Monday ride, but unfortunately Dave had a time restraint, so couldn't join us today. So, we picked up Linda and Daphne from Windsor Ride and all travelled together to Silchester.
Route link screen shot at end.
We did this ride last year in the winter, so it looked a bit different today. With shorts and teeshirts, it felt a little cool as we left Silchester, but forecast to warm up later. Via Aldermaston Soke, we did the fast down and up to cross the stream, plodding up on Soke Road. A dogleg at the roundabout into Red Lane, but took our usual little back road called Raghill into Spring Lane, which is generally traffic free, as it was today. Rejoining Red Lane, a climb them to Aldermaston Church, and everyone warmed up now. 😉
A little wait in Aldermaston as several huge trucks passed on the main road, which we left after 100 yards to join the quiet and flat road towards Wasing Park. 2 right turns, and all the way now into Woolhampton, to arrive at The Rowbarge Pub, next to the canal. It reminded me that I must check the dates of the Mikron Theatre coming in our area, which I did when I got home. Too late! Missed them this year.
Flat light again today, so not great for photos.
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| Rowbarge at Woolhampton, where we turn left onto the A4 for about 100 yards then turn off.... to head uphill! |
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| Kennet and Avon Woolhampton. |
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| I'm sure the deer just keep to the left before they jump the gate! 😂 |
I was pleasantly surprised to find that the last climb I was expecting, didn't materialise! I was up, as we passed a large woodland. (Daphne asked if it was Swinley Forest. 😂.WOT! Starting from Silchester?!!
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| The ferns looking quite autumnal already due to lack of rain. |
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| The Blackbird, Chapel Row. Daphne thought we were going to Charter Alley Cafe (which is also nowhere NEAR Swinley Forest.😍) |
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| Daphne shared this delicious Pistachio cake with me. John had a HUGE piece of Coffee cake. Linda was as strong willed as ever. 😇😇😇 |
We sat outside, since by now the sun had come out, and was pleasantly warm. After coffee, we COULD have just left the cafe to continue on The Avenue, taking a right turn towards Beenham. But that would have been too short a ride, so as we did last time, we dropped steeply into Buckleberry, through the village and headed to Stanford Dingley.
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| A huge downhill into Buckleburry |
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| "The Old Smithy", in Buckleberry Village. |
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| John and Daphne had stopped to admire this shrub, which is an Hibiscus. Flowers look very similar to the Hollyhocks next to them, but generally a bit smaller. |
Linda in the meantime had kept going, so I caught up with her on the lane to Stanford Dingley. So.... that huge hill we dropped down into Buckleberry, meant that we had to regain that elevation out of Stanford Dingley, to get up to The Avenue. Oh joy. Who planned this?! (ME! 😂). But we've done it before, so no big surprise... apart from Daphne.
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| Bottom of Lambdens Hill. |
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| And that dead tree which I photograph every time I come. |
Back over the A4 now, and over the railway bridge to Ufton Green, for a slow plod to Ufton Nervet. Not too steep, but goes on and on. There are a choice of roads to ride from this point and today we used Shortheath Lane to connect to Sulhampstead Road X Roads (church in view). Then on Hollybush Lane to Wokefield Nature Reserve junction, followed by it's big downhill to cross a stream, and a steep uphill to follow. Left now into Nightingale Lane (aka Barking Dog Lane), which has had a new road surface the entire length. (with this horrible cheap new surface). But at least no potholes for now. (No barking dogs today).
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| From Park Lane railway bridge looking towards Silchester. "Fields of gold" |
No Daphne for the next couple of weeks, so we won't have to worry about her being lost. She will be "Lost in France" instead, singing along with Bonny Tyler. 😅😆😁
