Exactly a year ago, we rode to see the Aster Display at Waterperry Gardens, so was keen to repeat the ride to see them once more. Daphne missed out this season last year. John joined us, as did John C. But he did a few more miles than the rest of us! Emma would also muscle in on the blog... more on that later.😁
We were off. And intially our normal route, through Ewelme Village. The work now taking shape on the thatch cottage which burned down a year or so ago, apart from the chimney stack. A right turn as we left the village and a cheeky little rise to warm us up, as our route today continued straight to cross the B4009 toward Britwell Upperton. Then a turn off into the private farm road of Cadwell Lane. (Gill not been here before until last week, and here we are again!)
I always enjoy riding through Great Hasely, passing the impressive house with the sculpted hedge for privacy, then a left turn to drop down through the village, soon passing the Windmill on our right. It's set quite far back unfortunately, and didn't stop there today. There was a colourful patch of sunflowers in full flower, just off to the side of it too.
We normally ride through Great Milton village enroute to Waterperrry, but John had come up with a variation today. We branched off on a sharp left bend, just before the village, on a road called The Forties, where at the end of a gentle rise, we arrived at a Tjunction. We had passed some tall hedges, so at last a gap in the hedge to see a view we had just climbed to.
Previously, we had climbed UP a big hill out of Wheatley (Station Road) on our return leg, but today's route dropped us DOWN the same hill into Wheatley. (That's the payback for climbing UP to Cuddesdon).
And from Daphne. ....
Time for lunch, which we enjoyed again sitting in the garden. Apart from John C who decided to start peddling home. His Wahoo had failed earlier, so he didnt have our planned return route, but I later learned that he had headed to Thame, Stokenchurch, Christmas Common & Henley. ( no doubt on busier main roads).
We are now riding on Haseley Road, so realised we couldn't be too far from Haseley.... then we came to this signpost! Eureka! We turned at this signpost this morning. I know where I am. 😂
Nor far now, about 5 miles. as we returned to Chalgrove, but turned right into Mill Lane (and not continue along High Street), and eventually to Hollandtide Lane back to Ewelme.
Route link (photo of route at end)
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| We all met at Ewelme, but John C had already ridden 20 miles from home. Lovely light this morning, so my first shot of the day was at the car park. |
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| A pit stop at the public loo at the Almeshouses. |
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| The Almshouses |
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| The Almshouses courtyard. |
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| And that beautiful house opposite, which I can never resist photographing. |
We were off. And intially our normal route, through Ewelme Village. The work now taking shape on the thatch cottage which burned down a year or so ago, apart from the chimney stack. A right turn as we left the village and a cheeky little rise to warm us up, as our route today continued straight to cross the B4009 toward Britwell Upperton. Then a turn off into the private farm road of Cadwell Lane. (Gill not been here before until last week, and here we are again!)
Next, along High Street in Chalgrove, but a few sets of temporary lights there today and roadworks meant we didn't see the village at it's best. And so many new houses being built on the edge of the village as we joined the B480. Such a shame. It was countryside just a few months ago! We turned right after half a mile, off the B480. (This continues to Stadhampton). Then quiet lanes again as we headed into Little Haseley. (We would pass the end of this road on our return loop later).
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| Typical cottage in Little Haseley, as we round the left hand bend heading to Great Haseley. |
I always enjoy riding through Great Hasely, passing the impressive house with the sculpted hedge for privacy, then a left turn to drop down through the village, soon passing the Windmill on our right. It's set quite far back unfortunately, and didn't stop there today. There was a colourful patch of sunflowers in full flower, just off to the side of it too.
A quick dash as we joined the A329 for a couple of hundred yards, and then we passed Le Manoir au Quatre Seasons.
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| The gates of Le Manoir au Quatre Seasons, with the church next door. The honey coloured stone looking great today in the sunshine. |
We normally ride through Great Milton village enroute to Waterperrry, but John had come up with a variation today. We branched off on a sharp left bend, just before the village, on a road called The Forties, where at the end of a gentle rise, we arrived at a Tjunction. We had passed some tall hedges, so at last a gap in the hedge to see a view we had just climbed to.
