I asked Lynne if she fancied leading today's ride ? She was happy to take us on a new route she tried out a couple of days ago, to Pangbourne. She had pieced together bits and pieces of other rides and found a couple of extra lovely lanes to link it all together, to cross the Thames at Whitchurch Toll Bridge. Martina was unable to join us today, which was a shame, but we will undoubtedly ride this one again.... but NEVER in the opposite direction. (Serious hill at Whitchurch).
Jeanette has been out for a few rides now, and am sure will be joining us again soon, closely followed by Andrea.
Lynne and I met Gill at her front door, and we crossed the river at Sonning, then up to Dunsden Green where we turned left and made our way on the gradual climb to Kidmore End, arriving facing the Church. A well known point on our rides, which can be approached from different directions.
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| Kidmore End Church, which we go round the back of today |
The next part of the route is the same as we used on our ride to Mapledurham ie down Mill Lane, which really kicks up at the end where it meets the main road from Reading to Wallingford. The lane is in a real mess at the moment with endless pot holes and mud, and unfortunately you can't risk getting speed up on the downhill section, before the final kick up. I clicked my gears the wrong way and never did recover. Its too steep to get back on! Anyway, not far to walk to the top, where Lynne and Gill were catching their breath. (Gave me a chance for a photo😉)
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| Recovering, before crossing over the A4074 |
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| looking back to the point I got my gears wrong, just out of view |
Once across the main road, we continue to another crossroads then turn right. This road doesnt have a name but is from Trench Green to Goring Heath, or straight across would drop to Mapledurham. (we use part of this road our ride to Goring sometimes, but continue a bit further )
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| Lynne and Gill heading downhill.... an uphill lurking just around the next bend! |
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| After a short uphill, the lane levels out with great views. At the tree ahead, the road turns a sharp left bend. |
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| We have just turned right into the flat Hardwick Road, where Alpacas are bred (Lynne - they ARE Alpacas and not Lamas according to google maps. Bozedown Alpacas) |
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| Some of the Alpacas on the hillside |
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| Catkins |
Shortly we arrive in Whitchurch, where we turn left passing some lovely properties, then cross the Toll Bridge (cycle lane is free, but cars stop at barrier).
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| We have just crossed from Whitchurch to Pangbourne at the bridge over The Thames |
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| views from the bridge of Whitchurch properties |
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| Pangbourne ahead |
Turning left at a roundabout into Reading Road, we pass one Takeaway and stop at the second one called Baxters. (Only open Friday and Saturday)
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| Great cakes here, but traffic noise. |
Fed and watered, we continue on this road for a short distance, then turn right into Sulham Lane. This is a very quiet lane. Nice. I take a couple of photos to remind me.
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| looking back, to this pretty cottage with lots of mistletoe in the trees |
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| looking ahead in Sulham Lane |
At the end of Sulham Lane, we turn left then immediately right at this very pretty thatch, right next door to Sulham Church. Another photo stop!
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| Right turn into Nunhide Lane |
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| Crocus time in the churchyard |
We continue on this lane, which is not a tarmac surface, but pretty good and a lot better than Mill Lane, which we used earlier. There are some big potholes, but the road is quite wide with plenty of good surface to ride around the holes. It was beautiful today with blue skies and the fields looking like someone had added some saturation.
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| Nunhide Lane with the Tower in the far distance. We will pass the tower on our left |
As I stopped here to take a photo, I chatted for a minute to two other cyclists who were pushing their bikes and mentioned that I had not been here before. They told me that the Tower is known as the Pigeon Tower, so I looked this up when I got home.
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| Wilder's Folly is also a Dovecote (photo from google) By Andrew Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12395905 |
We are in the Sulham Estate land, and the next generation, called Wilder, built this foley in 1769.
At the end of Nunhide Lane, there are some bright blue commercial buildings on our left... IKEA! ah, this is where we are. Now we cross a pedestrian bridge over the M4 into Theale, and return via Sheffield Bottom passing the lakes, and then climb Jacques Lane to Burghfield Village, turning right at the triangle then left into James Lane.
Lynne had gone home a different way on Wed, but said that it had been a bit too close to the M4 and was noisy, so I suggested this route to get us to Burghfield.
Then Goodboys Lane, back through Beech Hill, Shinfield and Cutbush Lane to Lower Earley.
Big thanks to Lynne for a lovely new route, all very nice including the weather of course. This route will look lovely in spring too,so we will no doubt be back soon. I cycled 503 miles in January, and thought that with February being a short month, I would never get near that figure again.... well I am only 9 miles short, but am now definitely having a couple of days off for a rest. 😩