John deliberately planned this route with our ebikes in mind. It was pretty steep a few times. I had done much of it before, but sometimes in the opposite direction, and other bits not at all.
Route link (photo at end)
Parking at Dark Lane, we started by turning right at the X Roads ... uphill immediately. This is Ashampstead Road, which continues at a right fork in the road, but a much narrower lane, through a woodland. John's Garmin playing up so a quick stop just after our turn.
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| Ashampstead Road as we pull off of the main road of the same name. |
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| Restarting the Garmin. |
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| Very pretty lane.... all uphill to Upper Basildon. |
We continue to a T junction, and turn left, still Ashampton Road. We pass through the hamlet of Quicks Green, then a left turn onto Whitemoor Lane. The road changes a few times to Palmers Hill, Holly Lane, (steep downhills!) as we arrive in Ashampstead, and then we swing right into Noakes Hill to arrive at this X Roads.
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| End of Noakes Lane, with Hartridge Lane opposite |
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| At the bottom of our descent from Ashampstead. John spots a photo opportunity. |
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| I spotted this crop pattern opposite the junction. |
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| A different approach to his composition. |
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A tractor appeared from behind me, and crossed straight over. Thats
where we are now heading, so am glad it got ahead of us. |
At the top of Hartridge Lane, we turned left on Reading Road. Nearing the top, John said I would recognise the junction. I didnt. But then a few seconds later, over the Xroads, we pass The Bell at Aldworth on our right. So I know exactly where I am, but did not recognise the junction approaching from the other side.😉
Passing through Aldworth, including down past the Church, we dropped down on the B4009 to that junction where you double back on yourself, to climb back up again! Then took first left through the wooded area. I was here a few days ago with Breeze ladies as we slogged up the hill from Hampstead Norreys, so it was lovely to come down it! I liked this view at the gate part way down, before the "Hawkers House."
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| View from the road with no name |
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| And the view from the bottom as we cross the old railway bridge. |
Left now dropping into Hampstead Norreys on Water Street.
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| Lemon Drizzle for me and Almond and Orange for John |
Returning to the Water Street junction, we now turned left towards Bothampstead, leaving the B4009 after about half a mile. I have shot down this road lot of times. It's a long slog up, but not steep. Left at the top, eventually rejoining the B4009. (A quick detour straight over to investigate if we could join an old railway track, now path?) No, a steep banking. But little further along, 3 cyclist that we had seen at the same cafe, appeared as if they had maybe cycled an off road section? Then we did find a way to join the track but only for a couple of hundred yards, then it ended as we came into the edges of Hermitage.
We stayed on the B road through Hermitage, eventually turning left into Red Shute Hill, where Garmin alerted of a "climb". It was quite steep with a hairpin too, taking us into Cold Ash. (15 % I think at worst)
Cold Ash has a series of chicanes through what is not a particularly pretty village.... no photos. We turned left into a road called The Ridge, which changes name to Broad Lane, in the direction of Upper Buckleberry. (had we continued on Broad Lane we would eventually have passed through Upper Buckleberry to Chapel Row). But John had planned a big drop down on Holly Lane, and Tylers Lane all the way to Bucklebury Ford, since this is another lovely wooded lane.
The Deer park now owned by Pippa Middleton and her husband James Matthews who are pouring money into improving the facilities. (according to google she is now worth £43m)
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Rain is forecast for any time now!
Just 5 mins then we are back. View from the bottom of Mariners Lane, Tutts Clump. |
A few tough hills, but have done much of it before we had ebikes, so perhaps try it again another day without power..... or not. A few hills planned for tomorrow, so this was meant to be a relaxing ride😊
