MSSC Weekend Trip 2025

After the success of last year’s trip, despite the lashings of rain throughout the day, the return to Gaveston Hall brought new challenges to both sighted and visually impaired participants.

An Early Start

This year’s trip to Gaveston Hall brought together cycling and walking groups in the sweltering summer heat. With an earlier start than planned to miss the worst of the hotter parts of the day. Members filtered into the Old Ruts Rugby Club where the busy atmosphere of people adjusting tandems for the two-day epic ride filled the air with friendly chatter and the chitter of bicycle chains.

Setting Off on Route

The four groups of cyclists were set to take on various routes throughout the surrey hills, joining up with the walking group further along the trail. Tandems weaved their way through the country roads, covered in the dappled shade of trees and across open fields of swaying wheat. The groups would converge from time to time at lesser visited refreshment spots along the way. Filling bottles with water and the addition of an abundance of fizzing hydration tablets, an exotic array of brightly tinted drinks were prepped, while menus were read. There was much deliberation over how much to order, so as to strike the perfect balance between adequate fuel and nothing too heavy to carry up the next steep climb.

With each of the 4 tandem groups covering around 40 miles, the drag up the final hill began. Soon conquered, the white-backed sign of Gaveston Hall led the way for a final, enthusiastic burst of energy where the magnificent Victorian building was glimpsed between trees.

You Have Arrived at Your Destination

Gaveston hall sign hanging from a richly leaved oak tree. Photo By: Toby
Gaveston Hall sign hanging from a richly leaved oak tree. Photo By: Toby

This year, lucky enough to have two supporting cars, the walking and tandem groups were welcomed on arrival with tea and biscuits. Congratulations and conversations broke out as the groups arrived one after the other. With rooms assigned and bags collected, some much needed, refreshing showers were had, while the walking group cooled off in the indoor pool.

With plenty of time before the evening BBQ, some members broke off for a walk around the grounds. Ponds full of lily pads glistened amongst towering pine trees and well-weathered stone architecture, which would provide the picturesque backdrop to the evening’s games. Of course, not being able to escape the dreaded mechanicals that plague even the most prepared of rides, a few members tinkered with bicycles ready for the next day. The smell of BBQ drew them back where they were rewarded with some fantastic catering. After the evening’s meal and fire pit ignited, thanks were announced, then a comedic quiz led into the revelation of a well-kept secret (perhaps not well enough – the birthday of one of the pilots) which provided an excuse for cake. The evening concluded with a round of pass the parcel, with a difference, where each layer revealed either a prize or a potential forfeit.

Day Two a Cooler Morning

A herd of young deer gather amongst the undergrowth. Tree branches bleed across overhead. Photo by: Lesley
A herd of young deer gather amongst the undergrowth. Tree branches bleed across overhead. Photo by: Lesley

A warm night broke into a cooler morning where the MSSC members, glad to escape from their rooms, appreciated the morning breeze as they met in the main house for a light breakfast. Teas, coffees, cereal bars, juice and fruit fuelled conversations of yesterday’s events. Wanting to take advantage of the more manageable temperatures the tandems were promptly brought from the barn under the curious watch of a herd of deer.

The Journey Back

As the sun continued to rise over the West Sussex countryside, the groups stretched their legs along the way to the Tolkien event of second breakfast. The now well-fed cyclists’ routes criss-crossed the hills, which seemed to have been erected overnight, amongst tractors and vintage cars. The sun, now at full force once again, made water stops a necessity for the tandems, all in search of Denbies Wine Estate and the second refreshment stop of the day. Groups of solo cyclists would discuss the intrigue in the rarer sight of so many tandems, asking where we’d all appeared from.

The fields that stretched for miles gave way to A roads on the way to Denbies. Neatly manicured grape vines flanked the approach to the busy venue. In the greenhouse-like structure lunches were ordered and devoured with pints of iced water.

Leaving the estate, a few of the tandem groups crossed paths with one another as they set off for their final destination, back to old ruts. The gears seemed to grind just that little bit slower for the following miles, but soon enough the cyclists would be rejuvenated as the routes became more familiar. Pilots and stokers began to count down the final ascents, with the descents now that little bit sweeter. All groups made it back safely to Old Ruts where the high spirited participants conveyed their gratitude to their ride leaders.

