St Mary Bourne to Whitchurch via Chilbolton 30 miles

A grey, dull day unfortunately, but a mild 8-10 degrees. Since the schools have now broken up for Christmas, we had a clear run to Finchampstead, to pick up Dave and Daphne. (Linda now away for a month to OZ). We parked at St Mary Bourne, at 10.03am.

I was using a previous activity from Garmin, when we had been unable to park in St Mary Bourne, so the route thought we had finished after 1.2 miles... reaching the End Point.😂 Restarted the Garmin, which worked fine, but of course recorded the route as only 28.47 miles, and not 30.

Route link (photo of route at end)

Dave trying to liven up a dull photo as we set our from St Mary Bourne.

All very easy going for our first few miles of course as we follow the Bourne Rivulet, and passing under the Railway Arches off the Harroway. (where we had previously parked)

The lovely, but always dull light at St Andrews Church,
Hurstbourne Priors.

A dogleg over the B3400, and all easy going still, before a left turn, to pass the old Millhouse just before Longparish. The road was a mess with huge puddles, so picked our way through before we did a wiggle around the lanes of Longparish, running alongside the almost overflowing River Test.

We joined Nuns Walk, before crossing back over the river once more, and soon a little climb to get us over the A303. Up and down a bit next as we rode towards South Harewood.

On our way to South Harewood.

Views to the left. Dull! Dull day!

having stopped for my photo, I caught up with Daphne next to these antlers.
There were many more.

A little further, and we dropped down to turn left and cross the River Test once more, in Wherwell. Not far now to Chilbolton, where after just about 10 miles, we had a coffee stop at the village store.

My snail teapot cover. Out of focus! My camera is hopeless at these close
up shots, especially indoor.

We double back less than half a mile to Chilbolton centre, to continue
around that bend, towards Barton Stacey.

Chilbolton Church called St Mary-the-Less.

Strange name for a church..... a little explanation.

One possible explanation of the name may lie over 600 years ago, when the parish church of Andover changed its dedication from St Peter to St Mary. That made two St Mary's in the same deanery, and as the more important church Andover took precedence, so Chilbolton became St Mary-the-Less, being the lesser of the two churches.

had we continued on the road after the village store
we could have come to Stockbridge, where we rode once before with Daphne.

John catching me up as we double back to continue our route.

followed by Dave.

As we leave Chilbolton, the road is a gentle steady climb for quite a long way, and as we stopped at the top, this smoke in the distance.

A nice drop down eventually into Barton Stacey, where we did a left/right dogleg, then another gentle climb heading to Bullington, with it's pollarded trees in the church grounds.

St Michael and All Angels Church, Bullington

3 headless gardeners pruning the trees.

At Bullington Church.

Not much further along, we rode under the A34 and immediately a dog leg to cross the A30, and now we cross the River Dever. A quiet lane all the way to this junction in the hamlet of Hunton. John (not wearing his glasses) had a fly in his eye, although no success in finding it.

The Hamlet of Hunton, where we turn left.

Farm on Hunton Down Lane.

Messy lanes today.

A short stretch on Andover Road, and then left passing under the A303 this time, and joining a quiet lane called Micheldever Road, where there is a long, long wall, which goes on forever, only broken up by this set of gates. It's called Roundwood and these days is a shooting school.

Roundwood gates

At a bend on Micheldever Road, the road changes name to Laverstock Road. (Had we continued straight, we would come out directly opposite the Bombay Gin place). But we took a left turn, and the name reverts to Micheldever Road again!

The left turn into Micheldever Road, as we begin or climb towards Whitchurch.

Looking back down from the top of Micheldever Road.
(John and Dave little dots in the distance)

Here they come.

One more rise, then all downhill for a long way into Whitchurch. We turn right onto Winchester Street, and have a brief look at the Silk Mill. (Closed Mondays. Daphne not seen it before)

Whitechurch Silk Mill and cafe on the River Test.

It's a nice lovely to take your cuppa to sit by the river around the back of this museum building.

So, we now need to get out of Whitchurch, and whichever way we have done this, it's always uphill.😏

Straight over in the town centre at a mini roundabout, and we start a gradual climb, under the railway arches and on a horrible road surface. We climb over the A34, and continue climbing until eventually a fast drop down to a bend, at a 4 way junction, crossing Harrow Way. Having just dropped down, we immediately had another climb all the way to a hamlet called Edgbury, where a sharp left brings us onto a lane, now all downhill, back to St Mary Bourne. Wheeee.

As if by magic, we arrive at the pub! It's almost 2oclock, but food is served till 2.30.😃 We hadn't planned to go in... but why not! We put our bikes in the van and went to lunch.