Des res

After the torrential rain yesterday the weather couldn’t have been better for today’s Easy Riders cycling get together. We started with coffee in Milford and went on a largely cross-country route taking in Witley Park during which our leader, Charlie, gave us the benefit of his extensive knowledge of the life and times of estate’s 19th century developer, James Whitaker Wright (book and TV programme coming soon!). After lunch at the Refectory the hardiest of us nipped up to Ripley and took a very pleasant route along the Wey Navigations, stopping at RHS Wisley for coffee and cake en route. We passed this interesting building which turns out to be the summer house of Pyrford Place where the 16th/17th century poet John Donne lived for a time while staying with relatives having hit upon hard times. Here's one of his poems:

Daybreak
STAY, O sweet and do not rise!
The light that shines comes from thine eyes;
The day breaks not: it is my heart,
Because that you and I must part.
Stay! or else my joys will die
And perish in their infancy.

John Donne


PS - I see I blipped the River Wey on this day last year!