New Years Day 2022 - Henley loop with Daphne - 32 miles

Since neither Daphne or me had any intentions of partying into the wee small hours last night, we thought we might as well get out for much needed fresh air and exercise today, New Year's Day. She had the grandkids who stayed overnight, but would be good to go around 10.30. As it turned out she got the green light a bit earlier, so we left here around 10am.  The roads were really quiet today, which was to be expected, with loads of people having a lie in. 😉

Route

We were heading to Henley but with no particular route in mind. We left Wokingham via Cantley direction, and then a right turn into the Hurst Lanes, to cross to the Straight Mile. Since it was so quiet, I suggested we just continue into Twyford passing the Vineyard. Then through Ruscombe on New Road, where the field at the far end was looking lovely in the morning light.

London Road, Ruscombe

A little further along London Road, we pulled over since there was a bag in the road which cars was just driving around, which was not ideal with a corner approaching. Daphne removed the bag to the roadside, and also a coat hanger. Good deed done, we crossed the A4 to drop drown Mumbery Hill and into Dark Lane, Wargrave.   It was so mild today, infact the warmest NYDay on record and we both felt the need to strip off a layer. Daphne took thinks one step further, stripping down to her underwear..... temporarily ....to re arrange her layers. 😎

Next to Crazies Hill where we noticed that the Buttercup horsebox was open, so decided to make the most of it since we were not expecting anything in Henley to be open today. (when I got home I learned that hubby had been here 30mins ahead of us). 

It was all very quiet as we got served, then a group of 9 cyclists from Marlow cycling club turned up.They had been along to Velolife and turned back since it was not open. 

All quiet at Buttercup Box

Peace shattered as the Marlow Cycling club turned up

Beautiful weather for the start at least, but rain forecast for 1pm.

We enjoyed the downhill to Aston and into Henley on Remenham Lane. We spotted a rainbow.... which is not necessarily a good thing!  And soon we felt the first drops of rain. The furthest point from home. 😭. Traffic was building up as we crossed the bridge into Henley, where we had to queue,  so a chance for a photo, then we stopped to put on our rain jackets near the station.  Daphne suggested a loo stop, and I had not known about the ones opposite the station. To my amusement, as I was in the loo, music started playing quietly at first, then building to a crescendo. It was The Blue Danube. What a strange experience!!

Henley views as we cross the river. I had been to the Chocolate Cafe here
just 2 days ago with visiting grandchildren. 

We left Henley and aimed up the hill towards Harpsden, passing the interesting terraced houses named after Canadian towns, like Manitoba and Toronto. Then I gave Daphne the choice of Devil's Hill to Binfield Heath, or Shiplake to Binfield Heath. She didn't fancy the idea of Devil's Hill (who does!), and couldn't remember ever having done the Shiplake route, although I think she had in the opposite direction maybe. 

First, is the fairly challenging climb up Woodlands Avenue, where having reached the top, we removed our rain jackets since it seemed to have passed.  I set up the camera for a timed shot of us both. This just to prove that on January 1st we were in tee-shirts, and Daphne had peeled of her long leggings to shorts! Last New year, John and I rode with Gill and John, in well below zero!

Harpsden Woods.

An easy ride now down to Lower Shiplake, before the not so easy climb back uphill to Shiplake and further uphill to Binfield Heath. Spitting and spotting off and on, but never enough to bother with rainjackets again. From Binfield Heath, the fast downhill to Sonning, to cross the Thames. We were ahead at the lights, and then pulled over at the other side of the bridge. All traffic now past us, we had the road to ourselves almost all the way to the A4, where we crossed to Charvil and made our way back via Sandford Lane.

My Garmin gave me a badge today called "Strong Start" for getting out on New Years Day. 😇. Daphne's for some reason did not record her milage, just the time she was riding. Very strange, so she might have missed out on her first badge of 2022.

It was so nice to be out after being indoors for several days, although I did manage a couple of hours in the garden yesterday in sunshine,  after delivering the family to Cardiff.