Our British Cycling area co coordinator Rachel, had planned for leaders from Berks, Bucks and Oxon to meet up for a summer social at an NGS Garden open for Charity, called Bledlow Manor. The house is owned by Lord and Lady Carrington. I had been many years ago but remembered nothing about it. The date wasn't ideal for me since I just came back from cycling Devon coast to coast yesterday, and am off in the morning for 4 days cycling in Somerset. But it's nice to meet up with other leaders, and ride a different area, so I agreed to go and offered a lift to Janet who qualified as a Breeze Leader yesterday!😇. Our 2 other new local leaders Gill and Caroline unfortunately were not able to join us to meet the others.
Route link
Start time was 12.30 at a car park in Great Missenden, since the garden opened at 2pm. Rachel unfortunately didn't feel 100% today, so after meeting us, she drove to the Manor to meet us again there, but also got a few photos of us enroute after climbing a hill.
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Taken by Rachel at the starting point in Gt Missenden.
Julie, Janet, Rose, Anne (me), Karen all from Berkshire Area.
Clare, Fran, Christine, Beryl and Fiona
(I think all from the more local Bucks/Oxon Area)
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Our route was a gradual climb for the first 4 miles, then a bit of a steeper section to the top of Long Downhill Road 😂. It was a lovely long downhill. Rachel was there with her camera.
Then into Princess Risborough, and through the town using a residential area, and out the other side on Pics Lane and to Saunderton. Nice quiet lanes now on this section called Oddley Lane, then a right turn onto Bledlow Ridge Road to the gardens... where Rachel once more had her camera at the ready.
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| Getting our priorites right.... tea and cake before the rush! |
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| The Sculpture Garden, had several impressive pieces. |
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| Beryl, Karen, Julie, Rosie and Christine |
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| The white Veronicastrums looking impressive amongst the tall grasses |
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| Pink Echinaceas. Looking a lot better than mine this year! |
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| Acanthus Spinosa |
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| A nice show of purple Perovskia blue spire aka Russian Sage |
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| I think this is Cardoon and not Artichoke, but are very similar |
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| Beautiful display of White and a dew blue Agapathus |
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| Dahlias also looking very happy. |
We stayed for about an hour in total and when we were ready to leave, still a long queue waiting to come in.
Our return loop started off nice and easy, joining Upper Icknield Way, then right at a junction onto Lee Road. So far, so good. But once we doglegged over Wycombe Road, and into Little Lane towards Loosley Row, a bit of slow burner of a climb for a while, but with a warning that once we turned right.... get into the lowest gear you have. It was brutal. This was the top end of Loosley Hill, which we eventually crossed at the top next to a Windmill. I was in front and telling myself I cant get off.... everyone will go past me. But I managed to stay on. Phew! Some did get off. It was tough!
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| Our back marker, Fiona, arriving at the top. |
Pretty much done with the climbing now apart from a few undulations and a downhill back to Gt Missenden.
Thanks to Rachel for organising, and such a shame you didn't ride with us. Thanks to the 4 other local leaders who were familiar with the area and took the lead in groups. Clair and Fran headed off directly from the garden, so apologies for not saying goodbye!
Karen took this final shot of us at the finish line.
