Four us free today, with Linda still having time off the bike for the foreseeable future. Daphne offered to collect Dave, and we met them at Mattingley. Daphne and I rode from here last Monday, but a very different route today. I suggested Lasham airfield for coffee stop, and John put the route together. Hampshire humps and hollows!
Route link screenshot at end.
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| Just before the traffic lights in Hartley Wintey there are 3 new houses, with thatched rooves! |
We crossed straight over at the lights, and over the M3 towards Winchfield Green, with a right turn then left into Bagwell Lane, and a brief stop at Winchfield Church. I photographed some detailed shots here last week so the bigger picture today.
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| Great clouds today to show up this group of winter trees, on Long Lane, leaving Odiham. |
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| Now to catch them up, as we take the right turn into Woodhill Lane to Long Sutton. |
A dogleg left and right in Long Sutton for the gentle, but lengthy climb, to the back of Lord Wandsworth College.
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| Views from Lord Wandworth College back entrance. |
A steep down and up next to the "field with the horse". I think its 12% at it's worse, and I really had to dig deep today. Not as fit as pre-Christmas!
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| The field with the horse at the junction with Foyle Road. |
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| Waiting for the boys to appear over the top of the hill. |
The next few miles should have been easy, but my tyres seemed to be resisting all the way on the road surface of Froyle Road. I was glad to finally get a downhill to cross at Golden Pot. Not far now to our turn off to Shalden, to see the church. Daphne and Dave never been. Part way down the hill to Shalden, a missed call from John, but confirming that he and Dave would miss out the church detour, and see us at the airfield cafe.
It's all downhill to Shalden, and a little off putting knowing you need to climb back up, but it was fine.
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| Shalden Lane, flat to start then a long downhill which is a long uphill the other way! |
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| The lane next to the church. We saw loads of snowdrops today, which seem happy in the soil in Hampshire. |
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| Views as you enter the church path. |
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| All the trees in the churchyard are Cherry and look spectacular in April. |
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| view beyond the churchyard |
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| We spotted a few sprinklings of crocus today but the pale blue ones look a bit insipid. |
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| A windswept Daphne parking up at Lasham Gliding club. |
We heard a roar of an aircraft coming in to land, as we were parking up, and it was an Easy Jet plane! I wondered if it had done an emergency landing. But inside, the waitress said they are regularly booked in here for maintenance.
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| Orange easy jet plane after it landed and turned around. Fire engine following it along a side road. |
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| The view from inside. Too chilly to sit out, but I have done last summer and watched lots of gliders taking off. |
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| Near the bottom of our 2.5 mile downhill to Upton Grey. |
Arriving at the pond, means a climb out again, a bit of a slog up to Upton Grey Manor, and the climbing continues for a considerable way around the corner, as we head towards Tunworth. At a junction with a sharp right bend, we did turn right today onto Down Farm Lane. (Last week Daphne and I went straight across on a short sharp climb to pass Tunworth Old School. )
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| Down Farm Lane, Tunworth has lots of moss and grass down the centre. This would suggest lack of vehicles... .. until you get your camera out! Sods law. |
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| John had stopped to point our this Cockerel... .. which had crossed the road. Why?😂 |
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| Down Farm with plenty of free range fowl |
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| Carrying on straight through Mapledurwell, we joined the Greywell Road |
Then turned left to pass Millers Arc Animals. I think the Arc will have been put to good use this month! The climb I never enjoy now, under the railway bridge and up to Newnam X Roads. Finally, past Tylney Hall and through Rotherwick back to Mattingley. Some pink blossom out on a tree at Rotherwick church. First blossom I've seen. Seemed to have deleted the photo.
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| Back to the start at Mattingley. |
A lovely route, with snowdrops everywhere. As we finished, I started sneezing and have sneezed lots since I got home. Feeling congested and hoping it's heyfever from the Catkins, and not a cold!
Daphne got several "personal records" today on the route, which is weird since our overall speed was not all fast! But we did climb 1,800feet, and loads of potholes everywhere to slow us down further.
