DENBIES

 I’ve been going to Denbies for years. Adding it to this summer’s collection of vineyards feels almost like cheating, but given that I’m still healing from the bicycle accident, I wanted a shorter, more familiar run than any of the Kent or Hampshire options. Denbies is a fairly straight and easy run down the A24, corrugated roads and tar banding notwithstanding.

Denbies is very well geared towards visitors, although I suggest parking closer to the building, where it’s paved, rather than on the openwork bricks further away - particularly if it’s been raining, as side-stands and mud are not a great combination at the best of times. The bricks are openwork enough that this is a consideration. 

Denbies is not far from Box Hill and Ryka’s, but has infinitely better coffee than Ryka’s. This isn’t all that startling an achievement: Ryka’s serves instant. As I am an unabashed coffee snob, I don’t do instant.

The visitor centre is just that - containing a gift shop, event space and more than one option for coffee. They also tend to do an interesting line in cakes, if, like me, you get there in between actual meal times

JUMP

Recently, I had a bicycle accident involving wet road paint, a downhill, the mechanics of braking and grip, and smooth concrete. This did damage to both knees, both shoulders, wrists and elbows. It took over a week before I had sufficient mobility even to contemplate riding the motorbike again. 

Let’s be clear - I don’t try to save a sliding bike of any kind if I’m not absolutely sure I can. I don’t filter through gaps I’m not instantly sure are wide enough. The first rule of filtering: if you have to think about whether you’ll fit, you won’t. 

Sliding or skidding vehicles are similar - if you’re not bone-deep, instinctively sure you can save it, you can’t. So just jump. This advice came to me from a surgeon who had to repair the damage caused by a biker not jumping. Hit the kill switch if you can, but jump. 

Having jumped, I got off with soft tissue damage. Yes, it takes a long time to heal, but at least I can go riding unencumbered by casts and slings and doctor's orders. 

A gentle run on familiar roads, nothing too twisty or complex until I am not on three doses of anti-inflammatory gel a day, and no longer have bruises which object to the lightest impact of gravel bits or insects. 

I shall resume my tour of vineyards soon. I really hope.