With no Breeze champ available, I organised a ride for the second time this week, meeting others at FBC, so my total ride home and back was infact 36 miles.... feeling weary!
Today's team Susie, Chris and Ravinder.
The weather was thick fog this morning, not at all what was forecast, but thankfully since we started at 10.00, planning lunch out, it cleared up and was a glorious day.
The
Route (takes a few seconds to open) An 800 feet climb, so not insignificant.
We had done bits and pieces of this route before, but extended into new territory beyond Risely, to Beech Hill, Stratfield Mortimer, and Mortimer Common. I am rubbish at map reading, so often plan my route, then check it on google street view. With my trusty directions including " Right at the green triangle" "Left at the big square house", we took one wrong turning at Strathfield Mortimer, when I turned left passed the wrong church. However we discovered a beautiful lane, so a good find! It extended our route by a couple of miles, but worth it to discover a couple of gorgeous country lanes away from the main road into Mortimer Common.
Worried that the blue sky would not last, I took my first photo on Blagrove Lane, before meeting up with the others at FBC.
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Blagrove Lane
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Heading up to Farley Hill, we took a different route to normal, diverting off before the Bungler's Hill. and riding up Castle Hill instead, which was not quite such a steep climb, but with a lovley downhill to join Bungler's Hill further along. Then we continued and passed Swallowfield Park.
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| Swallowfield Park |
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Swallowfield Park
Next along Part Lane from Swallowield to Riseley, over at The Bull, and UP Bull Lane.
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| Susie and Chris emerging from the underpass at Bull Lane. |
Then over to Beech Hill. (everything seems to include the word hill!)
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| Views just beyond Beech Hill |
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| Skies not quite to blue!!! |
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| Beyond Beech Hill |
At Stratfield Mortimer, we took a (wrong) left turn but discovered a beautiful lane with views back to the Church . At the same time, we got wet from out of nowhere!
Our "revised " route brought us to his pub where we all ordered Potato and Leek Soup. It was terrible! It was like washing up water with cream added.
Refreshed, we headed back a slightly different route, riding down Park Lane, just before Beech Hill.
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| Park Lane |
Eventually we rode back to Eversley Mill via Bramshill Forest.
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| Bramshill Plantation |
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| Crossing at Eversley Mill |
A lovely ride, helped by glorious blue sky..... at last!
