Sun, The Sands & Scenery in Surrey - 22nd September 2011

Crondall - Farnham - The Sands - Shackleford - Elstead - Frensham - Dippenhall & back - 42 Miles

Perfect morning for a ride out to the western end of the North Downs.  

The Sands, set in forests south of the Hog's Back, is Surrey's own Beverly Hills. I'd never seen so many palatial mansions with high security gates! The local through road is beautifully manicured like somone's private drive and the local golf course looks a tad exclusive!

The Sands - Typical abode

From these rather posh surroundings, there was a long descent over a distance of about two miles into Shackleford.

Shackleford

Last time I was here, about eighteen months ago, I was doing a ride from Puttenham and stopped at a good pub called The Cyder House Inn. No stop this time as time was short. Continued south to Peper Harrow and then west to Elstead.

Peper Harrow Park - Looking south

Crossing the Wey near Elstead

I followed the long straight Thursley Road past Elstead Moat and down to Jumps Road, running past the Devil's Jumps south of Frensham Little Pond and into Churt. Lovely mix of smells here......Pine and wood smoke.

Running short of time for the return ride, I decided to include a section of the A287 which runs north along Frensham Great Pond and towards Farnham.

Frensham Great Pond

Dockenfield

 Cutting back east across quiet lanes I rode up to Blacknest and the Alice Holt Research Station before crossing the A31 and hammering it back towards Crondall.
 

Route

 

White Hill climb........and white knuckle ride down

Rotherwick - Bramley - Sherfield - Pamber End - Charter Alley - Ramsdell - Wolverton Townsend - Kingsclere - Hannington - Ibworth - Monk Sherborne - Ramsdell - Bramley and back

45.34 Miles
2.47.56 Time 
16.2mph Av Speed

Did White Hill, just south of Kingsclere, last Autumn on a cold bright day. This time, following a cold start it got really warm out there.

Cut across country and through some lovely villages.

Church at Ramsdell

Coming into Kingsclere

Church at Kingsclere

After a bit of refuelling during a 10 minute stop here, I set off down the street and soon saw White Hill looming ahead. Looks a bit daunting from this angle!

White Hill on the skyline ahead.

It's a steep climb but worth the views at the top.

View looking North from White Hill

View looking West

 
Got 35 coming down the more gradual descent on the south side.

Descent southwards

Joined a section of the the A339 at Ibworth down to Monk Sherborne to save time but it wasn't too busy. After about a mile I was back on quieter lanes with good views heading back towards Bramley at a decent pace.

Monk Sherborne

....and nearer home, time for a little reward in Rotherwick!

 

 

Rode back the last few miles chatting with a lady who had been out on a Mountain Bike for about two hours. Ahh, the camaraderie cycling offers us!

The Route

Over the Hills.............Alresford and back - 7th September 2011

Circular to Alresford - via Crondall, Froyle, Farringdon, Ropley, Preston Candover, Axford, Herriard, Upton Grey, Odiham & Winchfield  

54.15 miles
Time 3:25
15.9mph Av pace
 

Over the hills.....and there were plenty of 'em! Lovely ride . Had this pretty much mapped out in my mind, as I had done bits of it before but never as one whole route. Really breezy up there on the hills - into a head wind for pretty much all of the first 25 miles down to Alresford. Helped on the way back though!

Upper Froyle

Wyck - Looking East

Hedge Art - Farringdon

Road through Beech Woods - South of Ropley

Ropley Church

Stopped here to take a pic and didn't get the left cleat out of the pedal..........almost in slow motion I tipped over onto my hand and was rather embarrassed to have to ask a lady to pull me up and hold onto the bike while I released my foot!! Doh, It's gonna happen sometimes!

Coming into Alresford

Church at Old Alresford

Preston Candover

With lots of flats and downhills and an assisting wind. the return was pretty quick.

Phoenix Rising........Ride 3rd September

Phoenix Green - Mattingley - Rotherwick - Newnham - Old Basing - Tunwoth - Upton Grey - Long Sutton - Odiham - Winchfield    26.96 miles 
Time  01:36  
16.8mph pace

Starting from Phoenix Green - a circular ride that takes you gradually up onto hills east of Basingstoke at Tunworth and Upton Grey and swinging north east back up to Odiham around the perimeter of the Airfield Joining Long Lane, the road from Well to Odiham, provides an ideal section for some good speeds. 

Route

Indian Summer ride - 2nd September 2011



Winchfield - Odiham - Greywell - Upton Grey - Weston Patrick - Herriard - Southrope - Golden Pot - Froyle - Long Sutton - Well - Crondall - Crookham - Fleet - Elvetham Heath - Winchfield & home  

35.45 miles  Time 02:12  
16.2mph pace

Return to rural rides in Hampshire this week. The first two days of September have been hot and sunny. We could do with a few more like this before Autumn proper sets in.

Yellow-remembered hills - Greywell

I took a circular route that I hadn't done before though I had ridden parts of it on other journeys. In early Summer 2010 I cycled the road from Upton Grey to Herriard not realising there would be a long hard climb. This hill is still a tough one -ouch!

Upton Grey - Village Pond

Having got that one out of the way, I took some unfamiliar country lanes to Southrope, with it's Pub 'The Fur and Feathers' (great Sign art work!)

Southrope's Pub. Enlarge by clicking on pic to see the look on the Fox's face!

Lovely thatched Des Res here in Back Lane which took me down to The Avenue, the link road between the A339 and the Odiham - Alton Road.

The Avenue takes you along the Northern perimeter of Lasham Airfield, with it's rows of 'parked' Gliders.

Across the main road and up to Froyle from Golden Pot. This is a familiar part of the route for me now. After a bit of a climb there is a mile-long downhill to Lower Froyle with some nice views looking north-west.

From here it's pretty easy going through Long Sutton, up to Well and the fast winding downhill route into Crondall. Cycled the last few miles home on flat roads around Fleet & Elvetham Heath.   

A beautiful day for a bike ride!

Route