Wokingham to Beech Hill - 20 miles with Martina (on a Tuesday!!)

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Martina, who got her new bike last week, knew she wouldn't be able to ride this coming Friday on the WLCG ride, so she put out a message for a buddy last night. Having cycled several days in the last week, and cycling tomorrow, I initially thought I need a rest. BUT the forecast for Thursday is rain, and SNOW for Friday, whereas today was blue sky and sunshine.Something we have not seen for a while. So, I couldn't resist. The plan was 20ish miles, which suited me.

Martina's original plan was to Eversley, but since I had been there just yesterday she then came back with plan B. This was based on a ride which Lynne has recorded on her strava a month or so ago ( thanks Lynne!), although we didn't follow it exactly in places, since we didn't  have the actual route to follow to hand.

This was our route

Heading for Finchampstead to skirt around California Lake on the Greenway to Arborfield, we were a bit distracted by a walker who suggested we should be moving over. (Some people really need to lighten up. There was plenty of space on a wide path). As a result, we missed our turn along the Greenway and arrived at the lake.

California Lake.. blue sky!!

We got back to the Greenway and a fair distance along the path, we noticed this huge bull in the field to our right.

Bull in the distance
Now cutting through Arborfield, we stuck to the route I am familiar with, whereas Lynne at this point went to pick up the new cyclepath on "Observer Way" which connected to Swallowfield Road. We climbed Farley Hill then into Swallowfield and bumped into these two cyclist on Trowes Lane. They had also just been out on the new cycle path. I'm cycling with Cathy tomorrow. 

Barbara and Cathy going in the opposite direction to us

Now Barge Lane and Kingsbridge Hill over the little green bridge and up and a right turn onto Beech Hill Road. After this Lynne's route had wiggled through some residential streets, but I prefer country lanes, so after we turned into Grovelands Road, we followed a lane I had not used before called Ryeish Lane, taking us to Ryeish Green. It was a good surface until we came to a narrow muddy track which would have been a more direct route to the main Shinfield Road, but we turned back and took a left which was called Hyde End Lane, passing Oakbank School. We emerged on Church Lane which becomes Brookers Hill, that nasty little climb up to the main road, but we used the cycle path here. 

Next we turned right at traffic lights and followed a route we have used before joining up to Cutbush Lane and all the way back and over the M4 on the bridge to Lower Earley. 

Cutbush Lane, Lower Earley

Finally, since Sadlers End is a bit muddy now, we returned via Winnersh crossroad and just stuck to the A329 back to Wokingham.  

Lovely to see the sunshine! Good to see you out again on your bike Martina. Well done.