Monday again (seems to come around so quickly!), and with Linda still shielding, Daphne and I rode today getting a lift with "the boys" to Odiham, and Gill drove to meet us there. Gill not ridden from Odiham before, so all new for her (and her Sat Nav😄)
Route
In just 2 degrees, the boys set off a few minutes ahead of us girls, as we faffed with various layers, and also wanted a comfort stop just off the High Street, before we got going properly. We were riding past the loos anyway.
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A lovely bright start to the day as we turned off the High Street
for our comfort stop. |
Leaving the town, we kept right heading down Long Lane, but continued straight, and did not head to Long Sutton. A left turn into White Hill and we stopped to remove some of those layers which a few minutes ago seemed necessary.
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| A layer comes off as we climb on White Hill towards Well. |
At the well, in Well, a sharp right turn into Well Lane, all the way to Lower Froyle. A climb to start, then a fast downhill to a T-junction. Left here and almost immediately right, climbing up to pass the village hall, where they served teas on the Garden Open Days. (open weekend of 11th June this year.)
Dropping down, we then have our next climb up passing the church on our left, and also Froyle Park (the wedding venue), and once round the corner, have the big open views below.
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| View from the gate in Upper Froyle |
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| Opposite the view, one of many lovely houses in the village. |
Dropping down, we now cross the A31 with care at a tiny gap, near the entrance to West End Flower Farm. Once across, Daphne spotted a lovely snowdrop display.
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| Just after we had crossed the A31 in Froyle |
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The snowdrop stop, and now down to cross the River Wey, then a short uphill,
keeping right today. (I have gone left a couple of times) |
Ive only ever come this road in reverse, so knew it would be a climb, but a very gradual one. We continued straight, crossing over London Road on our way now to Wyck.
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| Photo by John who spotted us arriving. |
Turned out that John had literally just fixed a puncture, and as they pulled away, Dave realised he ALSO had a puncture!
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| Dave fixing his puncture moments after John had one. |
We left them to it, and after the wee climb into West Worldham, it was like the rush hour! We pulled over for at least 6 cars/vans to pass. And then it all went quiet again. Across the main Selbourne Road, B3004, and all downhill on the lovely quiet lane to Upper Farringdon, where we stopped for a few minutes at the church.
The B3006 Selbourne Road was thankfully not too busy, as we rode the half mile or so downhill, and passed Gilbert Whites House on our right. (Former residence & garden of an 18th-century naturalist, now a museum of renowned British explorers.)
We turn off left, shortly after the Selbourne public car park, into Honey Lane.... our next climb.
Through the Village, where on previous trips, I had climbed the nasty Hartely Mauditt Hill (a tough one). But today's route was easy going as we passed though the old woodlands area of Shortheath Common. I would love to see this in spring, with the ferns all emerging.
A dog leg back over London Road, (which we crossed after Froyle, and now a bit of a nasty climb to Binstead.
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Daphne and I stopped at this point, to wait for Gill catching up,
on the slog up to Binstead. |
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| here comes Gill. A little easier now, then a final climb to Binstead. |
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Arriving in Binstead at this church on the bend.
Continuing straight on Isington Road, and all pretty easy, we arrived facing Mill Farm shop, which is closed on Mondays, then left and a steep downhill on Isington Lane, to pass the Mill House, once owned by Viscount Montgomery.
"The Mill house at Isington with it's adjoining oast houses was built in the early to mid C19th. It was probably used for grinding corn, storing it, and then converting it to malt ready for the brewing process. The oasts alongside would have been used for drying the hops that were grown in hop gardens." |
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| Isington Mill House on the River Wey. |
A climb away from the River Wey of course, and soon alongside the A31, and then under the A31 to a TJunction, where we turned right into Bentley. A left turn at a Xroads into Hole Lane, which climbs immediately, and under an unusual pedestrian bridge, which appears to link two gardens each side of the road. This is just a warm up hill, for the real hill out of Bentley, coming up next.
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Hole Road, Bentley, with a further climb ahead, still called Hole Road.
We need to get to the farthest pylon. |
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| Views opposite the one above. |
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| Part way up the climb, and looking back in the direction of Bentley. |
We all did it, and then at the Xroads at the top, straight over, and all easy going now! We turned right on Well Lane ( the Well would have been left here), and just before reaching Crondall, turned left again into the narrow lane. where there was a lovely property of old terraces houses. I havenlt noticed these before, since usually coming the other way. Left into Itchell Lane, eventually passing my friend Monica's house, we carried on with the gradual uphill all the way along Roke Lane, to the junction with Hillside. (passing the farm and where the Open Garden was that we visited last summer.) Left here, then right,and we are back in Odiham, ending on a downhill all the way to the canal.
Gill was checking her elevation gain over the ride, and it was at 2200 feet. At the end mine showed 1600, and John's 1900 feet. Mine is always less, so we will go with Gill's today! Think we earned it.
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| photo by John, back just ahead of us. |
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| Well done ladies. An undulating ride, but all smiles at the end. |
Glad you enjoyed it. Lots of other rides around this area, so am sure we will revisit in spring. (that is if you are around. It seems like lots of holidays coming up for everyone.... woopeee! At last)
