Schools are back, which meant that Lynne and Martina were able to come out to play today, for the first time for weeks. Jeanette is on holiday (sounds like a record that got stuck 😉), and Gill is waiting in for an appointment. She thought she may be able to meet us for coffee, and Andrea invited too. Andrea been back on her bike a couple of times now 😀, but not quite ready to join us as yet.
We were heading for Fernygrove, and having planned the route last night, I decided to reverse it, since otherwise we would have more than half the ride after tea. It was interesting to ride certain parts in the opposite direction.
We had arranged to meet at Woodward Close, and were a bit surprised when Lynne was a few minutes late. I send a message to which she responded to say she was waiting for us at Woodhurst Lane. (Never heard of it.... but is at Emmbrook).😂
We climbed to pass the Castle Inn at Hurst, and noticed this bale of straw at the pretty cottage opposite the pub. Weird. It turns out that there had been a "Midnight hit and run" as reported in the local paper.Bit of a shock for the residents who says the house "shook".
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| Hit and run damage at Hurst Cottage |
Through Hurst, and onto the main Twyford Road just as far as Broad Hinton, where we turned right. I have never gone up this before. It's fun to come down though! Actually the climb up was fine, and a safer route than going up passed the Vineyard to the roundabout, so would use it again. We crossed the railway bridge, and turned right passing Ruscombe church, where the harvest was out to dry.
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| Harvest at Ruscombe, with Lynne and Martina on the bend in the road. |
We often turn left here into Castle End Road to Hare Hatch, but today continued straight on Waltham Road for about 1.5 miles, before turning into Mire Lane. I have walked and cycled on Mire Lane, which can be very messy, but with dry weather for weeks now, today it should be dry.
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| Mire Lane. Tarmac for a short section, then muddy but dry mud |
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| Howe Lane ponies as we stop for a quick drink |
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| corner of Howe Lane, having climbed from Shurlock Row |
Into Bottle Lane now, then left into Hazelwood Lane, and soon left again into Stickleback Row. This emerges at the busy A3095, Maidenhead Road, but we turn off after just a couple of hundred yards onto a bridle path ( opposite Goughs Barn Lane). I have not ridden on this section of the bridle path before, and it was quite tricky at times, with recently topped up hardcore, and also up hill. But it improved at the point where I had ridden it before, and soon we emerged opposite Fernygrove.
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| Clouds gathering at Fernygrove. Views to Cliveden not so clear today. |
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| Great that Andrea was able to drive to join us for coffee |
Our route back was on Wellers Lane, then left and right to Osborne Road. Osborne Road was busy, and we realised why when we got to the traffic lights.... Warfield Road Closed. Did not affect us, as we cut through Watersplash Lane and across Warfield Estate to the Binfield Road.
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| took this in the garage when I got home |
My brakes had not been affected, so we carried on to climb to Binfield on Tilehurst Lane, then wiggled around Binfield to come back to Wokingham on Binfield Road. As we arrived at Cantley, Lynne told us that the new cafe was opening today with half price Tea and cakes. I needed to be back for a hair appointment, so left the others to check it out. Half an hour later as I was driving to my appointment I passed them on their way home... full of cake?
Well done ladies, especially Martina, who has not been out so much recently.