John and I arranged to meet Daphne and Dave at Silchester church car park. (Daphne just back from her trip to Egypt.) As we drove through Beech Hill, a call from Daphne to say a funeral was due to take place at the church today so we couldn't use the car park. Instead, we drove to Wall Lane to the main car park.... which our van can't get into due to the height restriction barrier. But there is a space just this side of the barrier, which we took. As we parked up we noticed a new sign! WOT!
garmin route screenshot at end.
Downhill through Little London made a change rather climb up through it, and a dash across at Pamber End, to continue to Charter Alley. A little climb up, then downhill all the way to Baughurst church, where just before the junction, 3 horse riders pulled over for us. We turned left at this junction, and then kept right at this fork with a thatch cottage tucked behind the hedge.
Into Ham Lane, which is the lane where I never know if we are going to pass the farm first, or Snowdrop Cottage! Today it was the farm, with this pretty Pink Hawthorne in the garden opposite.
Such a pleasant lane, and Snowdrop Cottage on the right just before the end, sadly any snowdrops now past. A right turn onto Wolverton Road, and I didn't recognise this section, which was quite a cheeky climb. At the top, on the right, a road called Violet Lane. Ah ha! We have come up Violet Lane previously and dropped DOWN that climb we just came up.
A little rise up to the junction, which I recognised, and then we pulled over to catch our breath, and I removed a jacket and changed to spring gloves. Too hot now.
An easy fast downhill followed, passing the grounds of Wasing Park on our right (have come up the other direction before), and past the T junction where would normally pop out, had we approached via Aldermaston.
Church Hill becomes School Hill. You get the idea! I was struggling today, as it peaked around 14% at one point, but stayed on. Just near the top of the second steeper part, some cows in the barn, but I kept going until the road, temporarily, flattened out.
Previoulsy, we have continued to join New Road HILL, but today, we took a lane just beyond the cows called Windmill Lane.. aka Hill! 😂. And soon onto Pease HILL to finish or climb to the top. Phew. Another mile or so to Chapel Row to the Blackbird Cafe.
To Mortimer, where our official route was to ride to Nightingale Lane, but our 4 hours parking time was running out so quickest way back was to drop down and right into Pitfield Lane, all the way to climb up to Silchester.
Straight away, we changed the planned route, which was to drop down Church Lane to Ash Lane, enroute to Little London. We dropped down Bramely Road instead, and then a right turn it Ash Lane, so back on course.
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| Guinnea Fowl or "birds on a stick". 😂 |
Downhill through Little London made a change rather climb up through it, and a dash across at Pamber End, to continue to Charter Alley. A little climb up, then downhill all the way to Baughurst church, where just before the junction, 3 horse riders pulled over for us. We turned left at this junction, and then kept right at this fork with a thatch cottage tucked behind the hedge.
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| Straight on, following signs to Kingsclere. |
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| White blossom not showing up very well again the grey sky. Where is the sun? |
Into Ham Lane, which is the lane where I never know if we are going to pass the farm first, or Snowdrop Cottage! Today it was the farm, with this pretty Pink Hawthorne in the garden opposite.
And ... emerging from Violet Lane, were the same 3 horses we passed at Baughurst church. They had come a more direct route!
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| Opposite Violet Lane, Inhurst Road, which we went down. A new lane for us today to connect to Brimpton Common. |
A little rise up to the junction, which I recognised, and then we pulled over to catch our breath, and I removed a jacket and changed to spring gloves. Too hot now.
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| Where we stopped at Brimpton Common. We emerged from a junction next to the thatch cottage. |
An easy fast downhill followed, passing the grounds of Wasing Park on our right (have come up the other direction before), and past the T junction where would normally pop out, had we approached via Aldermaston.
Rather than fork right to follow the road to Woolhampton to cross the A4, as we have done a few times, we forked left taking us to Brimpton. Over the K&A Canal and over the A4 to start our climb to Midgham.
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| Midgham Church, on Church Hill in the distance, viewed from the K&A Canal area. We will climb up to pass it next. |
Church Hill becomes School Hill. You get the idea! I was struggling today, as it peaked around 14% at one point, but stayed on. Just near the top of the second steeper part, some cows in the barn, but I kept going until the road, temporarily, flattened out.
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| At the top of the 2nd stage of the climb on School Hill. John stopped to photograph the cows for me.  |
Previoulsy, we have continued to join New Road HILL, but today, we took a lane just beyond the cows called Windmill Lane.. aka Hill! 😂. And soon onto Pease HILL to finish or climb to the top. Phew. Another mile or so to Chapel Row to the Blackbird Cafe.
The cafe used to be empty on a Monday but not today. We got a seat but it was very noisy, and spoiled it today.
A little further along The Avenue (which technically was closed but everyone ignoring that), and then our usual route through Beenham and back down to cross the A4 to climb up again through Ufton Nervet.
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| Willow tree in Beenham, as we wait to the boys to catch up. |
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| Team photo in Webbs Lane, Beenham. |
To Mortimer, where our official route was to ride to Nightingale Lane, but our 4 hours parking time was running out so quickest way back was to drop down and right into Pitfield Lane, all the way to climb up to Silchester.
Literally 5 mins before the end, the sun was coming out. How annoying was that!
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| Sun breaking through as we climb back up to Silchester. |
We got back with about 5 mins to spare on our timed ticket, although the chance of anyone knowing that was remote.
Two very dirty bikes to wash from yesterday and today's rides. 4,000 feet in 2 days, and my legs are a little weary.😪. Young John was on his road bike today, whizzing past at times of course. Well done team.