WLCG today, but with Jeanette and Gill both away, and too cold for Andrea, just the 3 of us hardy riders out today, as we set off from Riseley in 0.5 degrees. Brrr. But it was forecast to warm up to around 8 degrees, as indeed it did. It was a gorgeous day to be out. The ladies had not done this route before, and although I had, I improved on a section and took in some new lanes. Its a bit of a lumpy ride to start and finish, but the middle 7 or so miles and absolutely flat. Definitely one to repeat on a spring day.
Route
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A chilly start dropping down Welsh Lane near Welly farm shop.
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Straight over at the Xroads at the bottom of the hill, to join Park Lane, which continues into Stratfield Mortimer, as we climb over the railway bridge. I stopped for the next photo looking uphill to the church.
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Stratfield Mortimer church ahead as we start our climb through Stratfield Mortimer
to turn right at the war memorial at Mortimer Common into Hammonds Heath. |
A lovely drop downhill soon follows, crossing Lockram Brook on a bridge, followed by an inevitable uphill, which is not so steep as the downhill, thankfully!
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Martina ahead and Lynne catching up as we approach Wokefield Common
Nature Reserve, and cross Goring Lane to Burghfield Common. |
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| Sunshine on the ferns lighting up the woodland near Burghfield Common. |
The next section a little residential , but soon we come to this signpost where we turn right to Sulhampstead Abbots and pass the pretty church. (We will return to this crossroad late, uphill from Sulhampstead).
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| Englefield Church |
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| Saddlecam! |
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| Other direction. |
Back to the A340, and just a couple of hundred yards to the farm shop.
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Carrot Cake, fruit and cheese scones. All very good.
(On this ride I had previously continued around the walls of Englefield, then used Bostock Lane to join a footpath on the A4... to join Sulhampstead Hill. But was never happy with the A4 section.) So today, we exited the farm shop, and very soon turned left back into Theale on Englefield Road, and retraced our route the short distance back to Hosehill Lakes. Then we turned right into Bottom Lane. It's a pretty lane, which I have also used before, and at the end joins Sulhampstead Hill part way up.
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| Loads of geese on the field off Bottom Lane. |
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| Bottom Lane, very pretty, but also shady, so stays cool. |
Left turn out of Bottom Lane, to our climb up Sulhampstead Hill, but turned off to continue the climb on Kingston Lane. (less traffic usually). I think three cars did pass us today, but that is unusual. I pulled over at the top to look back at a view at a gate.
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| View part way up Kingston Lane. (police dog training area) |
The road now changes it name to White's Hill, and at the top we are back to the crossroad with the signpost to Sulhampstead Abbots. But this time we turn right into a lane called Shortheath Lane to Upton Nervet. Then left onto Island Farm Road.
The last few miles all country lanes, but now we join the Burghfield Road, which was a bit like a race track with some drivers not at all considerate. 😡 (An alternative is to go right on Island Farm Road and use Camp Road, and therefore not have quite so far on the Burgfield Road.)
Left into the quieter Ramptons Lane, and soon a dogleg crossing to Church Lane to drop down the steep hill passing the Red Lion pub at Mortimer West End. A bridge takes us over West End Brook. and then the climb back up to turn left into Wall Lane, Silchester.
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| Wokefield Park in the far distance, passed the church steeple |
Right turn at the top, then left into Green Lane, one of my favourite lanes in the area.
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| Green Lane, approaching Stratfield Saye |
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| Views from Green Lane. |
Around the edges of Strafield Saye house, and the climb on Barge Lane and Bull Lane, to finish on a downhill under the A33 pedestrian tunnel, back to the start. Lovely day, perfect weather. Thanks for your company ladies, and glad you enjoyed those hills.😉