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| Junction of The Forties, where we join Windmill Hill, then very soon left into Church Lane towards Cuddesdon. (We also pass the end of this junction again later) |
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| Waiting for the photographer. Now right, and soon left to drop down Church Road to cross the River Thame at a lovely old millhouse. |
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| Church Road, heading to drop down to cross the River Thame. |
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| Almost at the top at Cuddesdon. This was the ONE official climb on Garmin today. Gill's Wahoo had FOUR! |
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| Catching up with the other 3 who hadnt stopped to admire the view. This is Cuddeson College. |
Previously, we had climbed UP a big hill out of Wheatley (Station Road) on our return leg, but today's route dropped us DOWN the same hill into Wheatley. (That's the payback for climbing UP to Cuddesdon).
We then got split up for a few minutes, since the planned route was an Alleyway, not a road, but we continued down the one way system and looped back to find the others. A climb over the A40, and a loop we hadn't done before around the back of Oxford Brookes University, where we then joined our familiar approach to Waterperry. A climb over the M40 and into the village.
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| Beautiful day to sit out for our cuppa. John C opted for lunch instead, since he had done an extra 20 miles of course. The rest of us opted to wait until we'd seen the garden. |
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| Gill had a video call from Emma.. and here she is on the blog. 😂 I've yet to meet Emma in the flesh. (She is just home from a wild few days in the Outer Hebrides and Skye..... where it was blowing a hooley !) |
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| The amazing Aster display. |
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| Sedums looking very happy too. |
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| This little Robin landed just as I was taking the photo of the caterpillar. |
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| This is the QUIET garden. (We left Daphne outside. 😂😂😂) |
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| Thankfully no signs of Box Blight |
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| A candle in her hand. |
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| What on earth? |
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| oh my goodness! They have gone mad. |
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| lol. |
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| John's feet are both firmly on the ground. |
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| John insisted on having another go. 😅 |
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| Gills sticker went in the pond so her her knight in shining armor, fished it out. |
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| "ladies who lunch" from Daphne's phone. (speaking of which, some of us are starving) |
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| Some kind of Horse Chestnut with smooth seed pod. |
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| Dahlia collection was also very colourful |
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| And finally the Pumpkins and Gourds in the "orange house" |
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Time for lunch, which we enjoyed again sitting in the garden. Apart from John C who decided to start peddling home. His Wahoo had failed earlier, so he didnt have our planned return route, but I later learned that he had headed to Thame, Stokenchurch, Christmas Common & Henley. ( no doubt on busier main roads).
Our route back was to leave Wheatley by the way we normally approach, into Sworford Lane. A bit of a long drag as we climbed away to turn right at the top of the rise into an unnamed road, which becomes Windmill Hill, to pass the junction I photographed on our outward route. (just didn't realise until I got home)
We turned right to join the A329 for a couple of hundred yards, then left turn passing this village store on our left in Little Milton.
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| Little Milton Village Store. |
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| Stopping to photograph Little Milton Store. |
We are now riding on Haseley Road, so realised we couldn't be too far from Haseley.... then we came to this signpost! Eureka! We turned at this signpost this morning. I know where I am. 😂
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| The signpost we had approached from the opposite direction this morning. |
Nor far now, about 5 miles. as we returned to Chalgrove, but turned right into Mill Lane (and not continue along High Street), and eventually to Hollandtide Lane back to Ewelme.
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| The welcoming committee at the car park. ( with a fence between us!) |
Well done team. Our average speed was pretty fast much of the day (12.5 mph at one point), but with the head wind, it seemed like hard work on our return trip. We finished at 11.9mph which for me is more than my normal average. Phew!
(We spotted John C at the A4 roundabout on the edge of Twyford, so he got home about the same time. Hats off to you John.)