Meridian Vine

Those that joined us at Warr’s South East in Mottingham for our ride were rewarded with a dry run to our destination and back home! So unlike the weather forecaster with their doom and gloom predictions the Harley Angels smiled upon us. A total of 75 miles and to quote one of our lady riders Lynn… new to Meridian “Thanks for organising such a lovely ride today, I had a ball!”

This celebration ride of 15 years Meridian Chapter we enjoyed riding the Meridian Line that as it happens include great riding roads in, the South Downs National park, and even travel one of the 100 best scenic routes identified by Readers Digest! And we got to do this on a Harley!

As we approach the back end of our riding season, what better way than to mark 15 years of Meridian by riding the Meridian line. We travelled out of Chislehurst and picked up the A233 out pass the famous home of the Spitfire and Biggin Hill aerodrome and onto Westerham. I though it good to put some details of the roads for any HOG rider to have the opportunity to ride the route again, its well worth it with a mix of good riding A and B roads that are all scenic. And, through the heartland of the most concentrated area of wineries in the South East of England at a time of year when the grapes are being harvested. A Meridian Vine ride!

At Westerham we picked up the B2026 all the way to Edenbridge and beyond to the A 264 and headed west to our comfort stop that is on the Meridian Line, East Court and Meridian Hall! A lovely photo spot with the Millennium Stone and a chance to have a bum cheek in two hemispheres, well I did anyway! (You’ll need to bring your own refreshments, but there are toilets and drinking water).

Comfort stop over we headed immediately south along the B2110 and the A22 for a short way to Wych Cross and then rode the Meridian line proper with the A275 all the way to Lewes. We skirted passed Lewes and onto some real country lanes, as stated by Reader Digest no less as one of the 100 best scenic routes!

I gave our riders a little challenge with the one way system in Newhaven but the markers did their job and ably scooped up by my last man Alan Wright and onto our penultimate stop (A259 Peacehaven and Brighton). Another photo winner with the monument that marks where the Meridian Line leaves our shores at Peacehaven (Horsham Drive). From here we head to the 2018 prize winning Roedean café where the ride will officially end with views over Brighton Marina.

Meridian Road Captains and Crew did a grand job, as usual).

Bernie Cresswell RC