Monday club ride with Steve, John, Linda and me. What to do that's different? I put together this route based on parts of a ride I did a few months ago with Karen/Rose leading, starting South Ascot. On that occasion we had our teastop at Locks Ride cafe, but today we started from there, and did a variation on the route. I certainly needed to refer my Garmin through South Ascot, but otherwise, a lot of familiar lanes, just in a different order to how I might normally ride them.
Route link screenshot at end.
Linda cycled to us first for a lift, and Steve peddled from home to the start, admitting that he hadn't really planned a nice route to get there. 😂
We set off for a triangular loop to include Cricketers Lane, passing the Cricketers Pub which I frequented whilst working years ago in Bracknell. The lane had beautiful new tarmac, by far the best surface of the day. From there we headed back in the direction of the car park, but taking a right turn at a X Roads into Chavey Down Road, to soon drop into Sandy Lane. "Ah" said John, recognising where we were.
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| Sandy Lane, Chavey Down, to connect soon to cut through Ascot Racecourse. |
I got my Garmin route slightly wrong at the Racecourse, but soon found the tunnel, to get us under the grandstand, and to Ascot High Street. (only ever come in the opposite direction through the tunnel).
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| Holy Trinity Church, Sunningdale. |
Around the edges of Cowarth park now on Bedford Road, to join the A30 for about 100 yards, then into a track leading us into Cowarth Park. A pleasant change now from suburbia. A slight elevation, then a long downhill.
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| grounds of Cowarth Park. |
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| grounds of Cowarth Park. |
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| grounds of Cowarth Park. |
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| grounds of Cowarth Park. |
We left Cowarth Park, to join A329 for a short section, turning right at the Bluebell Restaurant into Blacknest Gate Road... with a lorry following from the opposite direction of the A329. TURNING LEFT, TURNING LEFT, TURNING LEFT, IT KEPT SAYING!! Even as we pulled over... it also pulled over. And relax, as we entered the traffic free Great Park.
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| photo by John as we enter the Great Park. |
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| A few trees showing Autumnal tones, as we climbed up towards Smiths Polo Lawns. |
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| Took my jacket off here at the polo lawns. Much too warm now. |
I had mapped out a left turn, too early, but it didnt matter, as we continued towards the private ground of Cumberland Lodge. The site is used and managed by the Cumberland Lodge educational foundation, which was established in 1947 with the support of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
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| passing Cumberland Lodge on a track, which skirts the edges. |
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| the other part of Cumberland Lodge. |
We soon joined the route I meant to plot.... and whizzed down passing the Royal School, and then Dukes Ride towards Watersplash Lane exit.
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| photo by John, as Linda and I head downhill to Watersplash Lane exit. |
Heading back towards Ascot Racecourse, I normally cut through here to return to wherever I started, but today, we stayed on Winkfield Road, and straight on for a while to pass the end of Forest Road on our left, adn soon left int Lovel Road, then right on North Street. ( where the Fishing Cafe is.), I remembered that Lynne and Martina had gone for a coffee stop one Friday to a posh Polo club cafe near here, which we decided to check out. (not open Mon/Tuesday) but a young man said they would be delighted to see us another time. Quite a few horses and lots of stables.
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| Royal county of Berkshrie Polo club. (according to google, they have seven polo fields!) |
Just around the corner, into Crouch Lane, to the Tally Ho Honesty cafe.
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| Definitely turning into an equestrian ride today!😎 These fields at Tally Ho are usually empty. |
Both John and Steve have been doing the Honesty Cafe Route Challenge, so had vouchers for their choice of pastry or cake.
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| John chose an Vanilla bun. Very nice. |
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| Steve had the healthy option. (ahem), of Tart with clotted cream. (I won't tell Kim, who definitely wont be reading this.😅) |
We all cycled the next few miles together back to Moss End, including on Hawthorne Lane (track), passing Fernygrove cafe. The boys then cycled home, whilst Linda and I peddled to the van at Locks Ride about 2 miles from here.
I offered to take her home and the quickest route seemed to be 8 miles via Coral Reef direction to Nine Mile ride. All good, until after I dropped her off, and joined a queue to join Finchampstead Road, and didn't move for at least 10 mins. I decided to turn around, and since Barkham Road is closed, headed to Arborfield then Sindlesham to get home! John had been home, had lunch and was heading for the shower when I got home. An hour later according to google, there was no hold up on the Finchampstead Road. 😡
Hope you all enjoyed a different type of route today. Not a regular, but made a change.
