How many ways are there to get to Wargrave? The answer is lots. Since I lead rides most week, I try to vary the routes as much as is possible, which isn't so easy when it seems the routes have been done to death! Anyway, today a few little twists and turns to keep the ladies on their toes, and to loose their sense of direction, which is always fun. The very dry conditions still ideal for a few off road sections.
Route
We left from Woosehill, cycling a little way up Chestnut Avenue, then through the cycle path to connect to the woods off Simons Lane, and to Saddlers End. We emerged at the M4 flyover in Winnersh. Around the Hurst Lanes then next to the Chocoholics entrance on Lodge Road, disappeared in a track alongside the road. I learned this from Gill just very recently. A nice little path to keep us off the main road, and lined with pretty wild flowers too.
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| Time to leave the main road at Lodge Road, Hurst |
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| into this pretty lane, lined with forget me not. |
We cycled on Broadhinton to take us up to Ruscombe, over the railway, then straight over next to the church, into New Road. And straight over again into the very dry field though the crops.
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| All 5 in shot as we cross from New Road to the A4. |
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| Amanda and Hazel with legs out today. |
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| Louise and Linda C |
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| And around the bend to cross the A4 into the Strawberry growers. |
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| Looking very tempting! |
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| Photo by Hazel. They won't miss one.... will they? |
Now to Wargrave and up Dark Lane and our climb continued on Highfield Lane to Crazies Hill. We are at the top (of this section of the ride 😉), and enjoyed the downhill run to The Flower Pot. Our route to Henley was planned as 28 miles, and continued along Remenham Lane. But since I did that a few days ago, I offered, well told them....and they all agreed of course, that a detour to ride along the Thames Path would be good. It's amazing looking at the map how much farther it is doing that, since the river swings out on quite a bend at Mill End, but it's all dead flat, so no big deal.
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Millions and squillions of Dandelions near Hambleden Lock, so the ladies were asked
to hunker down amongst them, for a bit of photo nonsense. AFTER 3.... |
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| 2........ |
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| 1! GO!!! |
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| Hazel then insisted that I should be included, so we had a Dandelion fight. |
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| Who won? |
We pushed our bikes through the lock area, and noticed some rather suspicion looking "poo" on the ground! Either massive geese .... or Cows? At the lock?
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| THE best Almond Croissant in the WORLD! Wow. Delicious. |
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| Full team. Fed, watered, and ready for a bit of downhill now. |
We continued straight joining Emmer Green Road, and left at the X roads. Just before the church, a bend in the road goes straight on and becomes a track, Row Lane, then left into Foxhill.
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| Views at Foxhill, looking towards Dundsen. |
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| And views to Caversham Lakes, just before we drop down steeply to Playhatch. |
Back in Playhatch, we crossed to Sonning in two groups of 3, and split up taking the road all the way to Charvil. Not busy at all today, and no bad driver incidents either. Amazing.
We returned via Beggars Hill Road, saying goodbye to Gill on Sandford Lane, and then through the lanes back to Winnersh and the A329 cycle path to Woosehill. The new section of the northern distribution road is due to open next week, so plan to use that in future to get back to Emmbrook area.
Thanks all for joining me this morning. A couple of extra miles, so well done everyone for doing another 30+ ride. Good fun, and that odd spot of rain we imagined, thankfully came to nothing. Infact we finished with blue skies.
