E-bike Sunday for the first time since 13th November! Mostly due to my damaged ribs, but also weather. We decided to do a ride from Chievley, and John shared a route which he had done with Dave. A few new bits for me, but mostly familiar. I loaded the ride to my Garmin this morning, noticing that my Garmin had only 3% battery. It was fully charged after Fridays ride! Charged it on the way there, and managed to start with 70% battery, but not enough to record the whole ride. My battery is not great, compared to John's Garmin. (his route attached, which probably won't open, so mine also attached to see the first 21 miles)
First 21 miles.
Route
It was 4.5 degrees and as we drove down the M4, and it started to drizzle. This often happens on our way to West Berkshire! Anyway, it never came to much, but a fine mist in the air for much of the ride. We started by heading from our usual parking spot on School Lane, Chievely, into Winterbourne, then through Bagnor passing Kimber cottage with it's sculpted hedge.We had not been expecting to see ice on the roads, but realised that it was still there. Anywhere that had had a large puddle was still frozen. And often the ice was quite widespread. So, our speed today was tentative, since we did see several patches, on top of them before we knew it. 😟
We stopped briefly in Bagnor just passed the Windmill Theatre.
 |
This Willow Tree and Dogwoods were about the most colour we saw all day,
as we passed alongside the River Lambourn in Bagnor. |
 |
| John catching me up in Bagnor. |
We followed a familiar route next, passing The Woodspeen, then taking the left fork into Snake Lane. This climbs up a bit, and emerges at the B4000, where we dogleg right/left into Glebe Lane, Stockcross. Shortly on Church Road, dog leg across the A4 (Gravel Hill), and into a very straight road, with no name. It's all downhill, and from the top, the view was.... GREY!
 |
| Dropping down an unnamed road, in Stockcross. What a driech day! |
At the bottom of this very straight road, it bends 90 degrees right, and there were 3 very nice black barn conversions on the corner. This is Marsh Benham, and a lot of the fields did look rather waterlogged. Next, at a cross roads meeting Milkhouse Road, we turned left. (We will return to this Xroads later, and continue straight over. ) Shortly we crossed a railway and then the Kennet and Avon.
 |
| Crossing the Canal at Marsh Benham |
 |
| Marsh Benham. We next climb around where that white house is |
The road ramps up quite sharply and around a blind bend. I spotted some large areas of ice as I rounded the corner, and found myself in the middle of the road to avoid it. A bit hairy when a truck pulling a trialing almost met me head on on the bend! Had to hold my nerve! Phew.
We continued straight on, heading towards Kintbury direction, and still encountering some ice usually in the middle of the road. Couldn't quite relax today. We rode on Old Lane, which is a lane we used for the first time last year on a ride we did out of Kintbury, and where we had to stop for a horse and rider walking, since the horse gets spooked by a piece of farm equipment.😁
 |
| Old Lane, where we met the spooked horse previously. |
 |
| A little splash of red brightening up Old Lane. |
A short bit of main road, then a left turn, and right turn into Burgess Lane, in Kintbury Holt.
 |
| This sign as we came out of Burgess Lane. |
With no signage for Inkpen, we soon arrive at the Honesty Cafe, where the courtyard garden is having a facelift. Ready for Easter apparently.
 |
| Honesty Cafe, Inkpen. Garden makeover. |
After drinks, we continued through Inkpen, turning right into Post Office Road, passing the turning where we were last year to find the "Inkpen Crocus field". (Potter Lane. ) I had not continued further down this road before. We followed the road, crossing over into Forbury Lane, which was all downhill. This joins up with Holt Road at Kintbury Holt, and we then retraced a section of our outward route, back over the canal, and to the cross roads at Marsh Benham.
A left at the crossroads, and a flood in the left field, where plenty of ice still visible.
 |
| Marsh Benham, icy flood. |
 |
| I had poked my camera through a hedge to photograph the flood. Hello! |
We crossed directly over the A4 and climbed to Wickham Heath and Hoe Benham, on Nalderhill Road.
Decent views from the top on a better day.
 |
| Views from Hoe Benham. A tiny bit of light? |
A short section of the B4000 main road, as we turned left, and then soon right into Easton Road, to climb Easton Hill. Then onto Rood Hill road, which continues into Boxford. We usually approach this junction from the opposite direction. All familiar for a while now as we pass all the pretty thatches of Boxford, and along the "Valley Road", to pass under the M4. The sound of shooting as we turned right and uphill on an unnamed road, signposted for Leckhampstead.
Straight over the B4494, and a sharp UPhill next, to the Hamlet of Hillgreen, where we soon took a right fork to skirt the edge of Peasemore on Mud Lane. A long downhill from Peasemore and I spotted loads of Detectorists on the left field.
 |
| Detertorist... right in front of the tree! There were lots of others with him.... |
 |
| 3 more detectorists. |
A right turn now and we are soon back in Chievley.
Ended with 7.5 degrees and not feeling cold, until we stopped. Grey, grey, grey, but still nice to be out. Hoping that is the LAST of the ice.
