With no other leaders free today, I offered a second ride this week. My 40 mile ride yesterday started from Wokingham, so today's ride, much shorter and flatter, started from Riseley. With schools still on holiday, I drove there in 16 minutes, but that short journey opens up a whole different area to ride.
Breeze Leader Karen, from Windsor, was already there, and Kim joined us. Just 3 today, so a very relaxed ride, and since the landscape was looking gorgeous today with some dramatic cloudy skies, a few photo stops too. 😎 Most of today's route new to Karen, and maybe a few different bits too for Kim, or ones that she doesn't know so well.
Route link
The forecast was once more for threats of heavy rain, but not until later morning. I did ask the ladies yesterday if they were still happy to ride, with the risk of getting wet? A resounding "yes please". So glad that we did, since it was windy but otherwise a beautiful day. Tee shirts from the start in 16 degrees. The wind made it a bit difficult to hear at times (for me ), but we swapped around anyway.
We left from Riseley, dropping down Bull Lane, and I spotted a view I had not stopped at before, as we started our descent.
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Karen wearing her Breeze leader shirt today,
on Bull Lane, Riseley. Such pretty countryside. |
Skirting the edges of Stratfield Saye, we arrived at the "active tots" 5 way crossroads, officially called Fair Oak Green.
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| We would now head to Bramley. |
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Kim enjoyed a few free pickings at the junction
as we head a brief drink stop. |
I always avoid using Folly Lane to Bramley, which emerges at the wrong side of the level crossing, and inevitably there are 2 trains to wait for! So taking 2nd left at the 5 way junction, and using Stratfield Saye Road, gives the option of using Olivers Lane, and a bridge
over the railway. Then a left turn into Minchens Lane, where this house is on the left, with it's distinctive windows. (called Minchin House). There are a number of properties in this area with similar architecture.
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| Minchin House on Minchin Lane, nr Bramley. |
Just passed The Barn cafe in Bramley, we took the left turn into Vyne Road, all very flat or downhill for a while passing NT The Vyne. There is a little rise as we get closer to Sherbournre St John, and we pulled over at gate for a drink stop.
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Sherbourne St John pond.
Great reflections today. |
A dogwalker had allowed us to pass, and he then caught up with us at the pond, so was kind enough to take a photo of the 3 of us.
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Karen, Kim and me.
(my Breeze leader shirt in the wash after yesterday 😉)
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| photo by Karen |
And now a dogleg over the busy A340 to ride on more very quiet lanes passing through Monk Sherbourne, and a gentle rise towards Charter Alley, with one more stop to feed the goats and Alpaca.
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| photo by Karen |
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The landscape behind the goats, with a rather
large dark cloud heading this way! We are 2 mins from our coffee stop. |
Kim had been to the Charter Alley store before, and even brought her rucksack today so that she could buy some of the fabulous Samosa, to take home. (I did too.😊) We sat outside in very pleasant, warm sunshine, with dark clouds gathering around us.
As we left, I noticed a passing car looking like it had been rained on, but we never got a single drop! Phew.
Having climbed just a little to reach Charter Alley, we left continuing ahead, on Deans Lane, which is a great downhill to enjoy after a break. It rises just at the very end at the junction ,but not for long, as we turned right on a bend into Church Lane, to enjoy a couple of miles and passing the impressive thatch of next to Tadley Manor, and soon arrived with Tadley Church on our right.
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St Peter's Church, Church Road, Tadley.
Its lovely to see it without scaffolding after a long restoration. |
We joined the more modern area of Tadley (not at all photogenic), as we headed now to Pamber Heath (also not photogenic), but a good route to continue to Silchester. We missed seeing the village, but did pass the old walls, before we dropped downhill to join the undulating Pitfield Lane all the way to Mortimer.
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| Mortimer Church viewed from Pitfield Lane. |
All downhill through Mortimer, over the railway bridge and an easy ride next towards Beech Hill, but turning off into Park Lane, for our next long downhill.
Barge Lane is a lovely lane, and I thought a nicer way to end our ride avoiding the slog uphill on Welsh Drive! We walked our bikes over the A33, and as we emerged at the other end of Barge Lane, did under half a mile on the main road into Riseley, which I wouldnt do with a bigger group, but fine with just 3 of us today.
Our 26 planned miles became 27 miles, due the last minute change of route, but a nice way to finish. (we could of course have used Chartlton Lane/and Trowes Lane back to the start, but that would have been 28 miles and I might not have got away with that one.😂)
Thanks to Kim and Karen for joining me today. Kim still not recovered fully from her wrist injury, but has kept fit and so her speed no problem today, even though she told me she would be slow. Not at all! infact we were averaging 11.6mph for a good part of the way!
PS.... I enjoyed a delicious Samosa for lunch, as did hubby when he got home, not much later, from leading his Chiltern Ride (with just one other rider today). Its rained this afternoon for about 10 mins, so we are STILL waiting for decent amounts of rainfall. 😟
