The Chase, Wash Common to Coombe & Inkpen - 32 miles 2500 feet

I was in Bath Fri/Sat for 2 days on a wonderful painting workshop and got home last night absolutely exhausted. Partly because it is quite intense learning something new, but also I only got about 4 hours sleep. An early night last night, but still feeling tired today.  John wanted to cycle to Coombe Gibbett (the highest point in Berkshire).  Right then, better take the ebike! 😖😂

It had been very misty in Bath all weekend, with a similar forecast today, so and I suggested it wasn't the best weather for Coombe today, but it is atmospheric of course in the mist. But even better if the sun breaks through.... which is didn't.  Thermals back on today. Was hoping I had seen the last of them last week. 

Garmin route screenshot at end

We used a route we had done before, but some parts we had forgotten about, since we had only done them once or twice.   All very familiar as we left The Chase car park, and began our climb up Woolten Hill, which eventually reaches Ashmansworth, after a long steep climb. 

The last flat section, before the hill starts to Ashmansworth.
No hill in sight!

At the top, coming into Ashmanswoth. 

There are a choice of downhills from Ashmansworth, and sometimes we carry on straight if heading to St Marybourne, but today we were heading to Faccombe. This is a steep climb from any direction, but first a big downhill, and I was taken with this group of trees in the mist, so stopped on the way down. (looks likes one tree, but it has three trunks).

Handy dip in the hedge. 

A slog up to Faccombe of around 12% gradient, and a field of sheep on our left as it flattened out. 

There is a herd of White Deer in Faccombe, but not visible today ..... or were they there, but just blending in with the mist?😄

The Jack Russell Pub, Faccombe, where we now dropped down steeply to Netherton. 

Nice quiet road all the way from Netherton area to Coombe.

Fantastic views at the top!!!!

A steep downhill next, and just before the right fork up to Inkpen, a house I have photographed a few times had about a dozen if not more tents in it's long front lawn. Weird. 

We sat inside the Honesty cafe, next this old
pub sign for the Crown and Garter.

We left the cafe heading now in the direction of the church, and with one little rise to a X Roads where we were to turn right, I changed gear and my chain got stuck. I nearly came off!  It was well and truly jammed and took a few minutes to get untangled. John got his yellow gloves covered in oil. 

The right turn at the X Roads dropped us down to then dogleg over into Craven Road. Pretty sure we passed an impressive property with gates called Craven House. Didn't remember too much about the next few miles, which we have done before, and lead to Cold Harbour, then over the cattle grid into the tree lined avenue of Hungerford Park.

I spotted a sign "Canoe Event", and as we crossed the K&A canal, canoeists were having to lift their canoes out of water, to get around the lock and back into the Canal on the other side of the bridge.

Off they go. We saw later in Kintbury, and they were 
continuing to Newbury.

We crossed the A4 into Dark Lane, and up hill to Denford, then left on Denford Lane to soon cross over the A338 into Gypsy Lane. Straight over again into Leverton Lane, and just when I thought I had no idea where I was, we came to brick house on a right corner, (Old Hayward Lane), which is opposite the Peppercorn Thatch houses. Ahhh! We are near Chilton Foliat. The  right turn passes the ridiculously wonky windows set into the brick house,  which could be one of my paintings where the perspective went wrong😄.

A gradual uphill, and a loop around back to the other end of Denford Lane, along this lovely valley road called Radley Bottom. 

Radley Bottom valley road. 

Another loop around, passing through Clapton, where I think I took this next shot of a Peach coloured house .... as a reference point for the next time. 

Back across the A4 onto Station Road into Kintbury, where we spotted the canoes once more, and a climb up the hill to join the a familiar route on Irish Hill Road. We sometimes continue straight on through to Marsh Benham, but today took a right turn to Hamstead Marshall. 

A few more miles on Enbourne Street, passing this pretty house called Little Farm, with a Magnolia just coming into flower. 

Little Farm near Enbourne Row. 

We approached Enbourne passing the horrible yellow coloured house on a 90 degree bend, where there also a yellow van parked today. Awful colour! 

Back to the start just before 2 oclock. Never felt cold, but also never too hot, since the mist was still hanging around all morning.