Monday and a beautiful sunny forecast with very light winds, so I took the drone for just a few shots, as it slows everyone down if used too much. Dave away in Scotland, so just 4 of us today. Quite a challenging route, so Dave might be glad he's in Scotland! I think Linda was wishing she was too. 😂
Route link screenshot at end.
Starting from Odiham, we left up the High Street, but rather than head to Greywell, we rode on Bidden Road, then into the quite Ford Lane. A dogleg junction and we were climbing on Gaston Lane leading to South Warnborough. I've only ridden this once before, as have Linda and Daphne.
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| Ford Lane, off of Bidden Road. |
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The other 3 carry on as I stop for a photo on Ford Lane, then we
dogleg over to another quiet lane call Gaston Lane.
(It was at the end of this lane that John realised he had no bum bag with him
so no camera and no money! I had to buy his coffee today.) |
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| Gaston Lane, and first spotting of Rape Crops this year. |
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Opposite view on Gaston Lane, as we approach South Warnborough
where we cross over the B3349 Alton Road.... and into Froyle Lane,
all uphill for a while! |
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looking back at this white house, once the climb on Froyle Lane
from South Warnbourgh flattens out. |
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Froyle Lane.
We soon ride through between lovely woodland edges. |
At at T Junction with Copse Lane, we have a steep right turn to climb to "the field with the horse" 😉, where today there were also 3 donkeys. (We overlap this section for about 100 yards on our return loop later in the day, as we climb up from Lower Froyle. Its still up hill from the other direction! )
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| Copse Lane, horse and donkeys. |
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Linda, in less of a lather now with her buff removed,
as we leave Copse Lane, |
I decide to get the drone out, as we drop out of Copse Lane to now turn right in to Froyle Road. Another cyclist was gob smacked when we saw the drone follow us. He turned left at the junction, and we turned right.
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| Leaving the field with the horse... |
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right turn into Froyle Road, to head in the direction of
the Golden Pot X Roads. |
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| The drone really good at following..... |
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| Waiting a second for it to get ahead in "direction track mode" |
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Its not so good at this, with us following,
and after a few seconds it ended up to the side, then following.😖 |
In disgrace, the drone was put in the bag for much of the rest of the ride. Shortly before Golden Pot XRoads, I had planned the route, to drop down the long hill in to Holybourne, which I had only done once before with John, back in 2020, when no cafes were open. We had sat at the top of the hill for our snacks, and only when we came into Holybourne after a long downhill we found some benches next to a lovely church and pond. (which is why I wanted a revisit).
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After an easy flat section a steep drop on Brockham Hill Lane
to Holybourne. |
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| Holy Rood Church, Holybourrne. |
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| Holybourne |
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| These unusual graves with bricks over them. |
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| A beautiful setting with the churchyard next to the pond. |
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| Today's team. |
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| Primula Vulgaris at the pond. |
After a few minutes at the church, we joined London Road, passing the tudor "Old Rose Cottage", under the A31, and over the River Wey. At the X roads less than half a mile further, we turned right. (We have come from the left and straight over this X Roads before on our way to Choc Frog, if we had come via the Froyles.) So Linda and Daphne should recognise the rest of the route (ish).
Our right turn is into Clay Lane, changing to Wyck Lane and we are now surrounded by Rape crop fields, quite well into flower, so another week or two, they will be very vibrant. Passing through the Hamlet of Wyck, and passing the Oast houses, a dogleg next to head for West Worldham.
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| Wyck Oast houses. |
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Pulling over for an approached car, in Hartley Maudit
not far from the fishing lake. |
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| Hartley Maudit. |
The road also called Hartley Maudit, is easy going, with just one little climb to the high point, and then the massive downhill, about 2 miles, into Oakhanger, with views of the "giant golf balls" on our right as we drop down. Linda doesn't enjoying braking, so got ahead of us all on this section.
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Spotted this Saltire X in the sky, with a duck too!😊
At the Chocolate Frog. |
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Some strange things going on at Chocolate Frog.
Look at those eyelashes. |
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| A group from Petersfield, with Daphne taking their photo for them. |
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Fed and watered, we backtrack now through Oakhanger,
and I spotted the golf balls again. |
Passing the old woodland area called Shortheath, we did a dogleg to start our climb up to Binstead, and passing Church of St Nicholas, where on a previous trip we stopped for photos on the downhill.
Its a long hill, but most of it only about 5-7% so not too bad. But just when we are feeling rather weary, it ramps up. We arriving facing the church.
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| Binstead church, and a chance to catch our breath. |
I decided to use the drone again for a "spotlight" shot, with the drone sitting the air, tracking us as we passed.
I changed the drone to " follow mode" for the next short section to cross the London Road as we head now downhill to Isington Mill, to cross the River Wey once more.
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| Drone following as we crossed the London Road |
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We lost Daphne as she stopped back at the church
to chat to a local. |
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| Thought I'd better warn this walker about the drone following me😂 |
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| heading to Isington Mill |
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| Lovely quiet country lane and rolling hillsides. |
Crossing under the A31, we have turned right to head through Bentley a couple of times before, but today a left turn. Riding through the picturesque Lower Froyle, with another looooong, but not steep climb, until we have a right turn to get back to "the field with the horse" aka Copse Lane.
John was first up (no surprise, especially since he was on his road bike today), with Daphne just behind him.
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Well done Daphne.
( I was waiting at the corner behind, incase Linda missed the turn) |
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Well done Linda Having got off my bike to
wait for Linda, too steep for me to get back on. |
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| "Dronie" shot at the field with the horse. |
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Coming in to land. My hair looks rather wet. I was overdressed by now.
It was over 20 degrees. |
Dropping down steeply (and passing Froyle Lane on our left where we had appeared from this morning), we had a climb up to Lord Wandworth School entrance. Daphne called that her lace was undown, and could we pull in at the top please... which Linda and I did... John already gone ahead.
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Lovely fresh Willow foliage, at the house at Lord Wandsworth College
where Daphne who had asked us to stop...... shot passed us! |
All downhill now into Long Sutton to the pond, and our normal route back to Odiham.
I thought a lovely route, and good training for the Scotland trip too! Thanks all for your company. No Linda now for 6 weeks as she is off to Australia, and no Daphne for a couple of weeks either as she is off to the Isle of Wight. Have fun ladies.
