Out with John today on a new route he planned starting at Snelsmore Common Country Park (with car park and toilets). A chilly 10 degrees for much of the earlier part since plenty of shady bits under tree canopy down country lanes., but lovely in the sunshine.
Garmin route
We immediately took a left signposted for Winterbourne and at the bottom a right then left to Boxford. The ride crossed straight over the A4000 and also the A4 a couple of times passing through some very pretty countryside and villages. They all seemed to be uphill of course in this area!
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| View as we come down the first hill. Winterbourne. |
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| Bottom of the first descent. John ahead |
Crossing over the A4000 we headed to Hoe Benham. There were a lot of turns on this route and thankfully John's Garmin didn't play up today. (unlike mine still gone for repair). We did carry a map just in case since this was pretty much new territory for us both.
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| I liked these gates on a sharp bend after crossing the A4 heading to Marsh Benham |
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| Crossing the K&A at Milkhouse Road, Hampstead Lock |
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| The River Kennett running next to the canal |
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| Tea stop at Inkpen. Motor cyclists, walkers, cyclists and........ |
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| ... horses! |
We wiggled around a bit eventually crossing a cattle grid entering Hungerford Park. At a T junction we turned right and headed down hill back to the canal once more.
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Crossing the canal again, as we drop down from Hungerford common
to Dun Mill Lock |
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| Very pretty house at the bridge at Denford Mill |
Then a quick dash across the busy A4 almost straight over and another uphill on Dark Lane, towards Denford Park. Nice quiet lanes for a bit, and we came across this Vineyard, just before the junction of a road called Church Hill..... here we go again!
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Loved the two pigeons enjoying the views of the Vineyard
nr Church Hill, Wickham |
At the top of Church Hill, straight across the A4000, then under the M4, bringing us into Welford, and stopped at the church here.
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| Welford Church |
A right turn towards Easton took us once more under the M4, where we continued straight for while, on Lambourne Road passed the Woodspeen Restaurant (a favourite of ours). Left turn just passed the Woodspeen towards Bagnor, and eventually back up the hill to the start.
A good workout of just short of 2000 feet, which even with power assistance on some of the hills feels like we earned out cake.
