WLCG today. Kids now on school summer holidays, and whilst Lynne escaped, Martina did not😉.
Gill needed to be back before 1 o'clock, so I planned a route a wee bit shorter for her, picking her up enroute, but also with Gill's escape in mind if she needed to dash off towards the end.
Route
It's a bit cooler today but still warm so a stop at the Loddon Brewery would be our reward, but we had to get a few miles in first. At Sonning, we got split up at the traffic lights on the bridge, so Gill and I walked across and a chance for a photo.
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| Sonning and light cloud today making it much more comfortable to ride |
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| Gill. Our route today was straight on at Dundsden Green heading to Binfield Heath |
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| Followed by Jeanette and Lynne |
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| Pulling over for a drink stop after Dunsden climb |
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| Dunsden crop fields |
At the shop at Binfield Heath, a left turn to drop down to Crowsley. I liked the shadows on the flint wall. I was aiming for a photo of the ladies going down this hill, but a pesky car came just at the wrong time. 😒
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| Downhill from Binfield Heath |
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| A loop around the unnamed road in Crowsley. Cottage garden looking pretty. |
Now a climb through Sonning Common and straight on to Kidmore End. A roofer on the church today straight ahead of us, and baby Coots in the pond too.
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| Kidmore End, and now a left turn. |
We detoured off of Chalkhouse Green Road, for a nosy around Tanners Lane, (Cycle route 5), which Jeanette then recognised. Now the big downhill passing Reading Golf Course, which means up again to Emmer Green. A very short section on the main road, then right into Kiln Road, and soon right at teh crossroads into Row Lane. At the left bend just next to the church, we carried straight on (also Row Lane), which becomes more of a track serving just a handful of houses, then a sharp left into a gravelly track, where this view opens up. Just a short distance now to the Brewery.
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| Views between Row Lane and the brewery |
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| Cheers. All alcohol free but with beer fruit cake. 😋 |
Retracing our steps back to Row Lane, we now ride on Foxhill Lane, stopping to see the view through a gap towards Caversham Lakes.
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| A peek through a gap in the hedge on Foxhill Lane, reveals Caversham Lakes |
The last section is 18% gradient, so gently does it with brakes on. NOT a route to come in the other direction! We emerge at the pub in Playhatch.
Back over Sonning bridge and return through Charvil. We leave Gill at the top of Sandford Lane, and cut through Dinton Pastures for a change.
So much more pleasant today with an easterly breeze. What a relief! Thanks for your company ladies and with all the chat about holidays, I've already forgotten who is doing what next week, but I am free so see you if you are around.
