The 3 Amigos all present and correct today for our Monday ride. John and Dave were also going to join us, but Dave had some domestic duties at the last minute, so he didn't join us. We met Daphne and Linda at Cantley, so the ride for them would be approx 30 miles. Lots of U3A riders also setting off from Cantley this morning, but we managed to overtake them in the Hurst Lanes.😉
I had put a route together last night and shared it with everyone, then forgot to download it myself 😏. But I knew where we were going anyway. We headed to Shurlock Row and White Waltham to cut through to Pinkneys Green, where we started our climb on Winter Hill Road. A lovely morning, and we all felt a bit overdressed, and had already peeled off a layer each enroute.
Route link (photo of map at end... for Daphne! 😂)
We continued the gradual ascent to the bend where Winter Hill Road goes straight on, and the road branches right, changing it's name to Choke Lane. I stopped here for the first photo.
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| Views from Winter Hill Road, just before we continue right onto Choke Lane, towards Cookham Dean. |
Then the lovely long downhill on Long Lane to Flat Harry's Bike and coffee shop. Turns our Daphne not been here before!
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| Annoyingly not in focus. John had Nonna's Lemon Tart. I had the tiny Lemon Canolli. Delicious. John also rates the coffee as among the best at any of our cafe stops. |
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| Amusing decoration on the cafe walls. |
We popped upstairs to look at the cycling shop and clothing, as you do. Linda bought some sleeves, and I bought some glove liners. Getting ready for winter.
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| Some Autumnal colours at the top of climb in to Cookham Dean. |
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| Daphne also has a cold, and was taking her time to catch us up. |
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| Highland coo! |
All downhill for a section now, as we came back to join Choke Lane, and drop further before our right turn into Golden Ball Lane. We joined Lee Lane, where after some torrential rain yesterday, I was expecting there might be some large puddles. A car overtook us, just before a large flood and it seemed quite deep! I hate going through deep floods since I fell off into a pot hole last year.😟
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| The track from Littlewick Green where we emerge on the Knowl Hill circuit. |
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| Knowl Hill circuit. |
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| Knowl Hill circuit. Looking to Warren Row. |
We skipped the planned route via Shottesbrook (too muddy today), and carried on all the way to White Waltham cricket pitch. We then stayed on the main road all the way to WSL Xroads. All very quiet. I suggested a look at the hay stack. Daphne not seen this before either. It was almost gone a few weeks ago, and now its built up again for the winter feeds.
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| The Hay stack on Shurlock Road. Love it. |
We stayed on Shurlock Road to the pond, and then a right turn onto Hungerford Lane. (This often confused ladies as to where they are. It runs parallel to the Straight Mile basically, and joins the other Straight Mile (B3018). We cut through Hurst Lanes, and noticed a couple of bright yellow fields of Pepper crop flowering. Just after the pond, and our left turn, this van was in the middle of the road.
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| He was here to inspect this tree which was not ON the road, but hanging rather low over the road. We were able to get through fine, but taller vehicles would not. |
I was really tired by this time, and felt knackered. As we climbed over the 2 motorways, the gap between the others and me got wider. 😴 I often shoot over here as fast as I can to challenge myself... but not today. We left D&L at Cantley and peddled home. My squeak still in evidence.
Once home. John checked my front wheel, and it barely spun round on its own. NO WONDER I was knackered. Brakes are stuck on. Bike shop tomorrow.
Not too much autumn colour in evidence today, but maybe its still too early. Or is it not going to be a great season for the colours?
Thanks all for your company today. 2 of us away next week, but see you the following Monday.