Wargrave to Southend ( Chiltern Valley Vineyard) 26 miles

E bike Sunday, and we started a little later, due to early rain. It had been heavy overnight, again, so lots of big puddles today, again. I am leading a Breeze ride on Wednesday to the Chiltern Valley Vineyard, nr Hambleden, at the top of the stupidly steep Dudley Lane. But we are approaching from the other side!

So we decided to check it out for my benefit. (John had passed just recently, and noticed an A board re coffee/cake! )

Route link (A strange route to include a detour to check out Bix potential flood)

An overcast start as we parked at Wargrave

Dropping down Aston Lane, we crossed the river in Henley, and out the otherside to the Fairmile. I had wondered about the state of the road with any flooding through Bix from Greys Court (where my ride will go on Wednesday,) so John suggested we climb up Bix Hill, to go and check. It's steep! So I've never done it in this direction before. But on the ebike it was ok if you just keep going.

Views at Bix Hill where it at last flattens out.
Changes name here to Old Bix Road.

A dash across the A4130 to Bix Manor, and sure enough as we approached the flood I had been worried about, it was clearly there.

We approached, and turned back. It's a bit of a dip, so
can be deceptively deep... and full of holes.

We crossed back over the main road, and dropped down the stupidly steep and potholed Rectory Lane, eventually arriving in the Stonor Valley at Middle Assendon, not much further along than where we had climbed Bix Hill.

Mostly down now on Rectory Lane, Bix.
My fingers were hurting with braking so hard.

Now the gradual climb up Stonor Valley Road
Liked the colour of the crop fields on the left.

Opposite view. John in shorts.... and boots today. 😅

Stonor farm. How cute.

A whole line of Cows with their calves
all sitting on clean straw.

Just passed Stonor House, a right turn to climb to Turville Heath. I was very surprised that I did the majority of this climb using only green power assistance.

Balhams Lane up to Turville Heath

Balhams Lane. Blue sky appearing!

A right turn at the top, where more usually we would carry on straight to Northend to drop in to Turville. But today, we headed to South End, then through the woods to the Vineyard on Dudley Lane.