Collected my new bike on Friday! Christmas present from hubby. It's a Trek, Niko SL.
Keen to try it out of course, but still full of cold, so not sure how far I would make it. My computer not yet fitted, so before I left, I mapped out a route from home which would be an 11 mile round trip. I was enjoying myself so much, that I ended up doing over 20 miles. Endless nose blowing stops, but since I was on my own it gave me plenty chance for photos too. Fabulous weather, with sunny skies all the way today.
My route map (takes a few seconds to load)
First I headed toward Winnersh, then along Mole Road, Sindlesham. We live in a busy built up area, but it's great that the countryside is not far away. These first views at about 3 miles.
Next, me and my shadow turned into Church Lane, Arborfield, where the sun was lighting up the pretty little church.
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| view to right of Church Lane, Arforfield. |
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| Arborfield Church |
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| The Willow tree lit up with the sunshine. |
Next crossed almost directly straight over the busy A327, and into the quiet Greenward Lane.
Back through Arborfield Cross, down School Road, joined Barkham Road, then into Barkham Street. Did a short detour to visit St. James Church.
This next view is one which you can NEVER get in a car, as its impossible to stop on Barkham Street, but on a bike it's easy!
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| Distant view of St. James Church |
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| Think I've been spotted |
I was planning to start heading in the direction of home after this but decided to continue down to Finchampstead, across 9 Mile Ride and into Heath Ride.
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| Heath Ride |
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| Roman Ride |
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| Sun lit woods |
Then down to Crowthorne, turning left at Griff's where I got my new bike.
Next I cycled through a path on East Berkshire Golf course, not realising until I got through, that it was a footpath and not a cycle path. Think I got away with it! I was hoping to cycle through Ravenswood Village to 9 Mile Ride, but could not find a pathway. I stopped to ask someone, and he said he had lived around here for many years and never heard of Ravenswood Village. ( it's definitely still on the map!)
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| The golf course looking very verdant. |
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| Gorse in flower on the Golf course |
Unable to cut through to Ravenswood Village, I continued along this rather muddy track, which links to New Wokingham Road, Crowthorne, where I spotted a "no cycling" sign. Oops!
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| A good test for my bike, which coped easily. |
From here, across 9 Mile Ride, into Honey Hill, another very quiet road, and not at all "hilly".
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| Honey Hill |
At the Crooked Billet Pub, a short detour right into Redlake Lane to see how the Ford was looking. Its only now that I am home, and see the map, that I realised I could continued over the footbridge here and onto the Easthampstead Road. Instead I doubled back and joined it further along.
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| Sandbag walls at the Ford. |
A was going to go straight home from here, but such a beautiful day, I decided to cycle across to Easthampstead Park. So crossed the Easthampstead Road level crossing, and turned right into Waterloo Road.
Crossed the railway again at the Waterloo Crossing, and soon arrived at the entrance to Easthampstead Park, with its impressive long driveway.
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| The gate house |
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| The large Pine tree looking wonderful against the blue sky. Loved this pretty domed roof. |
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| Almost all fitted into one shot. |
At this point checked my watch for the first time. 12.45 Eeek. Got an appointment at 2.00pm. Mad dash home for lunch. (Route map tells me this is 17 miles at this point).
The verdict on the bike......... LOVE IT! Very comfortable, very responsible, and was even freewheeling at some points. Never did that on my old bike. Alway had to peddle to keep it moving.
