Margaret, Lawrie, Brian, Stuart, Paul, and myself left Uxbridge on the medium ride to Holyport. We left down Vine Street, across Rockingham Recreation, up Chandlers Hill to Iver Heath, and on to the side entrance to Black Park. Traversing the park to the main entrance we found some of the route a little wet and muddy.
Turning onto Rowley Lane we pedalled on towards our refreshment stop, Coffee, Eats, and Treats at Farnham Common, along Hollybush Hill, Driffield Lane, and Templewood Lane. On arriving at our destination we were joined by Angela who had ridden directly from Gerrards Cross. During our break we chatted to a nonagenarian gentleman who had apparently own the premises. Lawrie Bought him an iced bun with a candle as he was celebrating his sixty something wedding anniversary.
Leaving the café Paul headed home and we made our way to and across Burnham Beeches on Lord Mayors Drive to Pumpkin Hill and on to Green Lane. We skirted urban Burnham and turned up Hitcham Lane though Hitcham Park towards Taplow. Hitcham Park has a large house built in 1868 and now converted into flats. Hitcham Church of St Mary C12, apparently the Chancel windows have some original stained glass.
Once through Taplow it was a fast descent of Berry Hill to the A4 where threaded our way through roadworks, over Maidenhead Bridge an to Oldfield Road by way of Guards Club Road. Continued on to Bray along Green Lane, a traffic free route through Braywick Park. Turning right onto Bray High Street the route took us past Jesus Hospital, grade 1 listed almshouses and chapel were founded by William Goddard in 1609.
On reaching the Windsor Road we turned under the M4 and right onto Holyport Road into Holyport where we turned onto Moneyrow Green and on to The White Hart our chosen lunch stop where we found a table set for us. This was the second visit to this pub and the beer, food and service were very good.
Leaving the warmth of the pub we cycled along Forest Green Road and skirted Fifield using Green Lane ( the third today ) and Coningsby Lane. Crossing the Windsor Road Monkey Island Lane was followed to the path leading the the bridge over a very high River Thames. Once over the river we followed NCR4 around Dorney Lake. We travelled the length of the lake on the tarmac road, the foot and cycle path are closed off.
Towards the end of the lake as we turned to rejoin NCR4 we had to cycle carefully through a great number of Eton l lads on a cross country run. We encountered runners in two separate groups all the way as we continued along the river into Eton. We took the usual route through the college grounds, over the Jubilee River, around Upton Park and up to Langley for a tea stop at The Red Lion.
Suitably refreshed we pedalled up St Mary’s Road to Trenches Farm through which we travelled and on to Billet Lane. At Hollybush Lane Angela continued up Billet Lane and home and we continued on through Iver to Cowley where we dispersed.
Uxbridge to Uxbridge 35.5 miles.