I thought it would be a good idea for the 4 Champs who are leading individual groups to an Open Garden in Pinkeys Green next Wednesday, to pre ride the route. Most of us are familiar with much of the route, but the last couple of miles are new, and also I wanted to be absolutely sure where the garden entrance is, since its on a busy road. But the route I had planned meant that we will arrive almost opposite the entrance.
A frosty start to the morning, but since we were not starting out till 10, it was all gone by then, but still chilly. Jill arrived by bike from Crowthorne, so she would be doing a few extra miles.
The first part of our route is all very familiar, basically to Shurlock Row via The Straight Mile then to Smewins Road, to White Waltham.
Route
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| The Straight Mile into Shulock Row. Very good clarity today. Can see for miles. |
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| Drink and noseblow stop on Smewins Road. |
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Over the railbridge on Butchers Lane, and WOW the first
signs of rape crop this year. |
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| and on the opposite side too. |
Then across the Knowl Hill Bridal circuit path and onto Breadcroft Lane.
This next section is the bit that the others are not familiar with. Now in White Waltham we climbed gradually to the A4 roundabout, using a cycle path on the right
just before the roundabout, then safely across at traffic lights into the Private Drive, Newlands Avenue. A wiggle though on a cycle path, then some residential street to take us to Pinkneys Drive, arriving facing the cricket pitch.
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| Pinkney Green cricket pitch |
A right turn at the cricket pitch, then soon left (A308, Furze Platt Road), then after a couple of hundred yards, right into Winterhill Road. A bit uphill here, but not for long as we take the first left into Golden Ball Lane.
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| Left here from Winterhill Road, into Golden Ball Lane. |
This is a pretty lane, with what look a bit like estate houses in terraces, and soon we arrive at a junction (A308 again). We cross straight over, to a gravel drive, but then join a track to get safely to the next door property on the left, which is our destination. (The traffic was busy this morning, noticeably busier being a Saturday, so we may just use the road on Wed, but this track is a good option to avoid sitting in the middle to turn right, since there is a bend in the road here.)
At the next gravel drive, where I was expecting to find "our house", it wasn't there, but continuing to the end of this gravel drive, and round a bend, we found it.
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Entrance to Compton Elms, tucked around the corner
of a shared drive. |
Having established we know where we are going on Wed, we doubled back a few yards to the junction, but continued now on this road for about half a mile. It's quite a busy road, but soon as the road went right on a bend, we turned left into a very pretty quiet lane called Lee Lane. This skirts around the edge of the open space of Pinkneys Green, and at the junction we rejoined Pinkeys Drive. (So we have just done a big loop, but nice lanes to ride on.
Next we turned right into Henley Road, where today after a short distance we turned left to drop down to Stubbings Nursery for a cuppa. (Will ignore this after the garden visit). Sue hadn't been before, so it was nice for her to enjoy yet another coffee stop. We sat outside, since with the sun shining, it was quite pleasantly warm
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| Stubbing Nursery. |
Fed and watered, back to the Henley Road continuing the same direction, and at the junction we turned right, to cross over the A404, and at the roundabout we took first left towards Burchetts Green. Over several annoying speed bumps, then left at The Crown pub, into the quiet Burchetts Green Lane. Passing the pretty white house of Little Stubbings, I always thinks its such a shame we cant cycle here across the field! (But its a footpath route only).
Keeping a close look out for the right "fork" into the track called Green Lane, we follow this lane, all nice and dry, to cross the busy A4, and into the peace of Littlewick Green.
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| Selfie at Littlewick Green |
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| First time I have ever seen anyone playing cricket. But normally I come mid week. |
Leaving Littlewick Green, we cut through on the track to rejoin the KHBCircuit once more, repeating our route backwards for part of our journey. But at the end, where it joins Bottle Lane, we turned right. After just a few yards, a left turn at a signpost, and now the offroad section all the way to Waltham St Lawrence, keeping left at at junctions.
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| At one of the junctions on our way to WSL, we sneaked into this field. |
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| ok, after 3.... jump! |
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| not quite to successful! |
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| and once more time! |
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| ok, last one. |
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As we got back to the bikes, Cathy realised that she had lost her phone.
So back into the field, and thankfully she found it, just before I called her. 😅 |
From WSL, all familiar now as we went right (ish) to pass WSL School on Sill Bridge Lane, then left after the school into Brook Lane. (This joins Hungerford Lane, where anyone riding from Shurlock Row on Wed will turn left. ) But we turn right and make our way back through Hurst, and eventually back over the two motorways to Cantley.
What can possibly go wrong on Wednesday, leading 20 people! Fingers crossed for good weather, and no "mechanicals".
