I normally ride with hubby on Sundays. We have only done short rides with grandkids this week, and he was keen to do a longer and more challenging ride today. My ebike is in for repair, so I decided to offer a Sunday Breeze Ride of 20 miles to Wargrave, hoping some new ladies might sign up. Only Denise signed up, so she agreed it was fine to add a few more miles. Except that I offered to meet her in Binfield, rather than Wokingham, so I ended up doing 37 miles! Just as many as hubby... although not so many hills.
Daphne decided to join us at the last minute, and drove to Binfield where we met up with Denise at 9.50.
Having peddled uphill all the way to Binfield, it was nice to enjoy the long downhill to join Ryehurst Lane.
 |
| Ryehurst Lane, and our first of may encourters with horses on today's route. We headed to Hawthorne Hill next, passing Ferneygrove Farm Shop, and soon headed down the offroad track called Pendry Lane, to cross Westley Mill. Denise much faster than me on these offroad sections!  Pendry Lane and more horses. I mentioned to Daphne that I had once met a lady with loads of Black Labradors just the other side of the ford. She would love that, as a serious Labrador lover. |
 |
| Crossing the stream at Westley Mill. Denise without her jacket on today! |
 |
| As I took the last photo, I turned to see a little black faced looking at me. Then it turned around. It's the Labradors!! |
 |
| Daphne in her element. |
 |
| "Susie and the All Blacks" 😂 |
 |
| Photo bv Daphne |
Susie has 15 Labs in total, and I think she had 13 with her today, and 2 little terriers also stayed at home. (I met them before). The dogs coats are in beautiful condition, and she feeds than eggs twice a week . They are working gun dogs.
 |
| A lovely property on Westley Mill Road, with Dahlias in the garden. |
A short section on Howe Lane next going left at the roundabout towards Beenham Heath. The road was closed here, but fine for bikes. Some large holes dug along the road, so no chance of traffic getting through. We doglegged and into the gate to Shottesbrook Park. I've not been through here for a long time.
 |
| Entering Shottesbrook Park from from the B3024 |
 |
| Denise looks tiny against the huge trees in the park. |
 |
| We spent a few minutes watching the sheep and the ducks. |
 |
| A lamb kneeling down to get a drink from the lake. |
The off road paths all nice and dry today (dusty) and very easy to ride on. We joined Bottle Lane and then across the Knowl Hill circuit to Littlewick Green. But not before a snack stop.
 |
| Daphne can easily reach the best Blackberries. We had a few each . Delicious. |
 |
| All the crops now cut alongside the Bridal Circuit. |
Through Burchetts Green to climb to the Dew Drop Inn, and where we continued straight and into the woodland path, which emerges at Warren Row, near Velolife. All very easy this direction, as all downhill through the woods on Honey Hill.
We rode on Highfield Road, enjoying the long downhill which continued all the way to the Wargrwve Road. As we crossed the bridge over the backwater to the Cafe, some paddle boarders enjoying the river today.
 |
| A busy morning at Velolife at the Marina. |
A relaxing break, and we are about 2/3rd of the way now, but of course it's uphill from the river level now. We used School Lane out of Wargrave, and then cut through at the Strawberry Tunnels. There was a black dustbin FULL to the brim with ripe strawberries. Sooooo tempting, but it didn't feel right to pinch them.😕😖. Then over the next field and into Ruscombe.
 |
| Crops all cut here now too. |
 |
| The field paths really easy to ride today. |
 |
| And as we crossed at the end, we disappeared into the next field which emerges into Castle End Road. |
We went left into Castle End Road, then I remembered I had planned another cut through by going along Waltham Road, so we doubled back to the end of the road. The other two were not sure where they were at this point, since it's not a road we use that often. (just links Ruscombe to Waltham St Lawrence) It's a good flat road, under the railway rather than over the railway, and not at all busy. We then turned right into Mire Lane (another one not recommended unless it's really dry!) Daphne had not been here until 2 weeks ago, and now here she was again. A new one for Denise. More horses in the fields along here, included the little ponies.
A wiggle now to Shurlock Row, where I was keen to try out a new track I had seen someone else use recently. Here we go! A reasonable track initially, as we passed this long building.
 |
| Chicken farm? Looks like its no longer used. |
 |
| A bridge took us over the M4 |
Had we continued straight, once over the bridge, looks on map like the track comes out on Billingbear Lane. (That would have got Denise home quicker, so must investigate another time.) But today, I wanted to follow a track which turned off right, once over the bridge, to link to The Straight Mile. The track now turned to a grass track, but not too difficult. Then we came to this gate.
 |
| Welcome to King Power Polo Club. And on the gate a yellow waymarker for "Wokingham Way". I have seen this at Hambleden Lock! |
I had never heard of King Power, until a recent TV programme about Andrew Baldin training King Power Race horses.
 |
| A lovely tree lined avenue just beyond the gate, with polo field to our right. Very easy peddling on the dry grass. |
 |
| The large horse sculpture next to the Polo Lawns. |
We got slightly lost after this, as the route I had mapped out didn't seem to exist, but we doubled back a little and found another Waymarker, passing these ponies.
Then a bit of a disaster, as another gate which was NOT AT ALL bike friendly. 😓 But we managed eventually. I got through with Denise, and Daphne then lifted the bikes up for us to receive. So, anyone reading........ not ideal at all as a bike route after all.
 |
| Once through the gate, another 0.4 miles to go until we reach the Straight Mile along this very nice lane, passing some very nice houses! |
 |
| open view to the left as we now leave the area called Billingbear Park. |
Since I had already ridden to Binfield, I left the other 2 at the bottom of Carters Hill, to make there own way, whilst I headed home. I gave Denise strict instructions not to loose Daphne. 😂😂😂
I got home, to realise that my back tyre was soft, and now its flat. I seem to be having a run of punctures on BOTH bikes at the moment.
I got home, to realise that my back tyre was soft, and now its flat. I seem to be having a run of punctures on BOTH bikes at the moment.
A lovely, relaxing ride with just 3 of us and no deadlines. (Well.... nothing major). Thanks ladies for joining me this morning for a little adventure. I got home 30 seconds before hubby, who had driven to Sonning Common and ridden 39 miles. He could not understand how it was possible that I only just got home, cycling to Wargave!? 😍