It's not very often that all 7 of the WLCG get out together, so the fact that we could this week, prompted Gill to offer a lunch stop "on me". A belated celebration of her 60th birthday last month. How very thoughtful. 😋
I came up with a route, which took us South of Wokingham, and eventually north to our lunch stop. (I've been north of Wokingham quite a lot recently). A bit of cobbling together of bits of lots of other rides, to get us to Woodley in about 2 -2.5 hours.
I was busy until 10am, collecting artwork from RBH in Reading, which turned out to be a blessing, since it rained early on. It was pretty much dry by 10, but we did stop just off Finchampstead Road for a couple of ladies to put on rain jackets.
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| Ludgrove and time for rain jackets. |
From Honey Hill, we used Hatch Ride to connect to the old TRL site, and then a steep climb up to Broadmoor, on Upper Broadmoor Road. And then jackets and other garments came off!
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| At the top of Upper Broadmoor Road. Time to catch our breath. |
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Broadmoor hospital, and a selfie with camera on a fence post.
Martina and Lynne now in teeshirts. Please note the young ones are over heating! 😂 |
A lovely whizz back down followed, and we crossed to the grounds of Wellington College. The next part of the route was up the grand Wellingtonia Avenue. I've only gone up it once before, but down a few times. (much easier).
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| Gill reaching the top end of Wellingtonia Avnue. I stopped for the photo obviously. |
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| here come the second pack. |
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| A breather just around the corner. |
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| Finchampstead Ridges, and the ferns still brown, but will all look different in a couple of weeks. |
We carried on straight at the top, where the war memorial used to be, and then first right into Church Lane, stopping briefly at the church for another selfie photo.
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Finchampstead Church graveyard, camera balanced on Lynne's saddle.
Pieris in the back ground. |
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| 11.30ish... lets go! |
Down White Horse Lane, and left on Nine Mile Ride, then we used a new bit of cycle path to Hogwood Industrial Estate. (Gill not been this way for a while, and new houses gone up). The hardcore path through to Nine Mile Ride Extension was pretty dry, so that was fine, then a wiggle through to the new Observer Way to climb up the pedestrian bridge on the cycle path.
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| Deer with two Bambies! Spotted along Observer Way. |
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| Observer Way, on the way up where we stopped to see the deer..... |
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| ... and on the way down to continue on the cyclepath alongside the road. |
A short section on the A327 into Shinfield next. Not pleasant but unavoidable, and soon onto traffic free Cutbush Lane, Earley. Since we were heading to Woodley today and not back to Wokingham, I planned to continue on Mill Lane, a bridge under Rushey Way, and across the A329 into a footpath. It soon becomes and underpass under the railway line. "how exciting" announced Martina. 😂
On Clivedale Road, all downhill, we crossed Loddon Bridge Road, into Colemansmoor, and in the back way to Dinton. I've done this before, but always then headed over the Loddon bridge to get back to Winnersh Dinton entrance, but today we kept left of the river. It was a brilliant footpath, newly laid tarmac and a very pretty open space. We joined the usual path with a climb up to the Aviation Museum. A cheeky little climb. It was now 12.29, so we stopped for Gill to call the pub to say we were almost there!
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A beautiful blue and white bell display on Beggarshill Road,
just before reaching the pub. |
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| Locking up our bikes. |
A vast menu choice, and we all really enjoyed our food. The pub was really busy, which is great for them.
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| Pulled Smoked pork Nachos for me. Delicious. |
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| Fish finger sandwich for Lynne |
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| Not sure how Martina ate her sandwich! |
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| Panini for Andrea, and we shared a few bowls of delicious sweet potato fries. |
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| Heron Sculpture |
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| We're off. OR so we thought. Andea had a puncture! |
She decided too much trouble to fix it, so called Ian, who didn't answer. I said I would ride home, and come back with my van if she still had no luck by the time I got home. So we were now 6. A hundred yards later..... STOP! Jeanette has a puncture as well. 😕😢
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| Leaving Jeanette behind who was walking back to meet with Andrea. |
We left Gill at her house, and we were then 4, hoping that nothing else would happen. Andrea then messages me to say Ian would come and pick up the two ladies and their bikes. What a shame to end that way, but at least it happened close to home.
Not sure when we will all 7 get back out together again, but will see some of you next Friday. Thanks again Gill for our lunch treat today.
Our round Wokingham route. 22 miles, plus another 6 to get home. Route
