Breeze Sunny Sunday ride to Benson - 31 miles

I knew John would be out all day, so I offered a Breeze Ride to Benson Waterfront Cafe. It's one of the few cafes that even if it's busy, still copes really well. And today was no exception.   I actually had the windscreen wipers going as I drove through Winnersh. Proper rain, for about 2 mins.

We met at 09.00am at Emmer Green and driving through Sonning was a doddle!  Kate rode from home in Caversham.  Now retired, we expect to see her on many more rides in future.  Congratulations Kate. 😊 Jill also recently retired, so she will also become a regular. 

Route link screenshot at end

We starting by dropping downhill, with a short sharp uphill heading to Kidmore End, and a quick water stop. 

Amanda O, Karen, Kate and Jill at Kidmore End Church

Across to Wyfold area and today, we kept going straight to Busgrove Lane up to Stoke Row, passing the piggies.

Oops, chain off on Busgrove Lane, but seconds later Kate
was back on her bike. 

Through Stoke Row, passing the Maharaja's Well and all gradual climbing for a few miles to Nuffield, where we eventually turned into Nuffield Hill, with a brief water stop at the Church. 

Too early for the cake, since it was to be this afternoon.
Hope the flowers done wilt in the heat!

Apart from me, no one had been down Nuffield Hill before. It's great fun and so rewarding after the gradual climbing to get here.  I stopped at a gate for a couple of photos and caught up with them at the bottom.

Views from Nuffield Hill looking towards Ipsden

And on the opposite side, looking towards Ewelme area

Our next few miles very easy to connect to Ewelme, and where just before we dropped down into the village we spotted this field of sheep. They had worn 2 tracks in the "dust", walking to the feeder.  Poor things.  They must be fed up with this weather too. 

nothing to eat so they were heading in single file to the feed.

Sheep stop near Ewelme, just above Benson. 

the timeless scene of Ewelme School Building  beyond the trees

I have photographed this house opposite Ewelme School many times,
so it was nice today to chat to the owner.  She was in the garden with her gardener,
and her  beautiful golden Labrador, which I have also photographed before.
She has lived here all of her life.  She was quite well spoken,
and her hair looked like she just came out of the hairdressers!😂
(unlike ours!),

Since most the ladies had not been to the school (oldest in the country) or the Almehouses before, a quick look inside, and I told them how to get to the church, up the staircase. They came back saying they had "met " Alyce Chaucer, Chaucer's grand daughter, in her Alabaster Tomb. (Alice de la Pole). Lots of historical fact online.

In 1437 Henry VI had granted a licence to William and Alyce to found a religious charity, God’s House in Ewelme, to include alms-houses and a school, endowed with land which they owned in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire and Hampshire. The foundation of Ewelme School is three years earlier than Eton College, founded by Henry VI in 1440.

Alyce lived for another 25 years after William’s death, and the brass inscription on her tomb says in Latin, ‘Pray for the soul of the most serene Princess Alyce Duchess of Suffolk, Patron of this church, and the main founder of this charity, who died on the 20th day of May 1475’.

May 2025 will be the 550th anniversary of Alyce’s death.  Her charity the Ewelme Trust  still exists, and supports the almshouses and the village school, which together with the church form a unique group of medieval buildings. To celebrate Alyce’s life and times there is to be a whole weekend of events in Ewelme on 16-18 May 2025: to learn more about how to attend the celebrations, click here.

Gill and Karen coming into the walled garden of 
Ewelme School

the Lavender hedge was replanted I think 3 years ago
and it's settled in well.

through the arch to the Almsehouses 
(and the public loo!) and steps to the church

An easy few miles all gradually downhill now, following the clear waters of the chalk stream to Benson. I was surprised to see it running quite fast! I would have thought the underground water would be dry by now!  There are only 210 chalk streams in the world, of which 160 are in England. The 2.5 miles of Benson Brook is the shortest chalk stream in the Chilterns. 

It was quite busy at The Waterfront Cafe, but plenty of seats left in the shade. Also great to SEE the river for a change, since lots of rental boats were out.

Looking towards the pedestrial bridge at
Preston Crowmarsh. It was closed for 4 years,
but reopened on 1st April.

Even though the bridge has reopened
the "temporary" ferry seems to be still running. 

So nice to see the river at Benson instead of it being
blocked by moored boats. 
Amanda, Kate, Karen, Jill and me.

The only way is up, but not immediately as we passed through Preston Crowmarsh and Crowmarsh Gifford before a cheeky 11% climb to Ipsden. A few easier miles,  then another 11% to Checkendon on Bottom Lane. Well done everyone.  The rest is easy!

Crossing to Ipsden

Back though Stoke Row and then a huge downhill to Sonning Common and back to Emmer Green. Karen had arrange for her husband to collect her at 1pm.... it was 12.59. 😂

Hot as we finished at 1pm, but the temperature for most the ride was fine, since lots of shade off and on. Nice to see everyone. Thanks for joining me.