Monday ride today, with Daphers, Dave and John. Linda on holiday.... again. Thankfully our 4 day extreme weather warnings are over, so just reaching 26 degrees today, and not 36, but even so, hot enough. So we were keen to get back before the hottest part of the day. We met at Dave's at 8.45 to drive to Riseley.
John put this route together. I had ridden most of this before, but not necessarily in the same order, or with the same destination. We initially went under the A33 at Riseley and around Stratfield Saye, heading along Green Lane to Silchester. From Wall Lane we continued left, and a couple of turns through Pamber Heath. Never the prettiest part of this route, but as Daphne says "everywhere is interesting". No photo of this "interesting" part of the route. 😉
At the roundabout on the A340, I wasn't quite convinced about the turn here, so Daphne and I went right, then realised we had missed a turning. However about 50 yards further, a little cut through allowed us to sneak through to rejoin the route, New Road, Tadley. Still no photos, but as soon as we turned into Church Lane... what a transformation. We are now in the countryside. And immediately this pretty thatched cottage.
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| Church Road Tadley |
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| And a closer look. |
As we peddle on Church Road, I could picture the church coming up on the left. (St Peter's Church). A gradual climb, and I commented to Daphne that still no sign of the boys behind us. As we slowed to pass the church, there were lots of workmen on site, presumably working on the exterior. And just then, a sighting of the boys in my mirror, who had finally caught us up.
A bit further, still on Church Lane, scaffolding around this long thatch, called Tadley Place. I think this area is now knows as Baughurst, rather than Tadley.
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| Daphne had gone ahead as I stopped for a photo, just as an aide memoir. 😄 |
Church Lane continued wiggling around a few bends and not far before the end, a second church, this is St Stephen's church, Baughurst
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| Willow or similar name at the entrance. |
A dogleg right and left, and into Violet Lane. I don't remember anything about this lane from a past ride, although the name seemed familiar. I think we climbed a bit on this road to a junction, where at the end we pulled over for a drink and a tractor passed us. Some debris spilled out, and a passerby said it was Chamomile. John and Dave had noticed a field near here a few weeks ago with a short white crop, but couldn't identify it. It's a feathery foliage, with white daisy flower. There are also non flowers types, better for lawns.
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| Chamomile google image. |
What is used for? I only know it as a tea with no caffine.
As a traditional medicine, it is used to treat wounds, ulcers, eczema, gout, skin irritations, bruises, burns, canker sores, neuralgia, sciatica, rheumatic pain, hemorrhoids, mastitis and other ailments
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And now down a long hill, with a brand new tarmac surface.
Daphne disappeared, but I finally caught her up. Wheeee. |
As we turned left into Ham Lane, I recognised this turn and sure enough, Snowdrop Cottage was soon on our left, and further down the pretty Ham Farmhouse on the right, on a left hand bend. At the end, a dogleg right and left into Stoney Heath, where I stopped to photograph this little scene. I have definitely photographed it before, when out with Linda.
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| Stoney Heath view |
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| Stoney Heath view |
Now we joined Baughurst Road into Ramsdell, where we turned left a XRoads, with Ramsdell church on our left. I often recognised the junction, but never seem to arrive from the same direction!
(right here is Ewehurst Road leading eventually to Ibworth.... a different route done in both directions.) Daphne also recognised it from a past trip to Ibworth.
We are now riding on Monk Sherborne Road, and in the village we keep to the right, followed by a left turn which passes a village shop, opposite the next turn into Pamber Road. This emerges at The Priory School and the road continues bending around until we join the BUSY Aldermaston Road. (A340). We opt for the footpath and walk across opposite the garden centre, to the coffee stop.
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| Very nice sponge for me and little crumble snack for Dave. |
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| Daphne had a whopping big coffee. |
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Miserable photo of John waiting for his flat white. 😂..
which he said was a good one. |
Retracing 100 yards on the busy road, we turned left now, into Bramley Road, then first left to climb through Little London on Silchester Road. We ignored the first right (Frog Lane, since there was roadworks recently), and so turned second right into Byes Lane. I've only ever come out at this junction, so was in the wrong gear to climb up! Wiggling through on the OTHER Bramley Road, we carried on, ignoring Clappers Farm Road on our left, and then over the railway bridge near Bramley. Left onto Stratfield Saye Road, and left again at "Active Tots" junction.
(Dave and Daphne ahead at this point, and followed the Garmin route left, but infact John had planned to go straight on here following Fair Oak Road back to Stratfield Saye, rather than repeat Green Lane.)
I love Green Lane, so was quite happy to repeat and infact stopped for a photo at this colourful cottage not long after we turned into Green Lane. The tiny Hamlet is called West End Green, as is the cottage.
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West End Green Cottage (tiny sign above the door)
at West End Green, on Green Lane. |
We retraced the last couple of miles back to Riseley, for about 12.30. We all had slightly different milage but of course mine is the most accurate.😂
