSPB at Pulborough Brooks having followed the usual route out through Amberley and Rackam. Our leader decided to try the off-road route due north from the RSPB turning at the White Horse and following the road across the A29 to eventually pick up the bridleway to cross the river by the old stone bridge. The bridleway was passable - on foot - but the four bikes were caked with sticky mud by the time we reached the main road near Wisborough Green, and we had several stops to clear the mud from mudguards and pedals during the rest of the day.

Turning right at the main road, we soon reached the Limeburners where a large Horsham group were already on their second round of drinks and starting into their food. We ordered ours and exchanged pleasantries with the Horsham group.

After lunch, we returned to Wisborough Green and then took the minor road over the hills to Fittleworth, taking care to avoid the low-flying owls as usual. From Fittleworth we headed in a slightly round-about way to Bury where we stopped at the tearooms for afternoon tea. We then headed across to climb Houghton Hill to Whiteways and then on to the spur where we parted company with Anne and Jill returning via Barnham, and Mary, Phil & Jeff heading down the main road to Eastergate.

Sunday 22 January - Chichester start
A clear, cold, sunny day but only six turned out. We welcomed a new rider Dave Rang. The route out was via Eastergate and Barnham to Arundel for coffee. We sat outside the Edible Bread Company Cafe by the river where we were met by Eric. We continued towards Littlehampton - an unusual
destination for us. We crossed the Littlehampton footbridge for lunch by the river at the Look and See Centre cafe which was very pleasant. We returned home via Yapton, Walberton, Aldingbourne and Tangmere. It was good day out for this time of year.

Richard Carlise

Saturday 21 January. Lanzarote. Club Ride to Teguise.
On Wednesday Alan and Liz flew out to Lanzarote for 2 weeks staying at a resort further up the South East Coast from me of Costa Teguise. Today I cycled over there to join them for a ride.

Weather was warm and sunny with scattered light clouds. Temperatures reached 21C.

I had a 17 mile ride over there with a 1000ft ridge to climb and we met up at Alan and Liz’s Apartment. After a visit to the shop to sort out a problem with Alan’s hired mountain bike we headed inland on a quiet gentle climb.

We cycled under the main road at about 500ft and then headed north east parallel to the main road on the old road which had no traffic. After about 2 miles we turned off on a byroad towards Teguise via the village of Teseguite. We circled the base of an old volcano crowned by the castle of Santa Barbara. We came out just above Teguise at 1100ft. We then had a short descent into the back alleys of the old town where we found a restaurant for lunch.

In the afternoon we had a good descent on the main road to the town of Tahiche with views towards the mountains to the south. Here we split up with Alan and Liz heading back to Costa Teguise and I headed back to Puerto del Carmen.

My mileage for the day was 47 with about 2500ft of climbing.

Edwin

Riding inland from Costa Teguise

Lunch at Teguise. Photo by Alan

Thursday 19 January. Lanzarote. El Golfo Crater and Femes Ride.
I planned a shorter ride today after yesterday’s exertions. Weather was bright and sunny and very clear although it clouded over later in the day. Temperatures rose to 20C.

I headed southwest to start with on the Playa Blanca road via Yaiza which involved a climb to 750ft. Then I turned off on a quiet byroad across lava fields where the lava had flowed down from the multiple eruptions to the sea. I went down to view El Golfo Crater which is a volcanic cone eroded in half by the sea.

The road then continues a circuit along the coast on dramatic lava cliffs pounded by the sea. I saw on the route a big group of disabled cyclists on 3 wheel hand powered recumbents.

I passed under the main road and climbed up to Las Brenas and then further up with great views down across the plains on the southern tip of the Island to Playa Blanca with the hills of the Island of Fueventura visible in the distance. The byroad comes to a roundabout where it joins the mountain road route coming up from Playa Blanca. From here the road heads skyward up a cliff with gradients of about 15% for a mile.

On top of the cliff is the village of Femes where I collapsed into a restaurant for lunch dripping sweat. I soon recovered to appreciate the great views from the terrace at 1250ft. The road from Femes back to the main road had been recently resurfaced which made for a great fast descent.

Mileage for the day was 36 with about 2500ft of climb.

Edwin