That was a tough ride, even with our ebikes. Discovering some new lanes around the Four Marks area of Hampshire, parking at Gilbert White House car park. (part of which is now chargable, but the first part next to the toilets is free. How weird.)
Route link screen shot at end.
We left the car park turned left and immediately left again to drop down the thatched cottage lined Gracious Street. (I have photographed this before). I knew a climb was facing us straight away. A climb all the way to a Xroads then a right turn on Newton Road. A welcome downhill section to cross the busy A32, then immediately uphill.
Can't remember too much in detail, but all very pleasant along Mary Lane with woodland alongside, with loads of wild foxgloves growing.
 |
| Mary Lane, between Selbourne and Four Marks. |
 |
My camera decided to play up and badly overexposed everything!
couldn't get it off of ISO 2000. |
 |
An early teastop after just 5milesat the garden centre in Four Marks.
But it was approaching 11am, |
A nice long downhill to the Four Marks xroads, where we turned hard left onto Hawthorne Road, and then to Charlwood, where we dropped fast downhill to cross the A32.... to climb again.
 |
| Petersfield Road... I think! Took a right turn off of this. |
 |
| 2 miles after our teastop a turn into dark, wooded lanes towards Lyeway. |
 |
| Not too many open views today, but this one was gorgeous. |
We could have stayed on this road, but did a loop into Colemore, arriving with this church facing.
 |
| Colemore church..... with cables |
 |
Better view, but no foreground interest. But a tiny cyclist ahead,
approaching a pretty cottage. 😂 |
 |
| photo by John in Colemore |
 |
| Roses are all out early this year. And have been in flower for at least a couple of weeks. |
 |
This next section was all a bit mad!
Stonor Hill, a long fast downhill section on a decent road
(with a few cars), then at the bottom in Steep, we climb back up again! |
I daren't look at the views as we whizzed down the hill, but basically a big bowl, called Ashford Hangers Nature Reserve. It was hard work all the way back up, with some seriously steep verticals to the side of the narrow lanes. The battery on my bike was showing that it was half used already.
 |
| So steep to the left and right of this lane! |
After a few miles of uphill shady lanes, we passed through Oakshott, with a handful of nice properties, then continued on the same road, slight left on Middle Oakshot Farm Lane. There were a few farms around.... and flies too. I had to remove my sunglasses today to see in the shady lanes, which at times were really dark.
Daylight at last as we reached Hawkley, with another pretty church, with a very unusual "Diamond" shaped steeple.
 |
| Hawkley village green. |
 |
| Hawkley Church |
 |
Very unusual steeple
|
 |
Today's elevation was up down constantly, including the last few
miles back to Selbourne.
|
Almost back and with power left, we enjoyed the last few miles with plenty of assistance. Phew. Definitely not one to try on normal bikes. But would look very different with all the foliage off the trees.
