Anyone that lives in Dorking is probably familiar with the swarms of road cyclists in the area around Box Hill, converging around the National Trust Cafe, a conveniently located purveyor of cake and expensive coffee, right at the top of Zig Zag Road.
For anyone not aware of Zig Zag Road, it is a zigzagging road up Box Hill that is essential for anyone who wants to reach the other side of Box Hill without having to go on a 5-mile diversion. Unfortunately, it is also the favoured habitat of the rural road cyclist, due to several factors, such as: it has numerous switchbacks; a near constant gradient, the road is smooth, it has nice views, and it is very difficult for cars to pass. In fact, it has been voted the nicest climb in the world on the app Strava, beating routes made famous on the Tour de France such as the Alpe d’Huez. The infamous local road has been tackled by 103,268 cyclists, a total of 773,437 times as recorded by Strava. And as you can imagine, the plagues of two-wheeled vermin make it an exercise in frustration to even attempt to drive up, especially at the weekends.
However, our salvation is upon us! We have recently been experiencing the torrential rain that heralds the arrival of spring, acerbated by extreme weather patterns associated with global warming. For a brief window, the roads are free of this cycling menace! Few cyclists dare set out in this weather in their aerodynamic, but not warming, lycra.
In conclusion, in finding a tiny, ephemeral silver lining to the dark clouds of global warming, this morning it was safe to use this convenient road as it was intended, once more: to drive up it and I am happy to announce we arrived on time for my music lesson.
