Cookham with floods. 36 chilly miles

Sunday, and a ride with John today. Where to go? Sonning road closed due to flooding. (We drove through it on Friday night. It was a mess!Should have been closed then.)  Remenham Lane Henley flooded. Hambleden weir flooded. Several roads along the Loddon also flooded, including Sandford Lane and parts of Swallowfield and Grazeley. At least most of the lanes with flooded ditches should be drying out, with no more rain in the past 24 hours! 

We decided to head to Cookham, to the Teashop in the High Street, which is open 7 days a week.

Route link (photo of route at end)

Broadcommon Lane, Hurst.    Just 2.4 degrees on my Garmin.

We rode through Shurlock Row, and to Beenham Heath, where the flood I had ridden through on Friday had now receeded.  Then all the way through White Waltham and up to cross the A4, and the cut through on Newlands Drive to link to Pinkneys Green.

Pinkneys Green as we start our climb on Winterhill Road.
The wind had picked up here being so exposed. 

As we approached Long Lane, John suggested we turn left and up to Cookham Dean on Sping Lane. I've only come down from there. It's 9-10% to the top. There was a signage for ICE here. Not today but the road doesn't get any sun this time of year, so with the dampness around, there could be ice here mid week, as the overnight temperatures fall to zero.  

 

Cookham Dean Church looks dwarfed next to the huge Oak Tree.

Not far from the church, and passing Uncle Tom's Cabin, a steep downhill.... the one I have come up! It's steep.  15% I think it was.  

Then we join the main road into Cookham, joining into "Lower Road". Lots of traffic messing around trying to park, and then we realised why! The road ahead was closed due to flooding, although there was a man with a walkie talkie , controlling temporary traffic lights. Lots of pedestrians on the pathway, and occasionally cars being let through  from each end. 

The main road into Cookham on the left underwater.
This area is Cookham Moor. Not much moorland visible today!

Someone had tried to get through at some point, and failed. 

Beyond the pathway it was dry again to the main shopping area where the Teashop is.
But it was closed! It was supposed to be open Sundays!

As we backtracked to turn left just passed the Station, I spotted a Costa. We don't normally use them, but a loo seemed appealing at this stage. We both opted for tea, to avoid the weak coffee that they serve. (Had we turned left where we sometimes do to return on the Greenway, we would have missed Costas, so it was a lucky find.)  My Garmin, in the sunshine was reading 17 degrees when we came out. That soon changed!

We did a loop via "High Road", which passes some interesting older terrace properties, and I also spotted a Blue Plaque, where local artist Stanley Spencer lived and worked. 

Dropping down Whyteladies Road, we soon joined Long Lane to climb up again to the juction we had turned off to Cookham Dean. John said he has never been UP Long Lane before, whereas I have done it several times. A few cars on long Lane today, which is very narrow, but we managed to keep going as they pulled in for us for a change. 

Then all downhill back to Pinkneys Green. We decided that Golden Ball Lane, and Lee Lane could be flooded, so instead just stuck to the main  Pinkneys Drive. Then the Henley Road, passing Stubbings to make our way home via Burchetts Green. 

All clear on Bottle Lane to White Waltham, but as we passed The Beehive pub, a gap opened up between us and I couldn't keep up.  I felt as if my bike was "bouncing". Classic puncture symptoms. 😭

We found a spot in the sunshine at Shottesbrook Main Gate. 
Never did find the reason for the puncture, which is always a worry. 

John insisted on fixing it. 😇 

We headed back to Waltham St Lawrence X-Roads, through Shurlock Row, and eventually over the motorways to Wokingham. I was feeling knackered since my tyre was not fully inflated. A good 5mph slower than normal up the hill. But it stayed up. 

Lovely bright day, but cold, not getting over 5 degrees and even then not for long.