I fancied trying somewhere new today, so I planned a route starting from Northend (above Turville), and the route would take us north of the M40 beyond Stokenchurch. I was aiming to include Bledlow Ridge. The final part from Radnor would be familiar as part of a different route. The new bits didn't all quite work out according to plan. (I referred to the OS map for the bits which were ON our map, but the middle section was OFF our OS map, and I relied on Garmin popularity routing)
Route
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| Northend Bus Shelter. Another foggy day, but a balmy 6 degrees. |
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| John's first outing for his Kermitt coloured shoe covers |
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| Our route drops down immediately on Holloway Lane |
No peddling for the first two miles down Holloway Lane but then a
shocker as we immediately have to climb towards Ibstone, on Ashfield Barn Road. (not done this before... wonder why?😬😬😬) Even on full power, and smallest gear, the ebikes didn't get us up (That is a first!). It was 16% gradient, and just went on too long. So we pushed the last bit.
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Looking back. We had pushed up this last bit on the left before it levelled out as we come into Ibstone.
16 % gradient is not easy. |
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| John fancied some photos in the misty woods, at Ibstone |
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Ibstone Woods
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Now we cross over the M40 and take a short section of A40 through Stokenchurch before enjoying a long downhill section on Kingston Hill towards Kingston Blount.This takes us on the B4009 towards Chinnor but it was busier than I would have liked. A left turn in Chinnor and a long straight section before we turn off to the village of Towersey. Not a particularly pretty village, and at the church the plan was to go straight on onto a quieter lane, which turned out to be a bridal way. No way were we carrying on with that route.
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Towersey Church, where we doubled back
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| Map Man to the rescue! Looking on google for an alternative route to the bridleway. |
Fortunately, we were able to find a alternative by doing a couple of right hand turns, so not too much out of our way. Phew. Now a loop to include Aston Sandford, which again had nothing special to offer, but I liked this tree, so here we are...
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Nr Aston Sandford. Fog still not shifting
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My route now turned to Walnut Tree Lane, in Longwick which once more turned out to be impassable on these bikes today. This route was to avoid going through Princes Risborough, but we ended cutting through anyway and found a handy tea stop. Every cloud!
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| Princes Risborough unexpected stop |
Once down Station Road and then over a railway bridge, one more turn brought us back onto the planned route to Bledlow.
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Now to Bledlow
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Oddley enough, we turned here😀
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Bledlow Ridge is a bit of climb, but actually nothing like as bad as that first climb up to Ibstone. Seemed like a doddle. (with power on!) Views today were as expected, ie foggy.
I knew what was coming from Radnage, as this is part of a route we do passing West Wycombe. Basically a pretty steep climb though The City, and another climb at Beacons Bottom, before we eventually drop down Chequers Lane to Fingest.
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View from Chequers Lane. Turville out there somewhere!
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Passing through Turville this is the opposite way to the direction I would normally ride, so we now need to get back up Holloway Lane.
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| Photo stop at the top of Holloway Lane. (the halfpipe) Almost back. |
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Holloway Lane, Northend
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In summary, not one we will repeat but nothing ventured etc. Still, we enjoyed being out, despite climbing 2000 feet. Certainly feeling it in the legs.
