The sun shone today! It's been a gloomy and wet week so today on the lanes there were 100's of walkers and cyclist out making the most of the weather. A pleasant 6 degrees and sunshine all the way.
It's Sunday "ebike day" and so our route would take us up the tough Rotten Row Hill near Hambleden.
Route
Heading out initially to Broadcommon Lane, Hurst we then passed the Vineyard on our way to Ruscombe. At Ruscombe Church, we went straight over into New Road then eventually crossed directly over the A4 and started to drop down to Wargrave on Mumberry Hill.
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| Approaching the A4 near Hare Hatch |
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Mumberry Hill. We stopped for some photos. John rested his bike
against a small post... which was so rotted it fell over 😁 |
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| heading along Mumberry Hill to Wargrave |
We cross Wargrave on Dark Lane, then up to Crazies Hill. A big flood on the road as we get near to Remenham Hill, but thankfully we get through. Now down Aston Lane.
I wait and wait, and wait a bit more. A cyclist appears coming up the hill so I ask did he pass a cyclist on the way up? He said no. What! How can he disappear on that steep sided lane?
I then get 2 calls from John which disconnect and finally I speak to him. "You missed the turn" he said. "What turn? I'm only a few yards ahead of where you stopped!" He was by this time a least a mile ahead of me. I will never understand, how he could have ridden past me, my bike on the side, and me wearing a hi-viz jacket.😂
I'm not familiar with the next section, but basically we fork right, and follow a nice lane for a while. Nice apart from cars that is! John says he never seen any cars on this road.... It's lockdown, and yet everyone is out. Makes no sense. Anyway we drop down a steep hill, then at the top loads of cars, cyclist and walkers out. This is Marlow Common. Nice Beechwoods, but heaving today.
We emerge joining the road I know passing Bovingdon Green, but today use the main road into Marlow. It's a long hill. We did come up it once on ebikes, but I dont fancy it on my normal bike.
Through the town, over the Thames and then turn right into Bisham. Not far on the Bisham road, I liked this field, so another photo stop. Unfortunately, the verge next to the fence had been churned up and I got my shoes absolutely covered in mud as I literally sunk a few inches into the squelching mud. the things we do for our art!
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| Views from Bisham Road |
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| Same photo with softer treatment. |
Through Bisham, and the muddy path to the tunnel, then into Hurley. We turned left into Hurley, then first right into a nice lane which I had not used before, called Shepherds Lane. This time of year, with the section next to the river pretty messy, a good option. A short section of the fast Henley Road, then up Rosehill, on Rose Lane.
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| Rose Lane. Big contrasts today. Not easy to photograph, but not complaining! |
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| The riders were all French. |
We called by the Horsebox Van at Crazies Hill, but a bit of a queue so we didnt bother to wait. Forgot our snacks today, so would have been nice. As we head out of Crazies Hill back towards Wargrave, I pull over for a drink and who should turn up but Gill... riding with her neighbour. We chat for a few minutes, before heading off for home.
As I write this, my knee (which I injured slipping off the peddle and bashing it on Rotten Row Hill) is very much telling me it's not happy. It's very stiff. I am due to ride tomorrow with Stephanie for the first time since October... so I really hope my knee is going to be ok.
