So nice to ride with Linda H again after many, many months. According to my blog, I think last time was November 26th, when we rode a very misty ride to Benson.
Since I knew I was riding yesterday, I suggested on this occasion just to do a gentle local ride, so we enjoyed the local lanes with plenty of chat, on our route to Velolife.
Route
We met at Cantley, and once over the motorways, a right turn into Pound Lane. Making our way to Shurlock Row, and Beenhams Heath, I spotted a gap in the hedge by this old rusty gate. Even though the horses had their back to us, they added to the colorful buttercup scene.
 |
| Gap in the hedge just before we turn left into Smewins Road |
I pointed out the foal in the field near the converted barn houses in Smewins Road. It's getting big! I thought it was pony at first glance, but it is the foal. Growing up so fast.
On reaching White Waltham cricket ground, Linda's intention was to turn into Butcher/Bottle Lane, but since such a nice morning, I suggested added a few miles to ride through Breadcroft Lane, to rejoin Bottle Lane further down.
Through Breadcroft Lane, we then crossed over the "fields". The first field looking a little exhausted now with its fading rape crop, but just a dash of yellow along the path edge was perfect to match with Linda's lovely cycling top.😁
 |
| Linda in her matching outfit looking lovely against the rape crop |
Through to the next field which this year is wheat. It's glaucous green colour foliage a contrast to the foliage of the trees and hedgerows which skirt White Waltham Airport. An overcast day, with lovely softbox clouds.
We are soon crossing the A4, and we start our gradual climb to Velo Life, and just before we reach there, I point out the gap in the hedge to Linda which offers open views towards Hurley and beyond to Marlow ridge. Unless you stop precisely here, you completely miss this view, since just beyond cafe, trees block any views across the valley. Unfortunately, the field next to the road is currently subdivided with fencing, so it's not the uninterrupted view that it usually is!
We arrive at Velolife, and a lady calls out Linda's name... one of her Bia friends, Sally, who is joined by another cyclist.
 |
| Linda's Bia friend Sally in pink, and Jules who is relatively new to cycling. |
We joined them for a nice chat over coffee, exchanging cycling tales before we set off again heading a little further uphill to Crazies Hill. All downhill from here, to Tag Lane to cross the A4 once more, now heading to Milley Bridge.
 |
| Waiting for the photographer at Milley Bridge |
 |
One of my regular photography stops, usually photographing
the trees, but today I enjoyed the wildflower edges |
 |
| At Milley Bridge |
At the crossroads we went straight over to Sillbridge Lane, then into Plough Lane, emerging at Hungerford Lane onto the Straight Mile. At the pond in Hurst, we stopped for a few minutes to check on the progress of the Coot chicks I saw a week or so ago in their nest. They are still tiny, but now swimming in the pond. Very sweet and difficult to spot since they are so small. I had the wrong camera for close ups, but as Linda said, photographs are just a memory, so although these are terrible pictures... here they are.
 |
| one chick is on the green foliage and 2 in the pond |
 |
| 4 chicks with their mother |
I then googled "coot chicks" and was offered "cute chicks?" you can imagine what this brought up. This is what they look like close up.
 |
| Google image |
Now past the Castle Pub and back through the lanes to connect to the road back over the motorways once more to Cantley.
Thanks for your great company Linda. A lovely morning to be out enjoying our beautiful local lanes. See you again soon, and if not before, on our garden ride on July 5th.
