Just 3 of the "Monday club" up for riding today. Not necessary fit and healthy but we did it!
Dave doing "holiday prep" and Daphne struck down over the weekend with a nasty cold. She said that in wee small hours she had still hoped to join us, but felt too ill this morning. She must be bad since rarely misses out. 😔 (Not helped by the very sad news too that her nephew died last night, after fighting cancer for a couple of years. Much too young.)
I was on the fence this morning, since my cold which has been hanging around all last week, and come to nothing other that a stupid cough, suddenly got worse since yesterday. Today's route had quite a few hills, so would I be able to cope? We are off to Norfolk for 4 days cycling tomorrow, so I thought best to just get on with it as a test. Lots of nose blow stops for me! Meanwhile Linda says her chest felt really tight this morning, affecting her breathing. John is pretty much over his nasty cold he had last week. What are we like?!
Route link screenshot at end.
Linda would like to rename this the "Oast House route". The first one was the Oast House Garage, as we left Odiham High Street, to then continue past the RAF Odiham landing lights all the way to the junction.
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| Not too taxing so far, but left turn and here comes the first climb up to Well. |
Actually that climb was not as bad as I remember, maybe helped by the fact it was a cool morning. Just 13 degrees and we all had a long sleeve top on as a second layer today. I had fully expected to take it off at some point, but never did.
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| Stopping for car to pass on Well Lane. A dark tree tunnel with quite a contrast of light and shade. |
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| Also on Well Lane. I think the brown colour of the ferns a bit early this year do to lack of rain. |
Through the undulations of both Lower Froyle and Upper Froyle, to cross the A31 at the Hen and Chicken and head towards Wyck and East and West Worldham. More Oast houses along this road, which I didn't photograph today.
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| A few sunflowers hanging on at the X Roads of the B3004 at Blanket Street, East Worldham. |
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| Cows all sitting down as I passed this gate on Blanket Street |
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| Also at the gate |
A left turn to arrive through Hartley Mauditt and where the church was on our right, opposite the pond. A quick photo stop.
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Looking back the Church at Hartley Maudit. A beautiful day.  |
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| At the high point of Hartley Mauditt Road, before our descent. These trees are looking precarious with their roots growing out of the limestone. |
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| All downhill now to coffee in Oakhanger. |
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| The clock at the Chocolate Frog is never right. apart from twice a day! |
We sat inside today, since still cool and the breeze had picked up. Linda never sat inside before she said.
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| I had Victoria Sponge "traybake" today. ie just a different shape! More often, after we leave Oakhampton, after a mile or so, we dogleg over the B3004 and head up to Binstead arriving with the church Facing. (RED line on map). But today, for a change, we road half a mile on the main road to Kingsley, to climb a similar hill to Binstead, running parallel. (done this once before but not often). Its peaks at 11% so not insignificant, but ok.  |
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| A brief photo stop as the worst of the climb ends, at Hoggatts Farm Shop. Another pretty Oast House, over the hedge. |
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| A look though the farm shop gate. |
At the top, a left to reach Binstead X Roads and a right turn now to head to Isington. (Monty's Oast house). A few nose blow stops thrown in for good measure.
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| "Is that a Kestrel?" |
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| YES it is 😂 |
From Isington into Bentley and at this next junction, I stopped to photograph the bridge over the road, just as 2 cars turn up to turn into the narrow road. A lady stopped to ask if we knew of a local shop? As it happens, we were able to help, since we had passed it a few minutes earlier. 😂
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| John and Linda dropping down on Hole Lane to the RH bend. The first signs of Autumn leaf colour is present today. |
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| Always worth stopping for the view part way up Hole Lane, nr Bentley. |
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| Arriving at the junction with Well Lane. A pretty view especially with the light today. (Penncroft vineyards off to the left) |
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| We were talking about how faded the finger post is. |
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| A closer look at the field, which has white flowers. Not sure what the crop is .Looks too low for potatoes? |
And to Itchel Lane, passing our friends house called " the Oast House", and continuing on Roke Lane, all easy going now to the next Oast House on the edge of Odiham.
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| A brand NEW fingerpost. |
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| The Oast House on Roke Lane |
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| Just before our turn back to the Canal. Loved this Autumnal scene in Odiham |
Considering we climbed over 2,000 feet, with strong winds at times, and also not feeling 100%..... I think 11mph average was pretty good. Linda and I were reminding John that just because he is in training for Mont Ventoux next spring, doesn't mean we need to be! 😉😂
