As I drove past the Blackbush area last week I noticed that the Gorse shrubs were looking lovely, so I planned my ride today to include some of the offroad sections through Bramshill from Blackbush airport.
The official start was from FBC, but the 2 Amandas and myself met at Woosehill, to ride to Finchampstead. I set out with fingerless gloves on, and by the time I got to Morrisons changed to my proper gloves! Brrr. A brisk Easterly wind today, but with sunshine. Rose had shorts on.
I had a fall last Friday on Rose's Windsor ride, which had been a soft landing, and I thought I was ok, and re covering, other than the odd twinge in my ribs. I went to Pilates yesterday, doing what I could. But today at breakfast I could hardly pull open a drawer, or pick up my cup! Oh dear. Not good. It hurts to lean forward, and to breath, so I was very aware of every breath today! But I was going anyway.
Route link screenshot at end.
We started by climbing White Horse Lane, where the landscape was looking gorgeous, all greening up nicely. At the top, a left turn at the pub, and all downhill on Church Lane and we crossed over to climb backup again on Wick Hill Lane ! (who planned this! 😂). The first part to the top on a good tarmac surface, soon disintegrates as we turn right onto Goose Green, to an awful potholed section to the X roads with Dell Road. No complaints now as we headed fast downhill, turning right at the bottom to soon whizz downhill again to Eversley Cross.
Gill had led the last couple of miles, and pulled in on Chequers Lane for us all to liaise. I went past suggesting I would stop for a photo along the lane, and they could just continue when they were ready. However, I had to stop where Hollybush Lane joins from the right, as two cars were reversing back into the lane to allow a van to come from up ahead. Absolutely chaos! By the time it was clear to go, the others had caught me up and I still hadn't taken a photo. 😖
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| Chequers Lane horses |
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| Chequers Lane. |
At the Up Green Junction, Amy had waited for me, whilst the others carried on into Yateley. I pointed out the lovely "Thatched Cats" on the roof to Amy who had not spotted them before. From the roundabout in Yateley, not far now to Blackbush, but all a slight uphill, including as we enter the pedestrian lane to take us to the old runway. Time for the fingerless gloves now.
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| Lovely colour from the Gorse at one of the old runways, as the ladies head off to line up for our "synchronised riding". |
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| We all seem to heading the same way instead of crossing paths! |
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| Another attempt, with mixed results. |
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| Absolutely hopeless 😂 |
Anyway, a bit of fun, before we headed to coffee at the airport cafe. The car park was chocca, and loads of people sitting indoors. But we were always going to sit out in the sunshine anyway.
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| We sat outside until our order arrived, and then grabbed everything and sat inside this building with protection from the wind. |
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| The windsock almost horizontal today, and I was surprised that so many aircraft were taking off. The gusts today were 40mph!! |
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| Getting ready to leave. There were about 30 or more motorbikes parked up by the time we left too. A popular cafe.  |
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| A bit more filming from my handlebars as we backtracked to the old runway, for some footage I will use for a Breeze film over the seasons. (I had hoped to bring my drone along today, but not in these winds!) |
My Garmin route, which I had shared, was not entirely accurate for the next section, in fact not at all accurate, but I knew where I was going, which is handy. 😂
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| Cutting through from the car auction area, there is a very short section of just a few metres, where its best OFF the bike. |
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| A good surface now heading to Castle Bottom. |
Gill and Amanda O were ahead at this point but when we reached this amazing area of Gorse, they stopped thinking "Anne will want a photo" . How well they know me. 😊
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| Another cracking day for riding. Me,Gill, Amanda O, Amanda T, Linda, Amy, Rose, Louise. |
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| Rose who had not been here before, loved it. |
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| And once we had crossed the dusty entrance to the quarry at the A327, into the forest area along Welsh Drive, and all downhill to Bramshill Road. A bit tricky in places, with too much gravel, but a pretty good surface. |
Emerging on Bramshill Road we voted to make the most of the dry conditions, and used the forest track parallel to the main road, to join Ford Lane
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| Quite a number of log piles along the track now on the Eversley side of Bramshill forest, as we headed to Ford Lane. |
From the end of Part Lane Swallowield, we split to ride in 2 groups up the Swallowfield Road to the junction with Observer Way. This is a very gentle rise, and not difficult, but straight into wind today. We were all exhausted by the time we reached the top.
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| Shame. The tiny lambs all too far away today. Yesterday they had been right next to this fence. |
To Arborfield Cross and down School Lane, where at the end a right turn to head for Arborfield Green. As soon as we turned, the wind was behind us..... at last! What a difference, infact Louise commented that it was like being on an ebike. We had worked really hard today into the wind, so it was such a relief to get a few minutes of free wheeling.
Back along the Greenway to FBC, where we split into drivers and riders and 3 of us continued back to Woosehill.
I was surprised to hear that quite a few ladies had not done some of this route before. They all said they enjoyed it. It's the absolute best time of year to go. Next week, I am riding in search of spring blossoms at a special little church yard.... If it hasn't all blown away by then!
I came home with itchy eyes due to hayfaver, and started sneezing. Ouch! That hurts too. 😖
