Gill, Martina, Lynne and me free today, so lots of catching up of summer holidays to do!
Louise not well, and Andrea and Jeanette off on holidays. Martina had a request to be home by 1 o'clock, so I hoped this route would allow that. Gill peddled to Woosehill to join us at 9.15.
(I planned this route yesterday as a shorter Breeze ride for next Thursday when the official start would be FBC, but of course peddling to the start took our route to over 30 miles.)
An extra layer just to start with today, and the chance of a shower too, but we peeled off our extra layer before we climbed over Farley Hill. I had planned to drop down Sandpit Lane, but with the rain yesterday afternoon, thought it could be messy, so just for a changed we dropped down the main road, called Bunglers Hill. to join our usual ride on Church Road into Swallowfield.
My first photo today was very sad. A pile of mostly garden rubbish dumped on the quiet Charlton Lane. 😡😡😡
 |
| Charlton Lane. We could pass but cars would not be able to. So thoughtless. |
Across into Barge Lane, and we opted for the second left, still called Barge Lane, to soon do the dash across the A33 ( ON FOOT), to rejoin into an extension of Barge Lane on the opposite side of the A33.
 |
| New Road Junction, where we now turn left onto Green Lane. |
 |
| Stopping to allow a car past, and for the youngster to catch up. 😂 |
A nice long downhill followed into Bottle Lane. The lane seemed like it had very recently had some rain. But we saw none at this point.
 |
| View near the top of Bottle Lane. Nice puffy clouds with no signs of dark ones. |
 |
| Lynne and Martina pass on Bottle Lane. Gill just ahead. |
We met a VERY large tractor, who had been hedge trimming, including along our next left turn of Vicarage Lane, and where the pretty POND usually is..... it's gone!
 |
| Pond has disappeared! Presumably they have taken the liner out? |
 |
| Within 5 mins, we arrive at Hortus Loci and dark clouds are gathering now. |
 |
| Acers changing into their Autumn shades at the garden centre. |
 |
| Martina, Gill, Lynne and me.Look No cakes! 😉😂 (My new very comfortable Stolen Goat top on today.) |
Just moments after this photo was taken 3 very tasty slices of Swedish Apple Cake appeared. Some of us shared, whilst others didn't.😏
It was now around 12, and we had quite a few miles to go. Sometimes when someone says they need to be back for a certain time, it's not crucial, but today Martina was to expect a phone call at exactly 1pm....right lets go!
We retraced our route back along Vicarage Lane, then to Mattingley to climb the hill to Hazeley, at the Mutton. And of course one more hill up Plough Lane to Bramshill. My original plan had been to go to Ford Lane and through the track to the ford, but it was quicker and cleaner now to just use the main Bramshill Forest Track. As we reached the end, the rain just started to come on so once we crossed Eversley Ford bridge, we pulled over to put jackets on. At which point John and Dave appeared behind us. (They had been to SOL, and come via the Bramshill Road, not the track).
By the time we got to Nashgrove Lane, feeling too hot, jackets off again, and Martina and John continued without us, to save a precious couple of minutes. I arrived home at EXACTLY 1pm, so guess Martina made it too.
It poured with rain about an hour later.
We are still not the full compliment next week, with Gill and Jeanette away this time, but hopefully the rest of us can meet up. I'm away again the following week.
