Sonning Common to Benson via Swyncombe - 30 miles

Monday ride, and unfortunately Dave wasn't able to join us today. John needs new bearings on his gravel bike (back wheel is a bit wobbly), so took his road bike today.  My bike started it's tell tale squeak on my last ride a couple of days ago, which indicated it needs new brake pads. The squeak also indicates that the wheel is not running freely, since the pistons are stuck, so I needed to work a bit harder today. 😕😖 (Both bikes are going to repair later today). I could have / should have taken my ebike today, but wasn't sure Daphne and Linda would have been to pleased about that. 😂

Route link

They came to us, and we all travelled together to the start. It was a chilly 3 degrees as we set off from Sonning Common, and also some light drizzle in the air. But our first few miles were all uphill, so we didn't feel cold, specially after our climb to Checkendon. 

Not the best light today, but since I need to write a blog, I need some photos!😂 This is blog number 999.  Hoping for sunshine on Wednesday for my number 1,000.

Horses  along Wyfold Lane looking a bit fed up with
the gloomy weather today. 

The lanes were very messy today, so we had to pick our route through carefully to miss the worst pot holes. I was quite pleased when we reached the main road to Nuffield where at least we had a decent surface for a couple of miles. 

Several cars in both directions today as we crossed Huntercombe End to connect to the B481 to Cookley Green, so we just pulled over a few times to let them passed. It's too narrow for them to safely pass us. 

My legs were knackered by the time we finally finished climbing, my squeaking getting worse on my bike.  We had climbed for 10 miles, so I was much relieved as we turned into Church Lane at Cookley Green, to drop down to Syncombe Church. It's snowdrop time, so as we were passing anyway, seemed a good opportunity to see them. 

They have "Snowdrop teas" at the church over the next 3 weekends, when there will loads of people there.  They had some string barriers up this year asking you NOT to walk amongst the snowdrops. That makes sense, but previously we had been able to get in amongst them.

Left here to drop into Swyncombre Church
(and then back up again to this point)
as we cross the top of the Ridgeway looking down to Eweleme.

Sheep in the Swyncombe Estate just before we reach the church

Yellow Aconites among the snowdrops too. 
Not fully open yet, but adding a nice splash of colour. 

Our bikes left outside of the churchyard. No one else here. 

Linda 

Daphne and John

And a couple of John's black and white photos....

A lovely easy section at last as we dropped down slowly towards Ewelme on the messy Chiltern Way. Didn't see a single car all the way to Ewelme, just Red Kites overhead. There was a dead pheasant on the road attracting them. 

A brief stop as we passed through Ewelme where the thatch is being put onto the house which burned down about 3 years ago now.  It was previously a thatched cottage, and only the brick chimney breast survived the fire. We had a quick chat with one of the thatchers. No plans for an animal on the roof when its finished.  The property yet to have its windows installed. 

2 Thatchers working on either side of the roof. 

Further downhill, and  a ride through Benson village, branching off to pass the airfield today, and  to our teastop at The Waterfront Cafe on the river. They have spent a lot of money over the winter on a new interior of the cafe. Nice and cosy inside, with no takers to sit out today!

A climb soon follows after Crowmarsh Gifford up to the open area of the Ipsden Crop fields. A bit more of a breeze here too. 

Photo by John.

Daphne motoring ahead. 

A male cyclists came towards us shortly after this, on a distinctive yellow road bike.  (NB. I mention this for a reason.)

We passed through Ipsden X Roads, where the road drops down and up quite steeply. I was alongside Linda who announced a cyclist was behind us. I checked my mirror and couldn't see anyone, and then a yellow bike frame appeared between Linda and me!  It was him. What an idiot. The road is really narrow here and also full of potholes, so there is no way you can ride 3 abreast. I almost came off  my bike as I pulled over to the extreme right and into mud. Thankfully he ALSO had to come off and since it was steep and both of us couldn't get back on easily, I gave him a mouthful.  

We passed the entrance to Brazier Park, as we have done many times. John told us that Marianne Faithful, who died recently, had spent some time here. It's like a hippy gathering place. Not visible from the road, although John and Dave had gone into one time to investigate. 

I set off up Bottom Lane with Daphne alongside, but then she decided to stop to peel off some layers, as I continued. I really struggled up here today, but managed to keep going to the top, which is quite a bit further than where you think you are at the top! 

At the top of Bottom Lane. John is waiting on 
the right for Linda and Daphne to appear. 

Photo by John

Photo by John 

We  made it. Top of Bottom Lane.Phew. Not feeling the 
cold anymore!

Checkendon Equestrian Centre ahead (which we had skirted on our earlier part of the route), and then we headed to Stoke Row to drop down Kingwood Road to Rotherfield Pepperd. The "mizzle" was by now rain, and I could hardly see with my glasses on...... But didn't want to take them off, so I just slowed down a bit, catching up with the others at The Pet Barn at Sonning Common. 

We stopped at some temporary lights about 100 yards from where the van was parked, and Daphne thought she heard a hissing noise from John's bike. But no sign of anything wrong. 

As he unloaded his bike back at home, his back tyre was completely flat. What a pain, but at least it didn't need fixing on the ride today. Too cold to hang about. 

Well done team. We need some more hill practice I think.  Daphne is off to India soon, and no cycling for the next 3 weeks. So Linda and I will be super fit by then. 😂😂😂  We'll miss you Daphne. Have a great trip.