Today's Breeze ride was 22 miles, to Wellington Farm Shop.. But would the ladies be happy with 22 miles? We will see. It was a couple of degrees warmer this morning, so I did actually wear my red Breeze top over 3 more layers. (It's been too cold for it last couple of weeks).
Route
Meeting at Woosehill, we headed down Blagrove Lane, and along Edneys Hill to connect to the Barkham Road, near the junction with Bearwood Road. A cheeky climb up to the mini roundabout, then a nice downhill, passing the Bull at Barkham. Then the rise on School Road up to Arborfield Cross. Rose was on her non-ebike today, so was not dashing ahead and having a sneaky drink of coffee from her flask whilst she waited for the rest of us (unlike her last ride with me 😜).
We continued to the end of Swallowfield Road, resisting the climb over Farley Hill, and at the junction with Church Road, a ROAD CLOSED sign in place. The roadworks were over running, but I knew that my hubby had got through last week, so wasn't concerned.
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The roadworkers moved the barriers for us to get through near the Park Lane Junction on
Church Lane, Swallowfield. Was nice having the road closed! |
Into The Street, then a wiggle to cross the main road into Barge Lane. We continued on Barge Lane today, including the dash on foot across the A33. It wasn't too busy today, so no problem to cross, to the central reservation, then across the second lanes, but wouldn't it be nice if a pedestrian bridge was built over the road there?
But the beauty of Barge Lane not being accessible, is that is always empty. Apart from a tractor today, hedge trimming.
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| Views to our left on Barge Lane, looking up the hedge line of Bull Lane. |
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Stopping to admire that view through the gate, above.
Louise, me, Gill, Sue, Rose and Linda C. |
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| Time to go, coffee less than a mile away. |
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| Off they go to turn left and uphill on Bull Lane |
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| Clouds breaking up and the sky was lovely. |
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| Parking up at Wellington Farm Shop. Rose never been before. |
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| No names mentioned but some of us opted for lemon cake. 😋 |
We had done 10 miles, and I proposed the idea of extending a little, to go back via Crowthorne and to Waterloo Road in Wokingham to investigate the brand new Waterloo rail crossing. (Been closed for about a year.) A resounding yes, so off we went sticking to the planned route initially.
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| Down Bull Lane, Riseley having just come under the A33 |
We followed Ford Lane all the way to Bramshill Road next, ( too messy in the forest tracks atm), then in two groups, we used the main road turning left into St Neots Road. The original plan was to cross Eversley Ford, but instead we rode through Eversley, and left into Longwater Lane, and Lower Sandhurst Road passing Horshoelakes. The delightful climb up Ambarrow Lane to get us to Crowthorne, where Rose was planning to catch a train.
Through to Ravenswood next and Heathlands Road into Wokingham to cross the railway on Easthampstead Road. I know that the old Waterloo crossing is now permanently closed, but none of us spotted any signs until the last minute that suggest this is now effectively a no through road. (Maybe we missed them). We cut through the pedestrian Clay Lane into Montague Park, and with the new road open, we could now turn right, passing a school that we didn't know existed, and onto the railbridge.
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| The latest extension to William Heelas way is this bridge over the railway. |
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| Not exactly busy, but then it doesn't really go anywhere yet apart from Peacock Lane to Bracknell. |
This road will eventually link as part of the Southern Distribution Road, south of the town, emerging next to Tesco on the Finchampstead Road. (Probably a few years still I believe.) But at least cars and cyclists can now connect to Bracknell once more.
Thank you ladies for your good company and appetite for a few more miles, taking our ride to 30 miles. We finished in 8 degrees with some sunshine. Perfect. Well done.
