Another enjoyable ride today, with 5 lovely ladies for company. An easy going route after a bit more a challenging Breeze ride yesterday. Barbara, Carol and Angela rode from Finchampstead up to Woosehill, and Rose and Amanda drove since they live a bit further away. Amanda's 2nd Breeze ride, so nice to welcome her back, and for her to meet some new ladies.
We immediately set off back to Finchampstead via Blagrove and Nashgrove Lane and through California Park to join the Arborfield Greenway. I wasn't expecting sunshine today, so took the chance to take a couple of shots for photographic evidence that it was a sunny start.
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| Arborfield Greenway Barbara, Amanda, Rose, Carol, Angela. |
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| Who doesn't love the cows along the Greenway? |
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| The sun had seconds before been lighting up the houses. Then it was gone. |
Skirting Arborfield Green, we passed the Tesco Express on Bramshill Close, to link to Observer Way to cross the roadbridge.
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| We all agreed that dropping down this surface is a lot more pleasant than coming up. |
I put Rose in charge, ahead of the pack, as we enjoyed the downhill of Swallowfield Road. I had considered going over Farley Hill, half way down the road.... but we were out for a gentle ride today, so decided against it. (I've done quite a few hills this week.)
At the bridge as we arrive in Swallowfield, we pulled over to read the signs of Swallowfield Park. It's such a shame that it's walkers only through here, as it would be a nice little detour to get off the main road. Never mind, back on the road to Swallowfield and second left into The Street.
Trowes Lane next, then to School Lane, with a brief stop at the Ford, (where the road name changes to Ford Lane), and to explain to those who were not familiar with the route, where we were. (I will never forget having a picnic lunch here on the Wokingham Bikeathon a few years ago with some others, when we considered this route a long way!)
Just before the end of Ford Lane, we cut through at the silly barrier to join the Bramshill Forest Track. I don't remember that post box being there. Is it new does anyone know?
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| Getting onto the forest track for our next section of the ride. |
The track was absolutely fine.... until it wasn't.😂 It wasn't too bad, just a couple of "Wey Hey" calls, mostly from me. I am a wimp when it comes to slippery bits. Then it improved again, as we turned second left to keep to the main tracks, heading to Eversley Ford. But it didn't look right. Strange. Carol agreed, and so we decided to turn back, thinking it must be the next left turn.
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| Lost? Babes in the woods. |
Next left was also wrong, just a skinny track which is ok in the summer months. So we joined the Bramshill Road, through a car park, for a shorter section, and left into St Neots Road. Actually, funny how things turn out. I would use that route again, since I don't enjoy much of the Bramshill Road, but I do enjoy St Neot's Road. (For the record ladies, seeing my route on Garmin, we were absolutely on the right track, so it was strange that two of us thought it looked wrong. )
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| Chatting to the fishermen at Eversley Ford. Catching Pike. |
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| Up to their waists, and one got his line stuck in a branch. |
Almost done, and just Park Lane and Nine Mile Ride, to get us to refreshments at California Park. A nice sociable coffee stop, then we parted company with Carol and Barbara at FBC. Angela insisted in coming all the way back to the start, to then ride back to Finchampstead, to extend her miles. Well done Angela! No stopping you now.
Thanks to you all for your good company this morning.