WLCG Riseley via Shinfield - 25 miles

Down to just 3 of us today, and with thunder showers forecast, we opted for a shortish local route hoping to be back before the rain came.... if it did come.  It was supposed to be sunny this morning, but that never happened. 

I suggested either Wargrave or Riseley Tea Rooms? Riseley won the vote so we set off with no route in mind.  First goal was to get to Mill Lane, Winnersh, so we went through the woods to join the Sadlers End path to Bearwood, then to Lower Earley and Cutbush Lane cycleroute over the M4. 

Route link

We then managed  NOT to get lose in Shinfield, even if we weren't sure exactly where we were.😂

We joined the cyclepath almost opposite Shinfield Church.  We headed down the hill, where we usually  go right at the end, to cross to Three Mile Cross. But since we weren't going that way today, we took a left turn on Hyde End Lane through Ryeish Green. It becomes a bit of a one way system here, so we just kept following our nose and eventually came to the junction with Clares Green Road. (we normally approach via Appletree Lane running parallel to this,  when doing this bit in reverse.)

I spotted this old house on Ryeish Lane, which of course is not surrounded by new development. 

Willow Barn, Ryeish Lane

Entrance to Willow Barn... and now to catch them up.

Lynne led the next part of the ride, which avoided going to the traffic lights in Spencers Wood.

Spencers Wood wiggle through Montgomery Drive.

Then to Beech Hill Road. Such a boring sky today. No colour at all! 
We enjoyed whizzing down over the A33 here.

A detour via Cross Lane emerging at Beech Hill Church, then to Trowes Lane. We climbed up Barge Lane to Bull Lane today, since the roads were nice and dry, and the road surface on Bull Lane was fine. (often its a mess with gravel everywhere).  We passed 2 unmentionable x-friends on their way down. 😡.

Once under the A33, a right turn into the narrow Sun Lane and over into the track to emerge opposite the tea rooms.  We locked up our bikes, noticing quite a few cars in the car park, but no one was in the tea rooms. Very strange.  One of the staff then appeared to tell us that the tearooms were not open until the afternoon! The reason was because the tennis club were hosting a Macmillan Coffee Morning in the room next door. Very thoughtful of the tearoom not to compete, infact they even baked a couple of cakes for them.

So in we went to the Macmillan coffee morning. Plenty of lovely cakes on offer, as well as a number of items for sale like floral arrangements and Christmas wreathes. But obviously, on our bikes we couldn't buy anything. Except for the raffle. £5 for 1 ticket but several quality hampers as prizes. I am expecting a call any minute now since the raffled ended at 2pm.😊😊😊 (update at 4pm. Andrea won!) 

Sorry terrible photo... it was quite dark and my camera was slow. 

Still gloomy as we set off again. 

To Swallowfield to head for home, and as we approached Nutbean Lane, I stuck my arm our to turn right. Not been down this lane for a very long time, since it's another one to avoid after rain. Now or never until next spring! We all enjoyed it, and other than the bend where it changes name to Sandpit Lane, it was all nice and clean. Even the climb up to Farley Hill was not as bad as it used to be.😇

Views looking back on Nutbean Lane.

Lynne at the top of Sandpit Lane.

So that saved us climbing to Farley Hill our normal way.  And just for a change we stuck to the main road through Farley Hill, Church Road, as we whizzed down to cross the main road into Sheerlands Road, Arborfield. 

We continued over to Arforfield Green and finally along the greenway to California Park. 

Top of Blagrove Lane. eeeek! Dark sky and just the odd spot of rain.

Lynne set off and went her own route home, and Andrea and I back via Woosehill.  A couple of loud claps of thunder, and a flash of lightening literally as I got to my driveway. Phew. Made it. 

Clouds over my house as I got home, with the first flash of lighting,

I checked John's Garmin progress and he was at Winnersh, so he got a little wet on his last mile  home. Poor Dave still had to get to Finchampstead.  It didn't last long.

It brightened up as soon as the rain stopped a few minutes later. 

A beautiful afternoon. 

Hope to see a few more of you ladies next week? These holidays can't go on forever!