Mountain Bike Ride - Hazeley Heath, Mattingley and West Green

It snowed last night and was still  snowing for most of today. It never really froze on the ground so the roads were fairly clear and the light covering was soft and wet. I just couldn't resist going out to play in it......on the MTB!
I headed for Hazeley Heath and did a combination of on and off road routes across the Heath, down into Hazeley Lea, on to Mattingley, Hound Green, Chandler's Green and back to Mattingley, Dipley across West Green Common and home from there. Only 9 miles, but it felt like more.

Hazeley Heath

 

WWII Tank Ramp - No, I didn't ride down it!

White-out over Bramshill Forest

Mattingley Church

Church Porch

The old Oaks - West Green Common

The Route

Sub Zero Ride - Sherborne St John - Baughurst

A really cold day for any kind of ride. First outing with my friend Karen since September. Not what we enjoyed back at the end of the summer, but a sense of achievement, some pretty lanes and a warming pub stop in Charter Alley.

Beer - Extra Chilled!

Alpaca, Baughurst (warmer than us!)

The Route

Ride to Bramley (to work) on a very cold day - 26th November 2010

To Bramley, wearing extra layers on a familiar route to Bramley through Mattingley, Rotherwick, Hartley Wespall and Sherfield. A bright and clear day but the sunshine hardly made any difference to the near zero temperatures. A heavy frost first thing meant the ride left me with cold feet on arrival!
Strangely, though colder, the journey back at dusk bothered me less.
We are now firmly in the grip of Winter, yet there are still Autumn colours in the lanes.

Dipley Chill - near Dipley Mill

Hartley Wespall

Hartley Wespall

Autumn Oaks - Bramley

The Route

Ride to work in Silchester and back 24th November

Cold......and getting colder. The ride out in the morning was a test on the ears. Not usually too bothered about them getting cold but this morning I resorted to a runner's headband for the first time in many months and was glad of it.
Clear and bright after a heavy frost but the sun made little impression on the air temperature all day! Still, a nice ride via Stratfield Saye and a treat on the return: at least four huge Red Kites hovering overhead near Bramley.

Frosty fields - near Stratfield Turgis 

Sloes, still in abundance near Silchester

Wall of Calleva - Silchester's Roman Town

St Mary the Virgin - Silchester

Late Autumn landscape - Silchester 

Red Kite over Bramley 

Autumn & Winter

Blue Silver

Dusk - Stratfield Saye


The Route

Ride to work at Burnham Copse via Stratfield Saye & Silchester

Temperatures are set to take a dive this week with the possibility of snow by the end of the week. Monday was cold but not bitingly so. This ride to work was along a now familiar and often frequented route: out to Mattingley then on to Rotherwick, Sherfield, Bramley, Silchester (passing the Roman wall) and through Pamber Heath and Tadley. The return brought me back the same way but after Sherfield, up to Turgis Green then back to Mattingley.

Footpath on the edge of Black Wood - Rotherwick

Rotherwick Parish Church

Duck's Des Res - The Street, Rotherwick

Autumn gold - near Bramley

Roman Walled town of Cavella - Silchester

St Mary the Virgin - Silchester

The Route

Route

Ride to work in Bramley and back via Stratfield Saye

Going to work on a route like this is a real pleasure even in November. Fortunately the day was calm and clear and not too cold. The Stratfield Saye area is flat terrain and the lanes are narrow and quiet. There are some beautiful farmhouses and cottages in this area and the open fields attract many birds of prey which hover in search of mice.

Time Check Cottage - near Turgis Green

Old School House - Stratfield Saye

Fair Oak Lane, near Bramley

Late fruit - Yellow Gages?

Foggy Dew

Red Kite over Bramley

Dusk over Stratfield Saye - I'm thinking Caspar David Friedrich

'Fatuous Sunbeams' toiling at the Leather Bottle in Mattingley

The Route

Ride to work in Hatch Warren - the long way! 18th November 2010

Ride to work in Hatch Warren from Phoenix Green via Odiham, Greywell and Cliddesdan - a round trip of 32 miles. This makes 93 miles since Monday so I can see a gentle, restful weekend coming up especially as I am planning to ride to Bramley tomorrow.

Picture Postcard Greywell

St. Stephen's - Up Nateley

Dusk over Hatch Warren

Dusk - Cliddesdan

Moon over Tunworth

Dusk - Tunworth

Twilight - Greywell

Village Pond - Mapledurwell

The Route