Friday again, and 4 of us free today. I suggested Hartley Wintney, which got the thumbs up.
Route link screen grab at end.
We picked up Louise as we passed Blagrove Lane, Martina impressed that Louise has climbed up most of the lane to meet us.😂
Through California Park, then we climbed White Horse Lane. A cyclist coming down, almost lost it as he braked hard to miss us, skidded on a wet area but managed to recover. (overnight rain had left the lane a bit greasy). Then with a large tractor coming down, I pulled over and Jeanette almost piled into Martina, who wondered why I had stopped! Bloody great tractor was why!! 😉
Then a long downhill (mostly) on Fleet Hill to the Tally Ho.
To Bramshill Road, via Warbrooke Lane, and to "the Mutton" pub at Hazeley. As we dropped downhill to take the left turn to Hartley Wintney, these cows on the field on our right. The smell was not too pleasant!
To ring the changes, we ignored our normal right turn and continued on Hazeley Bottom Road to climb up to the B3011. A short distance and a right turn into Arrow Lane, to drop all the way back downhill. (What was the point? Just because!)
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| Next to the bike rack at the church, this Acer beginning to show it's autumnal colours. |
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| Think it was her first day! So slow but thankfully there was hardly anyone else there when we arrived.  |
We all opted for the sugar free fruit cake, which was very nice.
A huge walking group arrived whilst we were there, so we timed it just right.
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| 1 million trees a DAY cut down for loo roll! |
We left the church and used a track to connect to Dilly Lane then over the 4 way traffic lights (still!) to pass West Green Gardens. Back on Plough Lane (our favourite hill), and then a left fork to join Bramshill Road once more. The long easy slight downhill followed on Ford Lane, where we stopped at the ford.
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| I set my camera up on a post for a group selfie, just as this car decided to pull into shot! Not a great photo.... not in focus since I couldn't see what it was pointing at.  |
Louise's saddle had come loose, and as she stopped to fix it, she kept looking at the lady who got out of the car. She thought she knew her, but couldn't place her. "Is your name Debbie?" "No" she replied.
I can't remember her name but it turns out she is a Thermomix Agent, and Louise has met her at Ascot workshops.
The car driver and Thermomix agent. Her dog in the ford somewhere.
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| Very pleasant in the sunshine as we wait for Louise to tighten her saddle. |
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| Himalayan Balm at the ford. |
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| Nice shaft of light looking back to Ford Lane. |
Back via Swallowfield where they are setting up for the Show this weekend, and over Farley Hill to Hogwood Lane, and eventually to California Park. Louise showed us a new cafe which is to open in Hogwood Industrial Estate soon, but not an ideal location.
To finish, Louise climbed back up Blagrove Lane with us. Well done ladies. Martina has a couple of holidays coming up, and me too from September 1st. I'm free next week, but won't then see Martina for 4 weeks. Enjoy your holidays!
