Breeze Cantley to Waltham Place - 26 miles (A Gusty, Cruchy ride!)

I was assisting Cathy today, and had suggested a trip to Waltham Place for our coffee stop. It's ages, years,  since I have been there. They had been closed for a long time since Covid, but their website information was that they are open for "walk in" coffee/cake or lunch on Wednesday, but otherwise a pre bookable lunch on Fridays.  The bad news is that the Wednesday opening finishes next week until the spring, so we got in just on time. 

Cathy put the route together, starting at Cantley. The forecast for rain and strong winds, but pulling the ride forward half a hour to start at 9am, the forecast got it spot on, and it started just after 12, by which time we were home! 😊  I describe this as a gusty/crunchy ride, since there were acorns everywhere today. And several times hitting me on the head or shoulder too. They seemed to have loved the weather conditions this season. 

Quite a noticeable difference in the amount of traffic when you meet up at 9am, and we all mentioned that we had to weave carefully through the school run traffic on our way to Cantley. I almost got taken out on Chestnut Avenue, buy a mother who simply didn't look as she pulled out of Walter Avenue. I nearly had to mount the pavement on the wrong side of  the road to avoid her. 😡

Route

Our route took us out of Wokingham on the Binfield Road, through Monks Alley Binfield, and into Stubbs Hill. The trees are just starting to turn autumnal, and I liked the colours in the tree tunnel dropping down to Ryhurst Lane.

Stubbs Hill Binfield, to join Ryehurst Lane
(totally out of focus, sorry, since I rushed to get the ladies in before the disappeared)

Then on Bottle Lane, and carefully across the busy Maidenhead Road, to the quiet Bowyers Lane. A car was following us up the incline here, so I pulled over, and loved the clouds here.

Cloud spotting on Bowers Lane, behind Moss End Garden Centre.

Louise, Kim and Amanda also stopped... our leader carried on. 😉

Wellers Lane, Hawthorne Hill

The next section was not so pleasant, as we split into two groups on the busy A330, Ascot Road, and straight over the roundabout on Drift Road.  It is downhill, so we got up a good speed. Some crazy van drivers out there today, but we soon turned left into Sheepcote Lane, to ride through the back of quiet Paley Street. Over the motorway, and on our right turn into Church Road, White Waltham, some temporary traffic lights right outside Waltham Place! It was fine turning in, but had to pick our moment when we came back out.

It was only 9.58, when we arrived, and seems like they opened at 10, since the cakes were not yet on display. What a panic 😂. We had a browse in the shop, where the veg was all looking very nice, and reasonably priced too. 

A couple of the ladies bought some plant seeds, and by that time, cake had arrived from the kitchen.

When we all came to pay, I had forgotten that you get a free drink if you cycle here. So just £2 for a delicious slice of chocolate cake for me, and others had some almond cookies. (x 2 each!)😋. A Christmas mince pie and mulled wine event was mentioned, dates to be announced.... so watch this space ladies!

Fed and watered, we left heading downhill into  White Waltham, and the wind had definitely picked up. We road along Breadcroft Lane, then across the Knowl Hill Bridal route. On the open fields section, we really had to hang on to our bikes! The wind of course never behind us. We crossed over Bottle Lane and used the track all the way to Waltham St Lawrence and at least that section was protected from the wind in between the hedges. 

We wiggled back passing WSL School, down the Straight Mile, and into Broadcommon Lane. We opted not to cross the two bridges over the motorway, since the wind was quite extreme at times. As we crossed the main Hurst Road into Lines road, nice to meet Kathy L out on her bike. (she thought she wasn't free today or would have joined us.)

Camera on a gate post in the Hurst Lanes. 
I was down to my teeshirt, it was so mild today. 

Louise, Kim and myself returned via Sadlers End to Woosehill, whilst Cathy and Amanda rode on the new distribution road back to Cantley.