A bright day, but only 11 degrees, which is pretty chilly for the last week of May. That blasted northerly wind still spoiling the ride at times today! But shorts were worn, and a jacket stayed on for the whole ride. We drove to Odiham, where there were loads of cars park on the roadside towards the canal car park. Gosh, it's busy today, we thought. Must be some special event going on. It turned out the car park gate was closed! We managed to park further back up the hill, and by the time we returned 4 hours later, the gate was open. (Recon someone slept in 😁)
Route
I have ridden this particular route only a couple of times, so was not entirely sure of what was coming next all the time, but recognised most places as we came to them. Leaving Odiham, up the High Street and straight over at the roundabout, bumping up the kerb, we continued to Greywell, passing the Fox and Goose pub. Once we left the village, we took the left fork to Upton Grey. (only ever done this road in reverse). There were some views where we gained some height on this route, looking back toward Odiham direction.
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| Views from Upton Grey Road, back to Odiham |
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| From Upton Grey Road, looking to Upton Grey Village |
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| Upton Grey Pond with Platinum Jubilee bunting in place. Lots of this around today. |
After the pond, we continued sort of straight over into Church Street, heading to Weston Patrick, then straight over the A339 into Bagmore Lane. I recognised the name, but not where it would lead. We came to this sign for Herriad, and continued straight along this road.
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| We continued straight here. |
We soon took a righthand turn into Bell Lane, and I recognised this (I thought). Are we coming to that village with the hole in the wall I asked John? yes!! I do know where I am. 😅 Its called Ellisfield. At the end of Bell Lane, a right turn, then left, into Church Lane, as we come to the wall on the left.
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| Hole in the wall, Ellisfield, just before the Church. |
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| Ellisfield Church, brightly light tombstones today. |
Just before the Church, there is a road called Furzen Lane. We ignored that, and climbed out of Ellisfield, taking the next left and then left again onto Green Lane. (A cheeky little climb). But then we enjoyed a long downhill (passing the other end of Furzen Lane) which would be a flatter route I suspect!
This long downhill passed the woods where we stopped previously to photograph lovely bluebells, and where a toy airplane is hanging in a tree on the right. Then at the bottom, a dogleg left and right, and the climb up begins. This is called Moundsmere, and the sign also points to Bradley. The lane with no name, continues dropping steeply downhill once round a bend. For future reference, I will now call this hill "the dead tree hill" 😂
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Stopping to photograph this dead tree, as a reference for
next time, when I will know where we are. 😉 |
We dropped down to a T junction, and turned right. All pretty flat to join the B3046 near Preston Candover, and it's all flat, but terrible road surfaced on the left to start with along this road to our tea stop at The Yard, Chilton Candover. It was busy today, and we waited several minutes for our order, but it was very good, as usual.
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| Pretty flower arrangement with Red Campion, at The Yard. |
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Courgette and Lime Cake. Yum. And a lovely pot of tea and John's coffee was
very good he said. Proper flavour. |
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| Interesting toilet roll display! |
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| And the one next door too. |
We backtracked to Preston Candover, turning right at the Church to climb out of the village, heading to Lower Wield ( uphill!). We passed the Drovers Lane footpaths, where we had once seen metal detectorists. We opted for a left turn at a fork, which looped around passing a Hamlet with this lovely climbing Hydrangea.
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| Lower Wield. |
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Lower Wield, passing these two homes on a bend, where we soon turn right. No named
road, but it take us to join Ashley Road. |
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We arrived at this junction in Bentworth, where John went to look at the Gold Post Box
(for 2012 Olympian who lived locally) |
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At the same junction, this derelict pub on our left, where we now turn left
into Station Road. |
A fast downhill now, to cross the A339 once more and the inevitable climb back up. We soon arrive in Lasham Village, with this pub on our left, and head more or less straight over, passing the church.
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| This pub on our left as we arrive at the XRoads in Lasham. |
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| Lasham. Straight over at this tired looking thatch cottage. |
Now we climbed, with undulations, and a tow plane went over our heads, pulling a glider. Bit windy for gliding we thought! This is from Lasham airfield. At the junction, we now have a busier road, called The Avenue, which brings us to the XRoads, which used to be "The Golden Pot" (now the Indian restaurant). Straight over here, and I know where I am again, heading towards The Froyle direction. Its a long straight road, and it was pretty dark today under the tree canopy... especially with my sun glasses on.
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| Froyle Road, dark with tree cover much of this stretch. |
We turned left eventually, (no name, but heading to the back entrance of Lord Wandswoth College), passing "the field with the horse", which wasn't there today. As we dropped down the steep bit, and started to climb up, we spotted some red bits! Poppies !! At last. But not a great display. I climbed up the bank, with nettles etc, and grabbed a couple of snaps.
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| Poppies near the back entrance to Lord Wandsworth College. |
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| Looking back to where we dropped down from Froyle Road. |
This road continued into Long Sutton, (arriving opposite the pond), so a left/right dogleg next, into Wood Hill Lane, which changes its name to Long Lane, heading to RAF Benson landing lights.
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| Long Lane, leaving Long Sutton. A lora lora Buttercups! |
Final leg back to Odiham, and where we had parked next to this pretty cottage.
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| All ready for the Jubilee celebrations next weekend. |
Not quite got this area in my head yet, but getting there. No bright colourful fields today, but lots of crop fields everywhere, which are very pretty.
