First we headed downhill on Church Lane, which was running like a river but thankfully no flooding that stopped us getting through at the lowest point. My brakes were squealing with all the water. What a row! Our original plan was to turn left at the end and drop down further on Bramley Road, (passing the end of Clappers Farm Road), but with known flooding points here, I wasn't keen, so we changed the route to stay higher, using Ash Lane instead, to emerge at Bramley Corner, soon passing The Barn on our right, before turning into Vyne Road.
All pretty easy going as we passed through Sherbourne St John, with a little rise to join Elm Road, where we regrouped at this gate.
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Elm Road Views, as we left Sherbourne St John.
The low sun was a pain today shooting straight into it, bleaching out the color.
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We soon crossed over the A340 Aldermaston Road
and onto this leaf covered Rooksdown Lane.
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| photo by John |
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At the end of Rooksdown Lane, straight over the A339,
onto Ibworth Road, and a head wind heading for Wooton St Lawrence. |
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End of Rooksdown Lane. A hazy sky today with the low sun
which seemed to always be in ours eyes! 😎 |
I'm not so familiar with the next section, although have done it in the opposite direction a couple of times.
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| Just as we leave Wooton St Lawrence. |
Within a mile at a junction, we joined a short stretch of a busier B3400, passing through Newfound, before a left turn though a residential section into Oakley. I was delighted that I knew that a pond would soon be on our left.😂
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| Oakley Pond. Another shot straight in to the sun. |
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| Opposite Oakley Pond on Oakley Lane. |
A right turn at the thatch cottage and soon, a left turn into North Waltham Road. (the lane where Daphne once realised that she only had one glove on, on a ride we started from Station Road Oakley😊)
A lovely quiet lane, mostly downhill, or only gradual inclines. We turned off right into another Oakley Road, which for a tiny lane, had a surprising number of cars. But all drivers today were very polite and waited for us to pass. I stopped for a couple of photos.
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| All Saints Church, Dene. |
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One final stop, with Dave, whilst Linda and John
continued on up the climb ahead. |
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| photo by John who was first up the hill. |
We joined Harrow Way, and Summer Down Lane, names I recognise from other rides in this area, and having climbed up on one of the "official climbs" today, pull over for a van to pass in this narrow lane.
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Ibworth Road, allowing a van to pass.
Annoyingly it now dips down for us to climb again. |
But once we turned left at the top, a lovely fast downhill (much easier than coming the other way!), to eventually cross back over the A339, and head to Ramsdell and Charter Alley.
It's nearly 25 miles before our teastop today, so a welcome break.
A bit of a concern that our route back had a "ROAD CLOSED" sign, but it was fine. We passed the Alpacas just outside of Charter Alley, and turned off left as we approached Monk Sherbourne. Then on Priory Link passed Priory School, into Pamber End. (We come this way to Little Roses Coffee Shop).
The climb soon follows through Little London, and then another route change to ignore Byes Lane and just continued up hill to Silchester on Little London Road. I've not ridden this section before, but it's just the other side of a triangle, emerging at Silchester playing field. Finally, round Wall Lane and back to the church car park.
A lovely route, and weather. Thanks to John for route planning, and to Dave and Linda for your company. Nice to get out today with mild weather.
