Before I left for Italy, I offered today's ride as a final "summer day out" kind of ride, planning two stops, one for coffee and one for lunch. We met in the Church car park at Silchester for a 9.45 start.(my van doesn't fit under the height restriction in main car park). Jill joined me as assistant, since now retired she is free on Wednesdays. Tracey cycled to the start from Basingstoke. It was bliss to cycle in cooler weather having cycled in 35 degrees all of last week in Italy ! Most ladies had a light extra layer to start with.
Route link (photo of route at end)
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| Starting at Silchester church car park |
We split into two groups as we rode through Pamber Heath. My Garmin wasn't giving directions, although not a problem at this stage. I stopped to reset it, then it was fine. As group 2 caught up, the news that Amy's bike had a squeak. Spun the wheel a few times, incase something stuck, but couldn't find anything obvious, so we continued. Her brakes working fine, so that was the main thing. Once turned into Church Lane, we all cycled together, and stopped near the top of the rise, at Tadley Church.
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Grade 1 listed St Peter's Church, Tadley
Built in 12th Century. The roof has been under repair for several months. |
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| Church Lane, Tadley. |
This lovely quiet lane wiggles around, passing a long thatch barn, and eventually also passes Baughurst Church.
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| Baughurst church with its unusual wooden name. |
At the Tjunction, a left turn next, then right into Wolverton Townsend, followed by a turn into Ham Lane. There is a very pretty farmhouse on Ham Lane, with stables. We stopped just passed it for this next photo.
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Ham Lane, passing the farm house.
Amanda, Jill. Linda, Amy, Tracey, Rose, Louise. |
At this point, I mentioned to the ladies that I still don't know this area well, but I think before the end of the road we will pass "Snowdrop Cottage", but won't stop again..... but we did! The garden was looking so pretty! I have seen it in spring with snowdrops. but not passed this time of year. The owner was just moving her car out, so had a brief chat with her.
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| Snowdrop Cottage, Axmansford. The garden stuffed with Dahlias. |
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I had to ask the owner what this other pink plant was? (She couldn't remember,
but thought the common name was Turks Head... and that it was a bit of a bully! |
I then took a photo on my phone and google identified it as Red Turtlehead, Latin name Chelone Obliqua.
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| Photo by Jill |
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| Photo by Amanda |
Next, with a bit of a gradual climb, we headed to Ashford Hill and took a left turn through Plastow Green. A lovely winding lane called Hillhouse Lane, which avoids a large section of a busy Ashford Hill Road, and we turned into Commons Road.
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| Waiting for the others to catch up as we turn into Commons Road, Plastow Green. |
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| Here they come, and time to take off a layer for some. Sun now out. |
Another gradual climb as we rejoin the main Ashford Hill road, for a short section, then right into Thornford Road. We stopped at a high point for a scenic view before whizzing downhill to cross the ford.
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| Great views on Thornford Road, before we drop down to the ford. |
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| And this is a saddle cam selfie. |
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| Disappearing to find the ford bridge. |
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| A bit overgrown this time of year. |
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I waited on this side to get this photo. Roses phone rang just at the wrong time.
She is walking up the hill beyond. |
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| And this one of my reflection by Amy with the pretty Himalayan Balm. |
So now, I warned the ladies that we have two climbs. Immediately. One just to the top to cross another section of Thornford Road, then a dog leg and straight into a 15% climb, up to Greenham Common. It's tough. I have done it twice now, so know what to expect. They all made it! 😇😇😇
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| Let's go the OTHER way round to the tower.😂 |
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This path was quite lengthy! None of us had been here before. I also spotted a few
cow pats on the path!!!! |
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| Here we are at last. Looking good. |
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| They are just waiting for us to get back on our bikes!! |
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Photo by Rose. Inside the cafe who like the wording
"You can't kill the Spirit".
Linda's daughter Pippa also met us at the cafe.
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| photo by Rose, who had sneaked up the Tower. |
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| interesting drinks for some ladies. "Cocoloco"? |
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Then some of the rest of us popped up the tower.
This volunteered explained that we could see Hannington Mast to the left,
Watership Down straight ahead and Coombe Gibbet to the right. |
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| Perfect weather for the views today |
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| View from the tower. |
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| photo by Amanda. Look how brave I was. 😂 |
Everyone enjoyed the expanse of Greenham common. And the gravel track was fine. After we rejoined the roadway, we split into two groups again for the road to Brimpton. It's all a gradual downhill followed by a whizz downhill, and soon we turn off the road to the K&A Canal path.
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| Tracey, Amanda and Louise at the K&A |
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| And here comes Jill with Rose, Amy and Linda |
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| Full team a the Canal |
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| Photo by Tracey |
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| Photo by Tracey |
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| Photo by Amanda as we pas The Rowbarge pub nr Woolhampton. |
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Photo by Amanda at Aldermaston Cafe 1.55pm!
Very welcoming staff (both lady owners are cyclists). A few more customers arrived. |
Arty Farty by Amy.
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Delicious Coronation chicken on brown. Others had paninis,
toasted sandwiches, fish finger sandwich. |
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Great cafe location. The route continued on the path until the next bridge.
(although I got that wrong and doubled back initially. Sorry about that!) |
Just 5 miles now to the end, with a couple more undulations to get us from canal level up to Padworth Common. A cheeky 11% at one point. But we all made it, only to face two more ups and downs, before it leveled out closer to Mortimer West End. Just the cheeky drop down past the Red Lion then up to Wall Lane, Silchester and we were back.
It was almost 3.30pm as we loaded up cars, but a grand day out, and no one in a rush today. Thanks all for joining me today, and to Jill for assisting. I enjoyed leading you to a new area, and a first time for everyone, me included, to Greenham Common.
