I have done this ride (or a variation of it) about 5 times over the years, with hubby, but always with my ebike. I thought it was about time to try without it, so invited my regular "hill climbing" Wednesday ladies,who have come on leaps and bounds in recent years. I keep throwing some new hills at them. It's interesting how other peoples GPX devices grade a hill, even though we all have the same route. I think I had 3 official climbs today on my Garmin, and someone else had 10! We probably had 10, but not all killer hills. 😂 It was a cool start to the day so a few hills were handy to keep us warm. I think we all set off with 3 layers on.... how long till the first one came off? 😏
Starting at Crazies Hill, it was indeed Crazy today, since there was an open day at the school and hardly any parking spaces left! But we managed and set off at 9.32, and within a matter of yards our first gorgeous tree in sight.
Route link screenshot at end.
(I had my handlebar action camera again today, so a mix of those as video screeen shots and a few with my proper camera if I was stationery.)
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| leaving Crazies Hill |
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| We dropped down to Aston, where we could now see that Hambleden Valley was shrouded in mist. Nice. |
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| Heading to cross the Thames at Hambleden Lock |
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| The Thames was like a millpond today and almost no breeze. |
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| A comfort stop at the car park loo along the Hambleden Valley Road. |
Just opposite the car park here, is a road signposted Rotten Row. When I am on my ebike, that is the first climb I do. But its 17% gradient, and I thought no one would thank me for that when we had yet to warm up! We would come back DOWN that way later.
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| Continuing above Hambleden Village, with the cheeky climb to Bottom Lane. (it's not at the bottom!) |
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| Amanda O who was always at the front today, sometimes a long way ahead. But she had the route, so no problem. |
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| Lovely foliage colours as we dropped out of Bottom Lane to join the Hambleden Valley Road all the way to Fingest. |
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| The mist still in evidence along the valley road. We rode in 2 groups along this road. Well 3 groups since Amanda had her own group! 😂💨💨💨 |
Just passed Fingest Church, everyone carried on straight, apart from Rose, who fancied turning left. 😂
(we will drop down to this point later).
A gradual climb, but always UP all the way to Freith X Roads, where we regrouped. I took off a layer, and switched to fingerless gloves. More climbing now as we turned left towards Lane End. (We will return to this X Road much later).
Amanda once more opened up a gap on the way to Lane End, and then I spotted her off the bike looking at her tyre. 😖 She is tubeless and hoped that it would self seal.. which it thankfully did, since otherwise it can get very messy. (And I'm not keen to get involled!!)
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| arriving in Lane End. Amanda ahead again with group one, so her tyre must be holding up. Phew. |
A dogleg in Lane End and soon a left turn to go over the M40, (apart from Rose who fancied ignoring the left turn and going straight on.) You know that game "Follow the leader?" Sometimes not a good idea. 😉😂
A flattish mile or two to Wheeler End along Bullocks Farm Lane, (with a U not O) before a BIG view opens up looking across to West Wycombe Mausoleum.
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| Claire who is on half term this week was enjoying getting back on her bike. Bullocks Farm Lane. |
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| The view to West Wycombe, and now the BIG downhill. You have to remember to look up here as you go downhill! |
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| Jeanette on her way down, with brakes held tight. The mausoleum in sight, high up on the left. |
I've only been here before on a Sunday, which can be quite busy. I've always entered via this entrance. But I discovered today, that if you go in a few yards further back, (the Hell Fire car park), there is a bike rack, but also it's much easier to get out (not so steep!).
There were several men hanging about (?) and some sporty looking classic cars, so I asked one to take our team photo, with the pumpkin patch behind.
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| The sun came out, just at the right time, and it was definitely warm , so we sat outside. Me, Amy, Amanda O, Clare, Louise, Amamda T, Sandra, Rose and Jeanette. |
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| Cafe with a view. Perfect weather now. |
I chatted to one of the car drivers to ask what the criteria is to come to the meet up? He said no criteria with regards to age/make of car etc. It's more about mental health. A place for men who like chatting about cars to come and meet like minded men. Many a bit lost since retirement or now widowers. A great idea. Hellfire Motor Vehicle Club who meet here every Wednesday.
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| photo by Rose |
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| photo by Rose. |
The only thing to spoil the lovely ride, is that we now have to regain our height to get over a hill. But initially a beautiful few miles along our second Bottom Lane of the day... which is also not at the Bottom!
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| Bledlow Ridge to the right, but we go left here to join Bottom Lane. I think one of my favourite lanes on any ride I do. |
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| 8 of stopped to take in the view on Bottom Lane, and remove a second layer! Amanda O carried on to the end. |
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| Sandra now in a striped teeshirt. Layers discarded. |
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| Left at the end of Bottom Lane, and our first proper climb of the day, to an area called The City. (no city in site!) It's 15 % or a bit more. Amanda and Sandra up front. We all did it! Woopee. |
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| Our next proper climb. This one 18%. after a steep downhill. Short and sharp, on a pot holed lane called Bigmore Lane, Horleys Green. |
And soon we cross over the M40 and into Chequers Lane. A bit chaotic initally as a large truck was trying to reverse to turn around just as a large group of cyclists from Reading had come up the hill that we are about to go down. I was amazed to see that I knew one of the riders from my art group.
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Chequers Lane is a fantastic loooong downhill into Fingest, with views to the Turville area on our right. |
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| All together again at the bottom of Cheques Lane, in Fingest. |
So now... we need to get back to cross the Thames again at Hamblden Lock. Normally, I ride along the Hambleden Valley to this, since I would not have come up the Valley Road to start with. To avoid repeating the valley road, we need to repeat the climb to Frieth X Roads instead. But after our 17% climbs, it's a dawdle. Isn't it ladies. 😉
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| All here again. Except Amanda who has gone! 😂 |
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| Always enjoy the different open landscape here as we head towards Rockwell End to drop into Rotten Row. |
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| Beautiful fluffy clouds now to add to the scenery. |
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| Looking back to where we came from. |
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| And ahead just before our steep downhill to Rotten Row. I think just 4 of us held back for a few minutes. |
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| Amy about to disappear over the edge |
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| Wow. Never usually see this view as I slog UP this hill. The group had stopped to just take in the view. (except Amanda 😅) |
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| photo by Amanda T. |
Finally back to cross the River, and up Aston Lane back to Crazies Hill.
I think a new favourite ride for some at least. We saw it at it's absolute best today, but is also a gorgeous spring ride too. Well done to everyone for taking on the challenge today. A Super Proud leader.
Not a fast ride, but we did have several steep ascents and several slow descents thanks to the poor road conditions. Lots of forced braking today. My hubby thinks our route today looks like a kangaroo on a pogo stick 😂
