I've been confused about which day it is all week, since we returned from Mallorca on Tuesday. Today, it's Sunday, and so an ebike ride, to reset the calendar.😉
It's a while since we rode to Chawton and the first time this way round. (I did a similar route with Jeanette a few years ago, but we didnt stop in Chawton.) I just reversed the route, which worked fine until the one way system in Alton. 😄
Route link
 |
| Leaving Odiham on West Street and this fantastic buttercup field. |
We passed through Greywell, then to Upton Grey, where a couple of hare dashed across the road and instantly disappeared again.
 |
| Upton Grey pond, where I spotted some cute, Coot chicks. |
A W.C.Club cylist called Andy passed and then stopped to chat for a few minutes. Whilst we were chatting another W.C.C shirt passed the end of the road, heading up to Herriad (where were off to next).
A few miles of gradual climbing, before crossing over to the flatter area towards Bagmore and Ellisfield where the tree canopy was looking gorgeous. The road surface pretty awful though!
We passed through a hamlet called Bradley, Hattingley, Lower Wield and eventually to Medstead.
 |
| Near Hattingley I think. John off to photograph something behind the barn. |
 |
| And this just next to the barn. A beautiful Red Horse Chestnut tree. |
From Medstead, we joined Red Hill for a gradual climb (helped by power) before joining the Forest Tracks of Route 224. Its a steep descent and a lot of loose gravel, so we picked our way down slowly. Gravel bikes would have been much better, but after about a mile downhill, it flattens out.
 |
Much happier on this section, after the long steep downhill. My
fingers hurt with holding on the brakes. |
 |
The 3rd phase is into this dirt track, which was very dry,
if a little overgrown in some bits. |
 |
We saw lots of lambs today, and further back near Ellisfield
all the lambs were black. |
 |
| Catching me up. |
 |
| Tarmac again at last, we leave the forest tracks. |
We used the tiny narrow (overgrown) paths to navigatge the two roundabouts in to Chawton, to cross he very busy A31. We had considered going to Chawton House, but last time we were there the service was painfully slow, so opted for Cassandras Tea shop, opposite Jane Austins House.
 |
| Was lucky to get a table outside at Casssandra's today. |
As we got back on our bikes, I noticed a strange noise, a gentle hissing!!!!
 |
| A tiny bit of flint was the culprit. |
Back around the two roundabouts of the A31, and into Alton, which is where our "reversing the route" didn't work but we used used the footpaths of the one way system through the town. Then to the pretty village of Holybourne, and soon left pick up our more familiar route to Froyle, crossing the River Wey at the little waterfall.
 |
| River Wey just before the crossing on the A31 at Hen and Chicken |
We both had plenty of battery power left, so enjoyed the climbs through Upper and Lower Froyle and then to Long Sutton on the long downhill to the pond. On Wood Hill we stopped to see these three horses not far from RAF Benson.
 |
| oh dear. What a sad looking hairstyle! |
 |
| Bye. Sorry nothing for you, just a pat on the nose. |
 |
| 2 planes flew over us as we turned onto Long Lane. |
And stuck the power on Red for the final couple of miles into Odiham. Well.... we are cycling again tomorrow with no power, so why not. Lovely day, around 22 degrees, although when we went back to our bikes sitting in the sun at Chawton, my Garmin was at 38.5!
