I had made a diary note of an NGS Garden open today in Chrstimas Common. It's was a beautiful day, so we cycled there starting at Sonning Common. I had also requested that we pass the Russel's Water flower meadow to check on its state, hoping for it looking amazing.
Route
We rode via Wyfold Road passing the pigs to Stoke Row. The woodlands and blubells all looking gorgeous. Done quite a few bluebell photos this past couple of weeks, and with my camera Aperture broken, was a bit limited with my focusing today. Must get that fixed!
Quite a few cyclist passed us today, taking part in an event. Couldn't shake them off!
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Wyfold Road, enroute to Stoke Row.
In Stoke Row, a left turn, and after leaving the village another left turn into Uxmore Road, then right to pass the Black Horse Pub, and right again at the "Blue Tin" junction,continuing to join the main road to Nuffield. WE stopped for a few more blubells photos, but mine were rubbish, thanks to my camera, so deleted them all. Passing the Swyncombe Road, we took next right towards Russell's Water, with this view on our left.
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| The Road to Russell's Water, looking to Christmas Common |
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| Unusual geese (ducks?) at Russell's Water Pond. |
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| The wild flower meadow wasn't quite what I 'd hoped.😉 |
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| Nice enough, but difficult to capture. Need to be later in the season when the grasses are longer. |
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| Now we dropped down the steep hill (Park Lane) to Stonor Valley |
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| Park Lane, to Stonor Valley |
We still had the event cyclists with us, as we turned left up the Valley Road, and right to climb to North End. Thankfully, we finally left them as we turned towards Christmas Common, and they dropped down to Turville. (they were heading for the brewery/vineyard, which meant that they had to climb that nasty hill out of the Hambleden Valley to get their drink!
We arrived at the open garden called Meadow View, which is just at the junction in Christmas Common. It was 11.40, and had been open for 10 mins. Perfect timing.
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Chaos as they all have to overtake one which has broken down,
causing quite a tailback. |
Now a little bit of retracing our route as far as Swyncombe turn off to drop downhill.
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| Views dropping down to Swyncombe, with Ewelme in the distance. |
We ignored the turn for Ewelme today and carried straight on to the junction with the Old London Road, then dogleg over the A4130. Ignoring Nuffield Hill, we continued to Ipsden to check out the crop fields.
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| Views near Nuffield Hill junction. |
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| Views to the right at Ipsden. |
We opted to climb back up on Garsons Lane, passing the Blue Tin. With power on, a doddle compared to without it! Then we passed Checkendon Equestrian Centre, and spent a few mins watching the foals. There are 4, but one was asleep.
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| Checkendon "nursery", with the foals. |
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Back through Checkendon, and the final stop for bluebells this year~?
they are started to fade, so have now peaked. |
We returned to the start retracing or route to Kidmore End, then Sonning Common. Lovely day out,and down to teeshirts towards the end.
