It's only a few weeks since our first ride from St Mary Bourne, a village we found by accident one day whilst driving on a winter's day. It's Chocolate Box Hampshire, and so we went back today and rode a mostly different course, with a couple of reversed sections.
We are both riding tomorrow, so today opted to use our e-bikes since apart from the climbs, the forecast was also for gusting winds.
It's about an hours drive from home, M4 to Newbury, then A34, then past Highclere.
I realised as we started, that I had forgotten to charge my Garmin, but thankfully John's behaved itself, and got us round. The start of the route crossed with the end, so often this can confuse the Garmin, and it never recovers!
garmin
From the car park, a left turn, and through the village passing lot of pretty thatch cottages, and we soon turned into Gangbridge Lane, which follows the Bourne "Rivulet" down a pretty lane, with cattle between the river and the lane.
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| We didn't cross the bridge, but kept to the right. |
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| view from the small bridge. We will soon pass the cattle, following the hedge on the right |
A left turn at the end of the lane, and we pass this rather unusual thatch. Then straight over in Stoke, and a climb which goes on for about a mile, up Stoke Hill.
At the top, a steep descent, before the next climb. A few views on our journey...
Now a right turn towards Little London, and a gentle rise for a while. Next a steep ascent to Wildhern, followed by a lovely descent into Upton, which coming this direction is wrongly named, since it's all downhill!.
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| Views before we drop DOWN into Upton. |
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| Arriving in Upton, we turn left towards Vernham Dean. (the long way round to Linkenholt) |
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| Upton junction. Pretty Hollyhocks at the cottage. |
A long gradual climb now of almost 2 miles to Vernham Dean, passing this cottage near the top.
We continue to Vernham Street and Littledown, on this pretty lane, with the cottage in the distance.
We take a right turn, at a junction where Buttermere is mentioned as straight on. ( I recognise this as part of our previous route, the opposite way). A drop down now into the very pretty Linkenholt which I also remember with several buildings having similar architecture.
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| Linkenholt. The house next to the church |
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| Linkenholt Church |
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| John's photo of me taking the previous photo. |
Left out of Linkenholt and, we go down a pretty steep hill, which we climbed up last time. A family of young kids were heading up on tiny bikes. Well, they just stopped for a rest. It's steep! This was the gorgeous view to our left, and the clouds were flying past changing the light every few seconds.
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| A macro shot of the cow parsley. It was blowing around, so I am surprised its anywhere near like in focus. |
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| Different light all the time. |
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| John with a different sponsor on his shirt today. PDM man. |
A right turn at the bottom of the hill, then after about half a mile a STEEP climb up to Faccombe. Power on RED and all the way to first gear. The hotel called The Jack Russell, open for business today after 3 months of lockdown, but for bookings only. Oh well, water on the bench then.
Just next to the bench is a lovely pond, and in the field beyond a privately owned herd of deer including White ones.
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| John on the bench having his snack. |
The next 3 miles are downhill! Hurray! We pass through some lovely woodland.
At the junction of the A343, there is a garage opposite with a Tea Shop (The Tea Cosy), but not open until July 14th. Booo. Pre bookings only for food anyway, but might revisit in future for a tea stop.
After a few hundred yards, left at Hurstbourne Tarrant (which is the way we arrived by car.) And just around the bend, more pretty thatches. (Saw loads today).
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| Thatch in Hurstbourne Tarrant |
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| And just across the road. A project? In need of tlc. |
A lovely easy ride now for a couple of miles back to Stoke at Bourne Rivulet level, and rather than stay on the low level back to the car, we take in one last steep hill passing the round house we passed on the way out. This just takes is in a U-shape loop to Binley.
Coming through Binley, and a road block. The noise was hilarious!
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| Off they go into the field on the right, and we can pass. |
A beautiful area, and loads still to discover.
We take a right turn, at a junction where Buttermere is mentioned as straight on. ( I recognise this as part of our previous route, the opposite way). A drop down now into the very pretty Linkenholt which I also remember with several buildings having similar architecture.
