Lambourn - not a brilliant start

The weather forecast for Sunday 2 October was for heavy rain. I decided to postpone my planned ride to the windmill at Brill until the following day. It’s a hilly route and as the days were becoming shorter, I decided to ride to Lambourn instead - flatter and it would give me an opportunity to take some photos for the “planning” section of my website.

28% recovery, poor basis for a long ride

5.45 am: WHOOP vibrated insistently to wake me. There was no need as I had slept fitfully, concerned that I might not wake up for the alarm although there was zero chance of that happening. While I was cooking breakfast, I looked at my phone for WHOOP’s verdict: a red recovery, 28%. WHOOP states that 94% of members use it to “train smart”, exercising on days with a good or great recovery, taking it easy when their bodies are not recovered. I guess I am in the other 6% although WHOOP does acknowledge that sometimes you cannot get enough sleep when there is an early start.

Tyler, the Vegan Cyclist, glories in his red recoveries during his “Impossible Route” videos and is clear that he is “usually never prepared”, starting his first ULTRA Bike Race without his fanny pack that contained his nutrition and wallet. I’m not quite in that league. I had my drink on board and food in my tailfin trunk bag, together with an extra bidon that had only energy drink powder: I could add water later, saving weight.

Route map for West Ealing To Lambourn Retn Southall

Cross the road to continue on the cyclepath in Cow Lane

My intention was to ride a 200 km DIY, taking photos for the section from Reading to Lambourn. So, nothing to report on the ride to Reading other than a slight cross tailwind and no traffic on the bridge at Sonning. There was heavy traffic in Reading, making it somewhere between difficult and impossible for an elderly woman to cross the road from a central refuge. Stopping - and bringing traffic behind me to a stop - I got a “thank you” from her as I made my way to Caversham Bridge. Fortunately, the traffic lights were changing as I rode through, giving me a clear ride over the bridge to turn right on to the cyclepath.

Prominent water tower marks the turn to City Road

Richfield Avenue, Cow Lane, Portman Road, ascent of Norcot Road, left into School Road, right into City Road: a prominent water tower is the first landmark not to miss. Left into Pincents Lane, past IKEA and over the bridge across the motorway. It’s ugly but efficient. In the grass on the Theale side a severed Kryptonite cable provided another warning of how prevalent bike theft is.

Historic gates of Bucklebury

Through Theale, across the A340 and on via Union Row to South End Road and The Avenue with woodland both sides of the road. I stopped to take a photo of one of a pair of posts in oak, each surmounted with an acorn. “Welcome Through One of the Historic Gates of Bucklebury”.

A small shop dedicated to interior design provided a reminder of a right turn towards Stanford Dingley and Bucklebury. I’d not heard of EVERHOT, one of the brands advertised. Later that day, browsing somewhat satirical pieces in The Times online, I came across an article by Matt Rudd; concerned about energy costs, he was standing guard over the heating thermostat - and “the other target” in the kitchen which is the Everhot. “You know Everhots - they’re the electric version of those great old oil-fired Agas …” It used to cost £50 a month, up to £100 by the date he wrote the article, probably rising by the day. Matt Rudd refers to one Blackpool-based range uninstaller - a job for the times!

Reminder of right turn towards Stanford Dingley and Bucklebury

Descending over a rough surface and hoping that my teeth retained their fillings, I reached the Parish Church of St Mary at Bucklebury. Today I rode past but on previous rides I have wheeled my bike to the church door and rested for a few minutes. The churchyard is also the final resting place of Lt Col Henry Nigel Kermack of nearby Padworth who died in the last few months of the Second World War. I’ve not seen his grave, one of many under the custody of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Parish Church of St Mary, Bucklebury

The Church at Bucklebury is a prompt for my memory. The route from this point is relatively flat until it turns sharp left to ascend past Brockhurst and Marlston House School, an imposing sight. There are many cars in the car park but I’ve never actually seen any children despite the “Children Crossing” signs. All hard at work, learning, one hopes. This a bit of a climb; if my legs had memory, they’d remember this although in earlier days when I did not have so much time to ride, they would be dreading the climb to come, past the Mary Hare School for the Deaf. On an earlier ride a walker tried to assure me “You’re almost there.” Actually, it wasn’t as steep as my legs had remembered.

Climb passing Brockhurst and Marlston House School

In digressing, I’ve missed out the welcome descent into Hermitage, the new Co-op with bike stands along the B4009 and the turn signed to Curridge and the Cat Adoption Centre which sadly may see more cats as the cost of living bites.

Left onto the B4494 and shortly right through dappled woodland to a memorable stretch of road, descending sinuously to Winterbourne. I fear that my photos do not do justice to the joy that this road brings, both for its own sake and for the realisation that I am now close to Boxford with the choice of right to Lambourn or left back to Reading by a slightly easier route.

It had been a quiet day, with light traffic other than in the centre of Reading. As I dropped down into Winterbourne, slowing gently for the T junction, I said “Good morning” to an elderly woman out for a walk; I got a scowl in return. I pulled over to the side of the narrow road to allow a BMW SUV to pass but received no acknowledgement. Some drivers do, some don’t. Courtesy is free; as an occasional driver I find it hard to believe that a car driver who sees a cyclist slow and pull in and then ride away again is not aware that the cyclist is making the driver’s life a little easier.

Onward and upward, then down into Boxford. I’ve never been into the church but the Lynch Gate has a secure place in my memory bank, a place to park the bike and refuel.

Lynch Gate at Boxford Church

Refreshed, I continued and turned at The Bell, a 3* hotel advertising rooms and pizza. It’s closed, permanently according to Google; COVID has rung its bell for the last time unless someone rescues it, as has happened at the Bird-in-Hand at Sonning.

I don’t find the road to Lambourn particularly interesting except for a short stretch with views over the Downs. As I rode into Lambourn I was passed by two strong club riders in pink, a man and a woman, on a tandem: oh to be young and strong! I plodded on, reaching the midpoint of my ride in the centre of Lambourn. I had decided to try Goodies Cafe which has good reviews. Although there was nowhere to secure my bike, I ventured inside: an excellent coffee machine and some cakes but no one to serve me as all hands seemed to be on frying bacon. Not for me: I left, reflecting that I had some food left in my trunk bag and time was moving on.

If I had more time (and if I were not on a mandatory route for my Audax DIY 200), I’d be tempted to divert off the road to Boxford, left into the charming village of East Garston. Another day, another ride.

And so to Peaches Store (SPAR) at Upper Bucklebury to feast on a large bottle of water, a vegetable samosa and a blueberry muffin: not as good as my muffins but I’d eaten mine and a slice of my banana bread already.

Through Reading, over the bridge at Sonning (after which I stopped to allow the traffic to pass rather than get held up as I climbed slowly), then to Twyford where I rode to the front of the queue without visibly annoying any drivers waiting - and waiting - at the crossroads. The journey back to West London is routine and unremarkable. Another 200 km done, awaiting validation by Paul Stewart. Just four more 200s to get me to RRtY number 4.