Last time I offered this route from Frost Folly to Windsor Park, Sandra had ridden from home.(She wasn't with us today). So when I loaded the ride as a 26 mile route, from Frost Folly, nr Moss End, I offered to ride from home if anyone else fancied a longer ride of 40 miles. (not a difficult ride, so a good one to do as a longer ride).
I soon heard back from 5 of the ladies that they would join me at Cantley! Well done everyone. So, we met at 9am sharp, so that we could liase with the other two riders, Amy and Jessica at 9.45am.
I got some new distance glasses for driving this week, and wore them today out of interest. What a revelation! It's a miracle. I can see every pothole. I have been struggling all summer in shady lanes and today everything was crystal clear. So now I need to spend even more money, on some prescription cycling glasses. After years of reading glasses, I don't need any of them now. 😖
Route link screen shot at end.
As we cycled through Binfield and then along Bottle Lane, a car slooooowly passed us. It was Amy. Nice driving Amy. 😇
We arrived at 9.42, but no sign of Amy, which was a bit weird.
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| Here she comes. She had parked at Moss End, and peddled round to Frost Folly car park. Nice to see Amy back on her bike after almost a month of feeling unwell with a cold. |
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| A video screen shot from my Go Pro. My camera still in for repair. This taken at the car park, incase it was the best autumnal photo I might get today! Me, Rose, Louise, Clare, Jessica, Amy, Kim and Amanda O. |
We initially headed the route we would take to Cranbourne to the Honesty Cafe at Tally Ho Farm, then a right turn as some temporary lights, where Rose warned me that last time she rode through them, there wasn't much time.... so we shot through. Past the Fishing Cafe, and a left turn into Lovel Lane, in two groups now on busier roads, and soon right into Hatchet Lane. We left the faster traffic now on New Road, and soon cut through the little alley way, called Ridings Close, to join Kennel Ride.
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| Ridings Close, aka "nose blow alley" 😂 |
Through Ascot Racecourse, and out the other side. Ignoring Watersplash Lane, we continued to the T junction, and then right and left into Mill Lane to reach the Blacknest entrance to the park.
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| Not much sun in evidence, but the trees were still nice to see. |
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| photo by Rose, carefully taken to block a dustbin behind me. Well done Rose. 😉 |
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| And there they go. I told them I would see them at the cafe. |
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| And then this. |
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| A lot of leaves already down, and other trees not started colouring up yet. |
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| Go pro selfie, Oh dear. |
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| Inside Saville Gardens Shop. |
After tea stop, we continued around the park, to the Watersplash Lane exit. A climb now up the hill and back through the Racecourse. We went under the tunnel, which some ladies had not done before, and then out the same we had entered earlier.
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| Ascot Racecourse. Still a thick blanket of cloud. How annoying. |
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| Passing Mill Lane Golf club entrance, in the news this week, because there has been money laundering etc going on. The majority money from the sale will now be seized by the government. The owner is in jail in Azerbaijan. |
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| And straight on into Sandy Lane. The surface was fine today riding over a dry carpet of leaves. |
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| We pulled over into this car park on Malt Hill. All hands to the pump!  |
We couldn't find the cause, but were soon underway again. Our return journey was on Osborne Road, to the other tiny Watersplash Lane and over Cabbage Hill. We joined Jocks Lane, where at the roundabout on the main road, Louise and Kim went straight down the main road on the cyclepaths, to return home via Wm Heelas Way, and the rest of us, now 4, went back to Cantley where Rose had left her car.
Feeling a little weary (we had climbed 1,759feet), and quite hungry by the end of our 40 miles. Well done everyone. A nice ride and plenty of chat about lots of holidays some had been on recently. Half term next week, so I'm not free, but see you in 2 weeks.
