Monday club minus Linda today, who was attending a painting class, except that it was cancelled at the last minute due to illness. What a shame, since a glorious day for cycling today. A constant 11 degrees pretty much from breakfast time, with just an annoying head wind at times to cool it down. But back into "Autumnal" clothes rather than winter gear today.
Route link screenshot at end
I planned the route today, knowing that we would stay local, and some of us wanted to back in a reasonable time with mid afternoon plans. We met at Bob's Fish and Chips, and headed to Church Lane to climb up to Finchampstead Church. I was surprised to see Daphne and John pulled over at the pub. They were discussing Daphne's Garmin, since she had not started the route when she left home. (turned out she never did press go to record the course, even though she was following it. 😖)
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| Beautiful light on The Queen's Oak at 9.30am |
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| Finchampstead church where a week ago, I filmed with my drone. |
Just to shake things up a bit today, we rode down Fleet Hill into Eversley, and only a handful of cars passed us. I've decided I quite like this road, since its pretty much all downhill. 😂
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| I stopped for this little scene along Bramshill Road |
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| And the road ahead to join the B3011 |
Laundry Lane was not as bad as it sometimes can be at this time of year, and at the bottom we dog legged over into the empty, and pretty, Bar Lane, to connect to Bottle Lane.
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| One of many nose blow stops today. This is where Bar Lane meets Bottle Lane, and we turned right. |
Following Bottle Lane around as far at the left turn into Turgis Green Lane (always a messy lane), we stopped at the Hartley Wespall Church, where there was a distinct "country smell" in the air.
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| The cowshed next to the church. |
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| The first signs of blossom were just breaking through on the trees. I suspect "Prunus Autumnalis", a winter flowering Cherry. Would be nice to see them in full flower in the coming weeks. |
We used the new, and much improved, path alongside the A33 to connect to SOL. John and Dave stopped to see the damaged wall of the cafe, which a drunk driver hit several weeks ago now, and meant the cafe had to close, since it is unsafe.
Into Mill Lane and to the Fair Oak X Roads , where "most of us" took the HARD left Folly Lane, then Olivers Lane into Bramley, avoiding the railway crossing. The road to the Barn was closed to traffic, but we were thankfully able to pass on the pavement.
We got the last free table at The Barn, since a bit cool for outside today.
Our return route was a few figure of 8s, starting with crossing the Railway, with a long wait for the barriers to lift. (never fails!), then riding on Bramley Road and Stratfield Saye Road, to rejoin Mill Lane. Daphne got second wind, as often happens, and she and I left the boys in the distance. 💨. My legs a little weary after yesterdays 2400 feet of climbing.
We rode along Great Dover Street, then crossed the A33 at Strafield Turgis, to start our next figure of 8 to rejoin Bottle Lane. At one point, the road surface was soooooo bumpy that my chain came off! I wondered why I was getting nowhere.😂
To Mattingley Church, past The Mutton, and up Plough Lane. We decided since our bikes were already filthy to cross Bramshill on the Forest tracks, using the "high road", who's surface wasn't too bad. (This was my route plan anyway.) Finally, over the Ford and back to Nine Mile Ride.
Nice to see everyone. We have been really lucky with the weather recently, and a shame that Linda missed being out with us today in the sunshine.
John and I off now to Wisley Glow, trying to feel more like Christmas which is approaching fast!
