Emmer Green to Nettlebed - 30 miles

on

Monday ride today and a full team of 5, with Dave back from his Rhone River Cruise. (shame he didn't do much cruising, due to the high water levels and speed in the river.😖 Loads of flooding in Lyon area last week.)

We all met at Emmer Green tennis club car park, with a phone call from Linda on behalf of driver Daphne, who were so nearly there.... and yet not. 😂. 

First we headed to Sonning Common via Bird in Hand Lane to join Kennylands Road, where we normally turn left into Kidmore Lane, but not today. 

(My camera is still at the repair shop, so "enhanced" phone images today. 

Route link (screenshot at end)

Junction of Kennylands /Kidmore Lane.

We ignored this left turn today, continuing to join Horsepond Road
followed by a right turn in to Wyfold Road. 

I was here on  Friday and had similar gloomy weather. What a shame, since the colours are really starting to turn now, but needed sunlight.

Wyfold Road

Daphne and I stopped here on Wyfold after she heard a
strange noise. It was a deer rutting sound, but I couldn't spot it. 

Near the top of Wyfold/Busgrove Lane as we pass the pigs. 

And on our left just before the end of Busgrove, the house that
featured on Grand Designs last week. (A 5 year build!)

Through Stoke Row, continuing gradually to Nuffield, where we chatted briefly as we rode with 2 Wokingham cyclists. They were dressed in similar colours to John and Dave, and I saw in my mirror that were catching us girls up. That confused me as they overtook us.  Of course it wasn't them! 😂

Thankfully the gradual climbing helped to warm us up. It was cooler than we expected, since the sun never did make an appearance. Through Huntercombe End to the junction of B481.  Linda and I were ahead so now continued to the right (towards Nettlebed). When the others got to this junction, they saw no sign of us, and worried that we had gone left, as we normally do. 😂  Linda and I arrived at the Cheese Shed, locked up, visited the loo and they STILL hadn't arrived. 

Better late than never, as they finally turn up.

Daphne and I shared a cheese toastie. Very nice and warming too. 


I was mouthing "Cheese..shed". Not sure what Dave was saying? 

We doubled back for about a mile and continued all the way to Cookley Green to take the right turn for Russells Water (just before the Christmas Common junction).

We stopped to show them the Wall Plaque dedicated to 
Truly Scumptious who drove her car in the pond here in Chitty Chitty. 

Russells Water Pond.

Across the flat area of Maidensgrove, then the very steep downhill on Park Lane to the Stonor Valley. 

Park Lane, Maidensgrove

We all met up again at the bottom, opposite Stonor Park, where the trees on the hill behind could have looking spectacular if only we had some light. But not today. An easy few miles now all slight downhill into Henley, which was a bit caotic with roadworks around the one way system to the bridge. Then after a comfort stop at the Station, we headed to the Harpden Valley Road, with our final climb of the day up Perseverance Hill. Daphne was first up today, followed by John, who got his phone out. 

Top of Perseverance Hill

Zooming past him, out of focus. 😜

The road surface near the Bottle and Glass as bad as ever, but no puddles today, which is unusual. And soon we were back to the start, with a left turn into Caversham Park Road. 

Gentle climbs today apart from Perseverance Hill, and a nice route which hopefully will be better on a sunny day soon.  We are busy with grandkids next Monday and Daphne on a half term family break. See you in 2 weeks.