Sherfield on Loddon via Rotherwick - 32 miles

Monday ride today. Daphne still away on holiday, so we were 4. 

John and I met Linda at Dave's house.  I hadn't seen the road works at California X Roads for several weeks, so we peddled that way. I thought the road was closed to cross to Nine Mile Ride, but it was open, with traffic light control. This meant traffic of course! Which I wasn't expecting. The "improvements" are so far completely underwhelming. Goodness knows what they have done that has taken months!  

Park Lane was busier than it should have been, no doubt due to the diversions on Jubilee Avenue, so it was not until we crossed towards the ford that we felt  a bit more relaxed. 

The river at the ford is pretty high.

Since it was nice and dry, we crossed through Bramshill tracks to Hazeley, then over to Cowfold lane into Rotherwick. I was hoping the sunflower field just before Lyde would be looking glorious..... but this years crop is corn. 😒

Left turning coming up, to drop down and past the Mill House.

Dropping down Mill lane, there was a roadblock caused by a car whose door had been left open.   A lady came over, apologising. She was delivering magazines to the properties. As we prepared to nip onto the footpath alongside the A33 a "FOOTPATH CLOSED" SIGN. Which we ignored. 

The path is awful at the best of times, but this time of year with overgrown wildflowers its atrocious. Part way along, where it gets a bit wider, lots of pipes just waiting to be put in the ground, and a digger already a bit further along just opposite where we dash across the road. (Looks like this road is therefore going to be closed AGAIN after weeks of being closed earlier in the year 😖.  We do NOT cycle on the A33, so SOL cafe is not on our list again for a while now. )

Chats over coffee, and John's huge cream doughnut. A couple of "help yourself" test pieces of cakes on offer today too, which some of us tried. 

Our return loop followed Great Dover Street around Stratfield Saye, and since I am planning to take my Breeze ride down Spring Lane later this week, I was keen to try it out. Not been since last year, since during wet weather its a no no. Dave had not been before. The first part is all over the place with potholes, but all  nice and dry. The surface improves to tarmac shortly after you cross the bridge. 

Crossing OVER the A33 on Spring Lane

Spring Lane emerges at this nice house at the junction
with Barge Lane. 

Back via Swallowfield, over Farley Hill, past Bohunt School to rejoin Nine Mile Ride, and this time we cut through California Park.  We left Dave in Linda's care (😂) to guide him home, from Heather Close. A new route for Dave apparently. 

A new entrance being created on Evendons Lane, and John stopped to ask what it was? An alternative drive to the Greenkeepers Cottage, on the golf  course.   A silver car pulled out behind me from Robert's Close, on Blagrove Lane, and overtook. 

By the time we reached the top, where the newer houses join the Lane from the left, the silver car had stopped in the road, having hit a motorbike emerging at the junction. The bike was lying on the ground, but the motorcyclist was already taking photos of the car. I did ask if he was ok?  He was unharmed, so having not actually witnessed what happened, we left them to it.  (But heard the old male driver saying to the rider "how on earth am a I supposed to see you in the shade,  when you are all in black. His bike was also all black. )  Good point!