Our normal driving route to Silchester, would be through Beech Hill, then left into Mortimer Lane, and into Park Lane. But Mortimer Lane is closed........... it was closed on Wednesday, when I rode through on my bike, blocked where that stupid driver had got his car stuck in a pile of mud. The diversion took us through Mortimer and along Pitfield Lane. Really NOT ideal for driving since it's not only very narrow but very bendy, with no idea what is coming. We got lucky and met no traffic.
Route map screen shot at end.
Flat light today, so not the best photos, but just some memories of the journey to remind me. But not complaining since it was also a much more comfortable 20ish degrees today, rather than 28-30 of the last few rides.
We parked at the church and had not long set off when I commented that my handle bars felt really low and pointing downwards. I think this has been happening gradually over several rides after hitting several pot holes! So, we stopped and John adjust them to a level position. MUCH bettter.
A few minutes later, John hit a dip and a crack sound! His saddle had broken. We pulled over at the garage on Pamber Road.
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Fixing his saddle after hitting a large dip in the road.
Thankfully it wasn't broken, just came loose. |
We took a left turn into Imstone Road, rather than continue to Pamber Heath Road, as we normally do. It seemed a nicer road with green space of Pamber Forest on our left, and also some parking spaces. But then after a downhill section, the road ran out. Pedestrian access to continue was fine, and we used a bit of footpath to link as the road ahead changed name to Burney Bit (strange name). But it was also a pretty
steep uphill. So not such a good idea after all. 😉 Power on! We joined the more familiar Pamber Heath Road.
Across the roundabout at Tadley Swimming Pool, and soon into Church Road, the long winding lane we have ridden many times, continuing all the way around keeping right at the junction, and downhill to Baughurst Church.
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| Enroute to Baughurst. Comfort stop. 😉 |
Left next, through Wolverton Common, and right into Ham Lane. John said he wasn't sure he had ridden here before and to my huge surprise I said "we will come to Ham Farm".... and we did. 😂
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| Ham Farm on Ham Lane on the bend |
I confidently said "we will soon come to Snowdrop Cottage on our right". And there it was.😂
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| The field at the lower junction, of Plantation Farm Cottages Road. |
The next part of the climb now to Hannington, not so steep at around 4%.
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| And we're at the top. |
From here, we normally drop down to either Oakley or Overton, but today we started in the Oakley direction (towards where the poppies used to be), but turned off left into Hannington Road. We both were convinced we hadn't ridden this before, but my blog tells me otherwise (back in 2020 in the other direction). 😊
A leafy, wooded lane, cool and nice and flat for a over a mile, before a junction with a very sharp LH turn onto Ibworth Road, another narrow lane, gradually uphill. Passing a few houses, we eventually came to the junction of Hook Lane, to drop us down to cross the A339 once more. (We normally come the other direction, if heading to Wooton St Lawrence.)
We pulled up to take a few photos on a lane which starts as Lloyds Lane, but changes name to Ewehurst Road. (Ewehurst Park entrance off of here). Looked it up... it's a rewilding estate, who have beavers and also do foraging and meals in the woods.
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| Lloyds Lane, opposite Ewehurst Park entrance. |
Through the XRoads at Ramsdell and with half a mile we are at Charter Alley, and stopped at the Village Store for a cuppa. Its not exactly picturesque but they Asian family who run it are very friendly and have excellent cakes too. (although I had a cereal bar.)😇😇😇
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| I can never visualise the next section of this area so stopped for this photo of some Hollyhocks as the road passes through Monk Sherbourne, on Ramdsell Road. |
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We also passed this building which WAS The Olive Tree Pub just a year ago
after having a refurb! |
The road swings around, and comes to the busy A340, and now I know where I am, as we do a R & L dogleg to then pass through Shererbourne St John, and join the road passing NT The Vine. We both stuck the power on for the rest of the way, just because we can. Passing through Bramley, we also rode through the ford at Clappers Farm Road, since there was hardly water in it.
A nice route, although my knowledge of some parts of the area still a bit sketchy. We drove back via Green Lane to Stratfield Saye. Much safer with wider lanes!
