The BBC and Met office forecast conflicted today, so we decided to go with the best one........
route
John and I drove to Upper Wargrave, parking at Highfield Road, then uphill to Crazies Hill, and downhill towards Warren Row, passing Velo life. There are some really old woodlands on this road, and John armed with his new "cycling camera", was keen to stop. I rarely get the chance to stop here when out with "non photography" cyclists, so took a couple of pictures too. Some amazing gnarled old trees
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Ferns looking decidedly autumnal
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From Warren Row we crossed the A4, and part way along Bottle Lane, cut through to Littlewick Green using a couple of the Green paths. I came this way about a week ago, but since then we have had rain which has made the paths a little more difficult, and the nettles were closing in on us. Got a few stings.
A couple of miles of steady climbing now through Burchetts Green and up towards the Dew Drop Inn.
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View crossing Marlow Bridge
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10.30ish as we arrive in Marlow
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We stopped at the loos in Marlow, but with kids still off school, it was all a bit noisy at the takeaway cafe area, and nowhere really in the high street that is "bike friendly", so we decided to keep going.
Now we all know that when at river level, the only way is up. So now we climb out of Marlow. We also need to cross the Thames again, and the next place to do that is Hambleden Weir. There are, as John tells me a number of routes to get there. There is also tea and cake there!
We climb out of Marlow on Chalkpit Lane, which is fairly steep and also quite narrow and has bends. Something weird happened next. I was behind John who started to moved to the wrong side of the road going uphill. I thought he might have spotted something on the road which I needed to avoid, so found myself following him, then thinking hang on! I'm on the wrong side of a windy road, nearing a right hand bend. He said his bike was pulling him to the right. He stopped and moved back to the correct side, and everything was fine again. Weird.
We climb for about a mile then turn left into a place called Bovingdon Green, just for a look and to have a break before the uphill continues.
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Bovingdon Green
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The climbing continues, gradually, but about another mile, then we get some lovely views to our left.
A bit further and as we start to drop downhill, on the Frieth Road, with some lovely views now on our right. We are on a ridge here.
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A 4 stitch panorama
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Shortly we take a left turn into Chislebridge Lane, a name I recognise from other rides around Hambleden area. This brings us to Parmoor, but we need to ride through a bit of flooding to continue, and it's also now started raining. 😒 John had planned to ride in a bigger loop, but I opted for shortest route back please. We approached Hambleden down the steep Colstop Lane, braking all the way, particularly with the road now wet. (not sure that I have come down this before and certainly don't intend to go UP it. It's steep! By the time we got to Hambleden it was grey, with more grey, heavy rain, and made no sense to stop for a cuppa, since there are no inside tables due to Covid.
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Arriving into Hambleden. Weather looking rubbish.
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We were on ebikes, so now switched to RED to get us home asap. Temperature had dropped to 11 degrees and we were soaked. And it just got worse. The strange thing was that all around us were bright skies.
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Rain lashing at the Thames at Hambleden Lock
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We zoomed up Aston Lane, as rivers of water were heading down the lane, and kept our heads down. Passing through Crazies Hill, I nearly collided with the postman, who appeared from nowhere from a driveway. (It was close!). His fault, not mine.
Back to the van and a soggy drive home, and fingers going numb with getting so wet. What a miserable end to what was a lovely ride. And now the sun is shining!
