My first proper ride for 3 weeks since my eye surgery, and so nice to out again with the Breeze ladies. And no glasses! I was a bit shocked to be scraping ice from the windscreen this morning. Eek! But that was at 9am, and it was due to get above freezing any minute. Not exactly warm though!😨
Route link screenshot at end.
Since it's December, I offered a ride to Christmas Common, but with our coffee stop a little further on in Nettlebed. Starting at The Horns at Crazies Hill, nice to see the pub ready for reopening, as a community pub, after being closed for a couple of years.
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| Zero degrees and blue sky as we set off...... but across the road....... |
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| Freezing fog opposite the pub as we set off ! |
As I was about to take the shot above, my camera battery completely died, so the rest today are phone photos. Better than nothing. 😔
The temperature soon shot up to 1 degrees as dropped down to The Thames at Aston.
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| As I looked in my mirror, I spotted the ladies with the mist behind them, so captured this before we rode downhill to cross the river. . |
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| A man with a proper camera was standing at this spot, so of course asked him to take a group shot on my phone. Janet, me, Kim, Amanda T, Louise and Gill |
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| Very atmospheric by the Thames. |
We were all pretty cold having hardly peddled yet, and after a quick nature stop at the public loos, got some speed going through Hambleden village. Our short cheeky little climb warmed us up nicely and we continued along the valley road. I did stop for one photo, but told them all to keep going, so caught them up coming into Skirmett, and I was nice and warm now.
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| View of the Hambleden Valley.... it's out there somewhere! |
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| Still not improving. |
Just before reaching Turville, a proper climb ahead up Dolesden Lane, and I opted to remove my rain jacket and snood knowing what was coming. (First outing for snood since last spring.).
It's a long climb, but not steep until almost at the top. I was pleased with how I felt having not been out on my bike for 3 weeks. Louise shot ahead of everyone, and the rest of us plodded up to the top. Well almost the top. There is a bend near the top, and always nice to stop to look back before you loose the view. It was a shame I didn't get up to the top just a minute sooner, since the mist was burning off behind us. I just managed to capture the last wispy bits down over the bottom fields, and then it was gone.
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| Kim and Amanda with the mist behind us now. |
All flat now to Turville Heath, where we turned right along the tree lined avenue and continued with a little more gentle climbing into Northend.
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| A calf at North End on the village green. |
An easy couple of miles to Christmas Common now , where we parked up and spent 10 mins or so in the Barn. We were all given a little cup of warm spiced apple juice. A nice touch.
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| A gentleman took this for us. Shame he chopped of the fairy on the tree😂 |
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| lol. Our legs looking amazing! |
An easy ride now, but on main roads into Nettlebed. We had a natural split in to two groups, so no problem for cars to pass. Not busy really.
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| We are at the top. All downhill now. |
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| Our coffee stop entrance is at the back of this old school building. McQueens Deli and bakery. |
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| A nice welcome on the door. |
Extremely welcoming staff who set up a table for 6 for us.
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| And some more decorations, but a bit more unusual |
2 ladies opted for Fritatta. It was delicious they said, but it was served cold. (ask for hot next time!) Home made curried soup also available and other savoury lunches. Most of us opted for Almond Croissants. A hit, and I'm sure we will return another time. (Closed Sunday and Monday). A useful winter stop, near The Cheese Shed, but of course its outdoors so more of a summer stop.
Continuing for several more easy miles now passing through Highmoor to Shepherds Green. Just near Greys Court, my Garmin was suggesting a left turn to Gravel Hill, but I was convinced we were going though Rotherfield Greys, which was a right turn. So I ignored it. ( I have checked my planned route, and Garmin was right. lol. 😂) I planned this a week ago, and forgot which way I had routed. Anyway, we came back dropping down into Henley at the College, a then into the town. Garmin was suggested we should head back up hill to get back to the planned route..... erm NO!
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| Dropping back to Henley through a quiet residential area we spotted these 6 cyclists, with an unusal tyre size. 😎 |
Back along Remenham Lane, and at The Flower Pot, retraced our route back to Crazies Hill.
What a beautiful day to be out. We finished in 7 degrees but it took a long time to warm up, but we were so lucky to enjoy the beautiufl mist in the early part of our ride. Well done ladies. Thanks for braving the cold. and getting up Dolesden Lane.
