A while ago, John and I were at Honesty Cafe at Inkpen, and got chatting to Michael, who was there, with a colleague, wrapping up a promo filming for Christmas 2025. We told him we often rode to Honesty Cafes and enjoyed the rural destinations in particular. I told him about my blogs and that we are both keen photographers and that I also enjoy making short films. He asked if he might have my details, to contact me with a possible future project. We've had some discussions and met him at the Honesty cafe in Wokingham a few weeks ago to discuss a plan. We have already sent photos of us cycling through the seasons, some of which of course include Honesty Cafes at Inkpen, and Dummer Down. A marketing piece is due to launch in July via their social media channels, to promote cycle routes to the cafes. More are due to open this year too.
Today was the day we were to film the journey, arriving at Tally Ho cafe Cranbourne. John also led a Wokingham CC ride to the same destination. John used my Go Pro on his handlebars, but before he and his group set off, I captured a drone shot of them all gathering at Cantley.
(BIG disappointment that my phone is knackered, and so could not use my remote control. A new phone arriving tomorrow, so all drone footage today, just done with palm launching. (Although it was once more very windy, so a high shot was a risk anyway.)😖
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Wokingham CC meeting at Cantly for a 9.15 departure.
(Bob arriving checking his watch 😂)
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My group also ready to leave at 9.30.
(All had agreed it was ok to be filmed today)
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Very nice to meet Nikki T today for the first time, although I have seen her name on many Friday rides over the years. Gill, Annie, Caroline and Louise W also joined me.
Route link screenshot at end.
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crossing The Cut on Ryehurst Lane.
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Ryehurst Lane is normally soooo quiet, but today, half of Howe Lane was closed for resurfacing, so several cars diverted to Ryehurst Lane. 😠.
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| Bottle Lane to Moss End. |
From Moss End, we turned right and today took the left fork on Wellers Lane and at the T Junction crossed over Ascot Road into the track called Snipes Lane, which connects to Hawthorne Lane.
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| Disappearing into Snipes Lane. |
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| Hawthorne Lane. |
At the end of Hawthorne Lane, there is a bend, where I had in mind a drone shot to use spotlight mode to turn and follow us as we turned the corner. Typically, first a car, then a group of 4 cyclist appeared, but eventually I got the shot I wanted... ish.
Not far now to Cranbourne, and the road surface on Winkfield Lane was amazing. Normally, there is barely any traffic on this section, but busier today, possibly because of the closure of Howe Lane. (Best laid plans. )
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| Best road surface in Berkshire! Winkfield Lane. |
I asked the ladies to let me go ahead to allow me to capture them arriving at the cafe. They pulled over until I was ready with the camera, but as they set off again, Nikki was looking down at her bike, then got off! 😖😖😖
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| The Tunisian Orange cake, had my name on it. |
The Honesty cafe paid for all our refreshments today as a thank you for helping with their promotion on cycling the cafes. After we had our drinks, Michael "interviewed" each of us with some simple questions like " Sweet or Savoury", "our preferred drink", " why do we cycle", and "what is the attraction of group cycling".
I had a blue tooth microphone with me, so we each used that on our clothing in an attempt to cut down on the wind noise. And Heathrow aircraft too!
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| Louise was first |
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Caroline next up. We did laugh at her "telephone voice" 😂
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Annie getting rid of the evidence of Chocolate cake.
😂 |
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| Her turn to wear the microphone. |
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Gill's turn
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Me next
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| And finally Nikki. |
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Time for Nikki to phone a friend,
as John and Keiran decide that her wheel bearings are shot.
(the wheel now too wobbly to ride) |
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| My microphone now doing the rounds of the WCC riders. |
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| And we're off on our return loop. |
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| Bye Nikki! Nice to meet you. |
Heading downhill on Drift Road to Fifield, we came through Paley Street, then over the M4 pedestrian bridge towards White Waltham.
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| Paley Street, Paley Street. |
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| Over the M4 to join the track. |
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| Rape crops now pretty much finished flowering. |
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The wind on the farm track was ridiculous!!
I set my drone off low for a circle shot of us amongst the crops.
Phew!! It came back.😅 |
Our final few miles, passed the Cricket pitch at White Waltham, and up to Shurlock Row along Smewins Road.
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| Giant Hogweeds at Shurlock Row Pond at enormous. |
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Heads down into the wind on Hungerford Lane.
It was really exhausting. |
Gill left us as as passed the pond in Hurst and we returned over the motorway bridges to Cantley, feeling knackered. We had only done 25 ish miles, and hardly any elevation, but the wind was a nightmare today. Tomorrow.... its all going to change and we will no doubt be complaining that it's too hot.😎
I will send the raw files to Honesty group to use what they want for a short film, and will make my own and share with Breeze over the next few days.
Thank you ladies for joining me and for your patience at being "directed" at times for the sake of art. 😉
