Wokingham to Burghfield via Shinfield - 29 miles

Monday ride today with just myself and Vanessa which was nice. I don't see so much of Vanessa these days, so a good chance to catch up on life. I suggested we meet up at Walter Arms on Bearwood Road. She arrived, saying she had never cycled on the Bearwood Road... I would return that way later.

route

I was curious to check out a route to get to Shinfield across the A33 but going a different way and initially we used the cycle path on the new Winnersh Relief Road, then through Lower Earley on  Kilnsea Drive and Cutbush Lane. (there is a cycle path along the Lower Earley Way but constant traffic, so wanted to get away from the main road.)  We crossed over  a pedestrian bridge taking us over the M4 and this continues as Cutbush Lane until we get to the Shinfield Road junction near Black Boy Pub. A wiggle around at traffic lights to safely cross, then rather than straight over to  Brookers Hill, we opted to continue a little further into Church Lane, where we stopped at the church for a moment (near L'Ortalon) .

Shinfield Church on Church Lane

We continue on Church Lane to Three Mile Cross where we once more negotiate a busy junction of the A33 to safely cross using cycle lane and then turn left and right to follow the lanes alongside the M4

Turning onto the Reading Road nr Burghfield, I had planned to go into a road called The Mearings, but it had signs saying Private (part of AWE), so we decided to press on and take a left a bit further. The first left we came to was a no through road to the Church, so we went in for a look.

Burghfield Church. Like the shadow shape

Burghfield Church

Taking the next left into James Lane, we passed the other end of The Mearings, so Garmin now happy again that we are back on the route.  Now at Grazeley Green we follow the lanes across to Beech Hill, emerging at yet another church, this one  very familiar.

Beech Hill church

At this point I had planned to turn right and head to Welly Farm shop, but Vanessa said she had recently tried going straight over here and onto a lane/track which would bring us out at the bridge on Kingbridge Lane. I was on my road bike today, so not ideal conditions, but I made it taking it slowly. This track takes you under the A33.

Kingbridge Lane

So having crossed the A33, and been under it, we need to cross it once more to get to the farm shop and opted for Barge Lane (the one where you run across the A33). All good, then uphill to the farm shop.  The service was initially fine to order, but we waited 25 mins for a tea,coffee and cake to be delivered to our table.  Bit disappointing if it had been a cooler day. We also bumped into Breeze rider Becky, whom I had not seen for months. 

Retracing our steps to Barge Lane, we now use Bull Lane this time to go under the A33, and over to Part Lane. John had parked today at Riseley Village Hall and I jokingly said to Vanessa I could pinch the van now to get home. But I didn't. 😅 Not far after we passed the junction of School Lane, I heard a shout from behind, and these two turned up!

John and Dave finishing their ride at Riseley. We had in part covered some
similar ground today in opposite directions.

Now through Swallowfield heading for Arborfield, and I gave Vanessa the option of straight up Swallowfield Road, or up and down Farley Hill? A bit more effort to climb Farley Hill, but then the lovely downhill bit to rejoin Swallowfield Road a bit further along. Vanessa having been away, had not yet seen the new road junction on the Swallowfield Road. It's still not open to traffic, but will make for a fast crossroads very soon, unless you go quite far out of your way to use a cycle bridge.Shame its lost its country lane feel now. 😒  

At Arborfield Cross, we came down School Road and I stopped at Vanessa's for a garden tour. Looking good. (I designed parts of this garden many years ago for the previous owner, so nice to see the garden maturing. Vanessa and Tony have done a lot more too since they moved in.)

My last push was the start that Vanessa had, and meant a climb up Barkham Road to Bearwood Road, then further up Bearwood Road to Sandy Lane crossroads before it flattens out. Felt that ! but then all easy the rest of the way home.