With the renewal of my first aid certificate at last confirmed, I was able to lead a Breeze ride today for the first time in two months. I had found a new coffee destination, which is a recently refurbished pub in Monk Sherborne, so planned to take a ride there. It serves coffee/cake from 9.30 most days, although as it turned out, we didn't get there 'till almost 12.30. But we did start a bit later (9.45 from Mattingley), and we did peddle 22 miles to get there. 😉
When I put this ride together, and realised it was 35 miles, I thought perhaps no one would sign up. But it was full within a couple of hours.
Route
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Linda, Kim, Beth, Amanda, and Angela as we set off in sunshine from
Mattingley Church. Only 6 degrees.... but sunny. |
We set off on Bottle Lane, all very flat but also shady, so no warming up until the little climb at the end of Bottle Lane, then a right turn to drop downhill passing Daneshill School, and across the A33. We skirted Stratfield Saye, and eventually into Clappers Farm Road, below Silchester, to cross the ford. Would we ride through the water today? Or take the bridge option?
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| Leafy tunnel as we approach the ford on Clappers Farm Road. |
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Almost dry, so we peddled straight through today.
(Rose would be proud of us.😅) |
Following Bramley road into Ash Lane, we continued beyond our turn into Frog Lane, to show the ladies this pretty pink cottage. (One of my landmarks so I know where I am!) As we were admiring it and taking a photo, a runner came to a halt and said "do feel free to take photos. It's my house". He had lived there for over 30 years, and is well used to people taking photos.
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| Goodwin Cottage. Named by the previous owners over 30 years ago. |
Back a few yards to ride along Frog Lane and down through Little London, to join a section of the Bramley Road. We split into two groups here, and regrouped again as we doglegged into the quieter Ramsdell Road at Pamber End, heading to Charter Alley. Straight across into a very short one way street, then turned right on Monk Sherborne Road.
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| The one way street in Charter Alley |
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| Ramsdell Church, another of my landmarks, and today a Harvest tapestry. |
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Straight over at Ramsdell Church into Ewhurst Road.
This is a lovley lane, with a gradual climb, and views of our bigger climb ahead. |
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| Stopping for a car to pass on Ewhurst Road, with the Ibworth hill ahead in the distance. |
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| Ewehurst Lane. |
A right turn on the busy A339 and immediately left into the narrow Hook Lane to climb to Ibworth. I told the others to go ahead and meet at the top, whilst I paced Angela on the first part. At the corner, and where the hill ramps up, I went ahead at my own pace, and spotted something in my mirror. What you don't want is a tractor behind you! Poor Angela got off and pinned herself to the hedge. I kept going, and, a Tesco delivery van coming towards me!! His window was down and I shouted "Tractor coming up the hill". I'm not sure he heard since he just smiled, and carried on anyway. (They must have met and had a job to pass each other, since the tractor didn't catch me up until the top of the hill.
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| Tractor catching us up at the top of Hook Lane, Ibworth. |
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| We found a pull in spot for the tractor to pass. |
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| And Angela comes up behind the tractor. |
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| Views at the the top in Ibworth |
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| We pulled in at the top and my jacket came off. It's warm now! |
All downhill now for a while, but single file since the lanes are very narrow, with blind bends. "Hook Lane" goes all over the place here, whether left, right , up or down. (Never arrange to meet someone on Hook Lane. ) 😅
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| Hook Lane continues downhill for a while into Wooten St Lawrence. |
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| Wooton St Lawrence Church, where we soon turn left. |
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| big cop growing area here. |
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| We had done a loop and crossed back over the A339, with this amazing view ahead. |
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| Views ahead, and all downhill still as we head into Monk Sherborne. |
Our route will continue on a right hand bend, but first we turned left, up a little incline, to the pub.
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| Cakes, Sandwiches and Paninis on offer. |
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| We chose to sit outdoors in the sun. Bikes on the rack just behind us. |
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| The Olive Tree |
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| The Paninis took a little while to come, but looked very nice. |
After a lovely break and chat of biking holidays, mortgage rates, recommendations of books, and TV shows, we crossed a dogleg over the A340 Aldermaston Road, and through Sherborne St John. With a couple of undulations, we soon passed The Vine, and an easy ride all the way into Bramley. I can never be bothered to head straight over the railcrossing, since the barriers are
always down, so we skirted Bramley using the railbridge instead.
Then on the pretty lanes to Sherfield on Loddon, where it seemed strange to ignore The Coffee Shop! We crossed the A33, riding on the pavement section, and then left passing Hartley Wespall Church.
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Selfie with the camera across the road on a narrow post!
10 seconds to run across and look casual. |
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And with the church spire included.
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The ladies were tiring, and the chat become quieter on the final stretch back to Mattingley retracing our outward route on Bottle Lane. 😂
We spent a few minutes getting various bikes loaded onto a variety of bike racks, and headed for home around 2.20pm.
Well done ladies. It was longer then normal, and with a few inclines but the pay off is great views and some long downhills to. See you again soon.