A Weekend to Remember

With scenic routes, supportive teamwork, memorable meals and plenty of shared laughter, this year’s MSSC trip to Gaveston Hall offered a perfect blend of adventure and community. From Blazing sun to birthday surprises, it was a weekend full of moments to celebrate, on two wheels and two feet alike.

James Jacques (June 2025)

Weekend cycling trip 2024

On the weekend of 15/16th June, twenty-eight MSSC members took part in a two-day cycling trip with overnight stay at Gaveston Hall, a hostel in Nuthurst, West Sussex.

The MSSC party consisted of eleven tandems and three solo bikes, divided into three groups. A massive thank you to Dave Bull, Andrew Newton and Francis D’silva, who each led a group, following slightly different routes of around forty to fifty miles, to and from the venue. Many thanks also to Audrey Bull, who drove the route to provide vehicle back-up, transporting all the luggage and two additional stokers who swapped with other stokers at each refreshment stop.

The cyclists rode through spells of sunshine, intermittent showers and torrential downpours en route to the hostel on Saturday, but nothing could dampen their spirits. Once more or less dried out, everyone enjoyed the evening, chatting, drinking and eating pizza, before heading off to their respective dorms to catch a few hours’ sleep. Sunday dawned bright and hopeful and, besides a heavy shower early in the day, the groups cycled back to Old Ruts, for the most part, in glorious sunshine. No doubt there were a few aching muscles the next day, but a good time was had by all!

We owe a massive debt of gratitude to Joel Hawkins, who so generously subsidised our wonderful weekend trip. Thank you, Joel!

2024 Ride London fundraising

Photo of MSSC members (left-to-right: Nayoung, Andrew, Terry, Richard, Richard, Toby, Victoria with guide dog Otto) in Old Ruts car park getting ready for a training ride
Left-to-right: Nayoung, Andrew, Terry, Richard, Richard, Toby, Victoria with guide dog Otto – getting ready for a training ride

Huge congratulations to our intrepid team of tandem riders —Victoria and Andrew, Nayoung and Toby— who successfully completed the Ford Ride London-Essex 100 on Sunday, 26th May and, in so doing, raised over £3,000 for MSSC. This exceeds the original target of £2,500, so we have more than enough to purchase a new Orbit Velocity tandem which will no doubt be enjoyed by many of our stokers and pilots for years to come.

Well done Victoria, Andrew, Nayoung and Toby, and thank you for your amazing, mammoth effort on behalf of the club.

Many thanks also to our magnificent maintenance volunteers who ensured the tandems were in good working order and fit for the ride, and thank you to everybody who donated so generously!

Nayoung wrote a few words about her experience.

It was a truly unforgettable experience to be part of the great event for cyclists from all walks of life. I was overwhelmed by thousands of enthusiastic cyclists around me and lots of cheerleaders from the start all the way to the finish line. My pilot, Toby gratefully accommodated me at his house as I couldn’t get to London in good time due to Sunday train service. He even cooked fantastic breakfast for us to fuel up as much energy as we can for the day. We enjoyed fresh peaceful morning on the way to the start line and made a good start with many good wishes.

The bike couldn’t be better thanks to those who checked and oiled our bike on the previous day. We smoothly cycled through East London to Epping and further into Essex. We had all sorts of weather condition on the way, beautiful sunshine, harsh rain and strong headwind. It was so wonderful feeling when we crossed over the finishing line with lots of cheers and music. Tired and aching body couldn’t prevail the delight of achievement. I was so much encouraged thanks to support I received from my pilot and MSSC, which enabled me to enjoy cycling and take part in this phenomenal cycling day. Now I am so happy that my enjoyment could be of a little help getting another tandem bike for more pilots and visually impaired stokers to enjoy cycling.

Nayoung Lee, May 2024

MSSC’s New Website

Welcome to our new website for the MSSC.

We hope that this site will be accessible, easy to use and informative.

In addition, we would also like to express how grateful we are to Kualo for providing us with their Free Charity Hosting, a fantastic service that allows charities to have their websites hosted for free; an initiative we highly recommend and want to spread the word about.

New Tandem

In Auguest MSSC were delighted to collect its first new tandem in a number of years from Wallington Cycles. A big thanks to the Wimbledon Get Set Get Active fund who awarded us the grant for this. The tandem has already been used for its first ride as shown in the photo.

 

Brand New Tandem Bike