E bike Sunday, with my bike finally returned after a month in the shop awaiting new gear levers. They only come as pack of 2, so £320 later, (thank you John😍 ), my bike is running very smoothly. The right hand lever was stuck, but the good news is that left hand lever, which has been giving me trouble for many months when trying to change from the small cog back to the big cog, is now super smooth. 😊
John planned the route starting nr St Marybourne, in our now regular spot in a muddy lay-by nr the Viaduct. (since the St MB car park is usually full on a Sunday.)
Route link
All familiar to start with through Hurstbourne Priors to Longparish, continuing to climb over the A303 then heading to Wherwell.
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| A bit of height after we climbed over the A303 and heading to Wherwell |
We turned left in Wherwell, crossing the river Test, and we would return to this bridge later in the day approaching to turn right. We continued into Chilbolton.
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| Chilbolton Church, at the Junction, where we now turned right |
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| A quick cuppa at Chilboton Stores. |
A short section on road after Chilbolton, before we disappeared onto the Test Way, old railway track. We had used this once before months ago, and had to abandon it, with trees down. It was all clear today, but a bit greasy in some areas under shady sections. Gravel tyres would have been better.
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A section of the Test Way. This bit fine, other bits a bit wey hey!
It's over 2 miles before we can get out. |
Finally escaping onto a tarmac cyclepath just short of Stockbridge, we crossed a roundabout, after intially heading uphill (on the A3057), we thankfully realised we had missed a right turn into a very quiet FLAT road, called Cow Drove Hill... not all flat then! John has parked here once before to do a recce of this part of the route, but as we passed noticed that the small car park was full today.
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| An impressive entrance to a Private drive on Cow Drove Hill. |
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| At the private drive entrance on Cow Drove Hill. |
On a left hand bend, an unexpected hill, and I had to get off, before I fell off......with John directly behind, he had no choice but to do the same. (Will know next time) It was only a very short section, but unexpectedly steep. Then a longer gradual climb where we stopped to admire the view at the top.
I had thought we wouldn't need the ebikes today but for this section, I wasn't complaining. 😂
At the top of Cow Drove Hill.
As I was taking this shot, a cyclist set off on the downhill. We followed. Crikey! Brakes full on. It was steep! There were 2 ebikes coming up, fine. But also 2 peddle bikes. Don't fancy coming up without power, otherwise will be walking.
This is where we emerged, in King's Somborne, and joined the A3057 for about half a mile.
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We turned into Horsebridge Road, just beyond these houses
in the Hamlet of Horsebridge. |
Crossing Park Stream, on Horsebridge Road, at this Mill house. Then soon over the River Test into Houghton.
We rode in and out of Houghton, before we came to the entrance to Houghton Lodge Gardens.
A very colourful display in the area next to the cafe, and then a wander around the rest of the garden.
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| Not far after we left the garden on our way to Stockbridge. |
We also pulled off the route for a short detour to the Eel fishing place, on a lane called The Bunny. We had discovered this place from the opposite end once before, and this is about half way along The Bunny.
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| The Bunny, near Longstock |
We soon passed the John Lewis gardens, and I remember last time that the road surface for this part of the route (part of an estate) was perfect. Not now... potholes all over the place.
We passed through Fullerton, and another Millhouse on a bend of the river, and soon we came into Wherwell from the opposite direction from this morning.
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| Wherwell has so many thatches. |
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| Church Lane Wherwell. Cottages built in 1500s. |
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| Just beyond this we turned around in Church Lane to rejoin the route. |
Over the bridge in Wherwell, and ignoring the turning to Chilbolton, we continued to Newton Stacey. I couldn't quite place where we were, but then recognised it by the 90degree bend coming up...... followed by the climb to the top, and where there are MOD signs about Keep Out. A big downhill follows to Barton Stacey, and a left turn into The Street.
The Street takes us back over the A303, and our next turn is right into Nun's Walk. ( where the skinny sheep are 😉😂) A very familiar name, as we have ridden it many times in and out of Longparish. (It continues almost to Whitchurch too.) The final section crosses two tributaries of River Test, and to the junction of the B3400 near Hurstbournre Priors Church, where we turn right and soon back to the start.
A nice route, apart from the Test Way. One to revisit no doubt in a different season.
