Very nice to meet 2 new ladies on my ride today. Clare, who did her 1st Breeze ride just last week, and Amy who did a ride with Jill several weeks ago, and decided she could go a bit further. Well done for signing up for 27 miles ladies! So, how did they get on?
Route
Rose and Louise joined us at the start, and we headed across Wokingham to Ludgrove, and met with Barbara at Heathlands Road. We then went across the ford bridge... well the sensible ones did.😉
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Rose decided to clean her bike.
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Barbara in the background, whose chain had come off on the bridge. We soon got her sorted, and were off again, turning left onto Easthampstead Road just as far as the bend, then taking off into the track called Holme Green Lane. |
Reflections at the ford on Redlake Lane. It's only a foot deep, but enough
for Rose to get wet feet. Good job she was wearing sandals. |
Using the new cycle pathways through William Heelas Way, we then faffed around to cross at 3 lots of traffic lights to get to Oak Avenue. (must plan that better next time! I used Plough Lane the other day... much easier to get across to.) Next, over the motorway (A329M) onto Binfield Road, and into Binfield. We turned right at the end of Wicks Green today, to drop downhill on Tilehurst Lane, to the Stag and Hounds. Left here, and soon right into Ryehurt Lane.
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| Good clouds today! |
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| Ryehurst Lane, with the pink Balsam "weed" looking pretty |
Louise and Barbara led for the next couple of miles, along Bottle Lane, then left and right at Moss End, to climb up to the green triangle at Frost Folly car park. We carried straight on here on Wellers Lane, turning left into Penfurzen Lane to avoid the main road. We continued on the track which follows the Ascot Road, all nice and dry of course. One stop to point out this lovely old house. Looks like its part of the Jealott's Hill land. Louise looked up a name of Cruchfield Manor, but the photos on line dont look right. This house is red brick
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| A glimpse of the pretty red brick house, at Jealotte's Hill. |
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| Louise, Clare, Rose, Amy, Barbara in the dappled shade. |
Straight over now, with care, into Pendrys Lane, all downhill to Westley Mill. I remember the first time I did this route years ago, led by x-Breeze Champ Kelly. A useful cut through to avoid the main roads around here. Another ford to cross! Rose was ecstatic😅
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| Westley Mill Ford was a bit deeper than she was expecting. |
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| Not content with cycling across, Rose decided to check out the depth on foot. |
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| "ooh look" she said. "It's actually quite deep".😄 |
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| The Dovecot on the building which belongs to the pretty pink house next to the ford. |
Now we peddled to join Howe Lane, just as far as the roundabout, splitting into two groups. But actually, not one car passed us today. A left to climb over the M4, then straight on almost into Shurlock Row, but a right turn at Beenham Heath, continuing to the 5 way XRoads at Waltham St Lawrence. A left turn here, and used the main road all the way to Ruscombe. The group began to split a little, since the new riders were feeling a little weary by now. Coffee is not far now! I hung back to wait whilst the others carried on to Ruscombe.
(One rider was as convinced we were on new roads again today, but had a eureka moment as we turned the corner to reveal Ruscombe Church. 😂) Across the rail bridge, and then a downhill to arrive at Stanlake Vineyard. I had not been here before, but had been advised that it was well worth a visit for it's pleasant surroundings, good coffee, and good cakes. What more could you ask?
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| Arriving at Stanlake Vineyard |
Our only disappointment today was that the locally baked cakes has
not arrived! But there were other things on offer, so we survived.
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| The vineyard garden behind the shop, where we enjoyed plenty of sunshine. |
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| Very dark skies as we were leaving. |
Into the Hurst Lanes now, crossing to climb to the Castle Pub, where were regrouped after the hill.
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| The pretty cottage opposite The Castle Inn, Hurst. |
No pain, no gain, so having climbed a little, we enjoyed the downhill from here, and looped through more of the Hurst Lanes to Dinton, to climb over the A329M once more. Barbara was under a bit of time pressure, so opted to make her own way back via the quickest route, whilst the rest of us turned left into the new northern distribution road, crossing over the M4 for the final time, and using the cyclepaths, to cut through to Emmbrook.
I am FULL of admiration for our new ladies who signed up for 27 miles today. And also to Barbara still building her miles after several weeks missing cycling. Well done ladies! Hope to see you again soon.
