Monday, and just John and I today. I suggested a ride from Silchester, and John planned the route, a slight variation of what we have done before. I usually take my ebike to Hannington! But today is not ebike day.😕
route link screenshot at end
I took my drone. It was very naughty and has been replaced under guarantee. It was very well behaved yesterday when I used it with the RContol to film the Chalgrove Garden, so I was feeling hopeful. But I also decided just to work with my mobile today. I added these orange bits so that I can see better where it is, but now it only just fits in my bum bag. So, my camera went into my saddle bag, which means it didn't get used as much as usual.
John took this first shot, which is Tadley Church, as we passed on Church Lane.
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| We soon dropped down to pass Baughurst church. Look at that blue sky, but it was a cool Easterly wind today. (I noticed that the archway made of old wood, is no longer at the church entrance. Guess it became unsafe?) |
A left turn after Baughurst church, and we often turn into Ham Lane, but not today. We continued on Wolverton Road, passing this pub.
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| George and Dragon, Wolverton. |
Eventually the junction with the busy A339, and we nipped onto a skinny footpath to ride a few hundred yards to where we needed to cross the road and start our climb on Rectory Road, to Hannington. (We have previously arrived directly opposite from Wolverton Common).
Straight into a hill, then a steep section of around 12% before stopping to admire the view.
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| Just after we joined Rectory Lane, and now it gets steep. |
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| Hannington tower on the right, on top of the hill on Rectory Lane. |
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| A bit more climbing, not too steep now |
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| Clearer view to the tower. (the flat area is the Balding equestrian place) |
Having climbed, and passed Plantation Farm, a long downhill follows, before we swing around to climb again towards Hannington, still called Rectory Lane.
Just before coming into Hannington, we took a right turn into Meadham Lane.
I hadnt yet used the drone, since we had been surrounded by hedges so far, and the wind had picked up too. But I used it for a camera in the sky for this shot, to include us
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| View from Meadham Lane. (I was struggling to see my phone screen since it was so bright!) |
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| Decided to try a "follow from front". It behaved itself but this particular set up doesn't show the landscape, so need to get it further ahead and lower next time. |
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| John disappeared for a minute, so I set up the drone to follow from the right side. It did well, then swung behind me to avoid a tree (a good thing) |
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| Now following me from behind, to avoid the tree which we just rode past, so now it will start to move back to the side position...... |
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| Excellent. So well behaved, finding the right hand side once more...... |
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| I think the hedge just got taller?! Next thing was I got a audible message "subject lost", so it just hovered. 😓 |
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| This impenetrable hedge now was the drones camera view, instead of me. |
I can hear it Beeping, and also the bright orange additions, meant the I could also SEE it. But not easy to GET to it. I found a bit of hedge that I forced my way through, legs getting nettle stings in the process, and retrieved it. Then I found a bigger gap just a few feet further along, which I walked straight through to get back. 😂 But an awful lot of these hedges are really, really, dense, and so , drone went back in the bag. No doubt down to user error, not having it high enough maybe?
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| Great clouds today. |
A lot of downhill followed, with some uphill thrown in for good measure, as we came to Ashe Warren, where there used to poppy fields, then a climb over the railway as we approached Overton.
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| Just beyond the railway bridge, coming into Overton. |
We decided on The Honesty Cafe. I've never been in this one, but have been to the quirky cafe just on the corner.
We climbed out of Overton, passing the "buffalo" field (none today) and at the top of a climb, took a sharp left to start heading downhill again, towards Ashe, on Burley Lane.
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| Lots of Wild Garlic on Burley Lane. |
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| John's photo |
We came back almost to the same junction where the poppyfields once were, to soon join Harrow Way, towards Oakley, but not quite reaching Oakley. We passed the farm with the horses and donkeys which we more often pass in the opposite direction. Ah , I know where I am!
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| Harrow Way |
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| Hook Lane, off Summerdown Lane. Large crops of Lavender fields |
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| Just because. |
I noticed "Ibworth Road" on my Garmin, and thought we had to now climb to Ibworth! We had been gradually climbing anyway for a while, to Upper Wooton, but now headed downhill into Wooten St Lawrence. (which we do after climbing to Ibworth from the other side sometimes. )
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| A well manicured garden in Wooten St Lawrence |
A dash across the A339, and these fields on our right were interesting with the cloud shadows.
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| John's photo. |
Finally back through Monk Sherbourne, Pamber End and Little London to Frog Lane, and up Church Lane to Silchester. Phew. Legs are weary. We are not all in training for Mt Ventoux! 😍
The "CROCODILE ROUTE"
