It's August Bank Holiday Monday, and our group was doing nothing, so all free to cycle. A lovely day around 23 degrees was forecast. I planned the route today, and John decided that he and Dave would do the same ride, although other than the tea stop, we never did see them.
Route
We parked at Caversham tennis club, and wiggled across to Kidmore End Road, then first left into Grove Road, and right into St Barbabas Road, which continued downhill to Gravel Hill. (I had done this route once the other way, and it was a tough climb, but also did it this direction with John a couple of weeks ago on my ebike. Didn't seem too bad on the ebike!)
The road becomes a narrow track, with tarmac surface, with a steep climb up to Kidmore Road, Caversham. A bit overgrown with summer weeds, but nothing spiky. At the top, a right turn and soon we arrived in Tokers Green, riding on Tokers Green Lane. This road undulates a bit, and passes Mill Road on the left. (The one we use sometimes to cross the A4074 towards Mapledurham). Today, we continued to Kidmore End, emerging at the familiar junction at the church. Now left and using Wyfold Road, we climbed to Checkendon on Deer's Lane... a cheeky little climb.
As we turned right into Checkendon, Daphne commented that she had not seen this part of Checkendon before, where there are some pretty houses just opposite the church. (We have started some rides from the car park here.)
Around the equestrian centre, and as we continued through the woodland area, Linda stopped to adjust her new trainers, which seemed to be too right.
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| Not far past Checkendon Equestrian Cenre. Nice and cool under the tree shade. |
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| Checkendon Lanes |
We climbed gradually to Nuffield and crossed the A4130 to Huntercombe End and Park Corner. (The main road B481, busier than normal today.) A quick drink of water at the top of Swyncombe Hill, and soon we turned right towards Christmas Common.
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| Cuxham Village. |
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| Cuxham, and the Virginia Creeper starting to turn. |
Next, we passed through Britwell Baldwin, and just as we left the village, a sharp right turn into Cadwell Lane (A private bridal path). I had found this lane by accident a couple of months ago, when Garmin suggested this as a route to Chalgrove, and was keen to use it again.)
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| Bottom Lane, Ipsden. |
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| Off they go, on Bottom Lane, to climb through the tree line to Checkendon |
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| Here comes Daphne. |
Linda and I both made it to the top today. It's a cheeky climb, and our legs were burning at the top. Daphne, who had a break part way up, seemed to get second wind and was off as we passed through Checkendon. We crossed the road and soon dropped down the "bluebell woods" hill, right onto Wyfold Road. "I like this lane", said Daphne, "it's all downhill".....and seconds later it was uphill to the crossroad we had passed through earlier. 😊.
Along the udulating Wyfold Lane to the Unicorn Pub, then downhill to pass The Pet Barn. I hadn't quite decided which way we would return to Emmer Green, but since we were a bit weary, opted for the least hilly route, which was Kennylands Road, across at The Bird in Hand pub, to Emmer Green Road. Then all downhill back to the start.
John and Dave back just before us, although said they had waited 10 mins at the top of Bottom Lane, next to the furniture place. I dare say if we had not stopped at Ewelme, we may have seen them along the route.
No punctures today!
Quite a long route, but something different. Dave rode to and from our house, so would have clocked up almost 50 miles today. Well done Dave. And of course everyone else. A lazy afternoon planned.
(As I am writing this, a message from Jeanette to say she was a Ewelme shop for a coffee today! Checking her route, she opted for Nuffield Hill to get back up.)
