HCMF Meet at The Angel near Privett. & Winchester CTC Intermediate ride to West Tytherley.

Thursday 17th April 2014 
Seven o'clock, I drew back the curtains and saw it was a lovely sunny day so jumped out of bed and got on to the Garmin Connect web site to plan a good alternative route to the HCMF meet at the Angel Privett which is only about 8 miles from home. Then I emailed Simon so he could upload the course to his Garmin.

I didn't shy away from some of the nice little hills which can be included in such a ride.

I joined Simon at his home just after 10 and we headed our favourite way south across the footbridge by the ford, Tichborne and Cheriton to climb through Kilmeston and up Rooksgrove lane. A slight hiccup with reading Simon's Garmin unit lead us to take a very small detour before heading down Wheeley Down at very high speed, would be even faster but for that little kink half way down!

We were soon through Warnford and climbing the Harden lane up Old Winchester Hill. We stopped halfway up to take a few pictures of this beech tree and the glorious panorama.

Beech Tree on the slopes of Old Winchester Hill.

Panoramic view of the Meon Valley from Old Winchester Hill. 

We had made such good time that we decided to continue along the ridge to the Sustainability Centre Cafe for a fix of caffeine. Just before we got there I tried to take a picture of a very new black lamb but before I could get my camera ready I was given the cold shoulder!

Cold Shoulder of Lamb!

We sat outside the cafe in the sunshine enjoying the chatter of a number of children along with their families nearby. Soon we were on our way again, down another fast hill into East Meon. 

Here Simon discovered another of my Surprise Nice Little Hills over the ridge to join the A272.

Of course there was yet another hill to the village of Privett. Near the top I stopped to take this shot of the church apparently rising out of the Oil Seed Rape. ( Really I was looking for an excuse as to why I was so far behind Simon!)

Privett Church 

Now we were only a mile or so from the pub and we were soon there to find fellow cyclists scattered all around both inside and out. As expected there were many from North Hants and only a few from the South. 

We indulged in a platter of excellent food from the carvery along with a pint of the pub's own very good ale. We seemed to find plenty to chat about too.

When it was time to take our leave of the remaining few we decided not to take the direct and shortest route home but to find an alternative.

We headed North along a lane I'd not been on many times before to Monkwood and then to Lyeway and Ropley.

Our final test of the day was White Hill not really a tough hill but still a tester at the end of a ride.

The Latest Cash Crop on White Hill near Alresford.

 Saturday 19th April Winchester CTC Intermediate ride to West Tytherley.

I had originally decided not to join this ride as I was worried I might not be able to keep up, but Graham the leader for the day persuaded me that I'd be fine, so I drove to Kings Worthy where I left my car at my daughter's house. Rode to the start where I arrived just in time for the start.

As well as Graham also in the group were Karen, Jenny, Ken, Simon, John and new to me Colin.
It was good to see folk I'd not previously met this year and to make a new friend.

Colin asked me if my bike was new. I told him it was about 2.5 years old. I must have made a good job of cleaning it yesterday! Simon Turner would have been proud of me. I noticed  that it did seem easier to ride and  that it freewheeled better than most of the other bikes on the ride.

The first leg of the ride was via a familiar route out of the city via Three Maids' Hill and Crawley.  Next Graham led us over the hill to Leckford and across the Test to Longstock. I noticed that the little shelter on the ancient eel trap is being rebuilt.

We climbed up to the Old Stockbridge Road which links Stockbridge to Middle Wallop. We sped along this and were soon at our coffee stop at the Army Flying Museum. Another nice surprise here, Caroline and Ian were already there enjoying their coffee and cookies. I was surprised as Ian had undergone surgery earlier in the week. Well done Ian on your speedy recovery; no doubt due to your fitness and determination. We left Ian and Caroline at the Cafe.



Graham next led us in a loop through the edge of Grateley and back to the south to Over Wallop. Here we took a right turn which to Graham's delight was onto a lane I'd never ridden before! For the next seven miles I was on unfamiliar roads. There was some broken sunshine but I was glad I was well layered up as there was a cold breeze too.

My Seven Companions taking a well earned breather near Tilshead.

We lunched at the Black Horse in W. Tytherley. Generous sized portions of excellent food for the other seven, I'd self catered as I prefer to eat little and often but I did help John out with his cheese ploughman's by disposing of his cheddar cheese and half an apple!

The Black Horse.

Outside I met another Ken. Here he is having just been ridden a couple of miles to the pub, he declined a drink. Proving the old saying. "You can take a horse to water but can't make him drink!"

Ken, The Brown Horse!

We had completed more than half our ride so the return trip was not too hard, but Graham did chose a fairly hilly route via Farley Mount which near the end of a ride was a little tough.

Before we got there we enjoyed more of the fine views which had been a feature of the day, though bright yellow fields of Oil Seed Rape seemed to dominate.

At the foot of the hill, Beech Tree Walk, Karen and Ken took their leave of us and headed for their homes in the South while the remaining six continued through King's Somborne where there was ample evidence of the recent floods. I was struggling a little to keep up here as I was getting tired but the others kindly waited for me a couple of times. Near Ashley we spotted a group of about 15 deer laying down in the middle of a cultivated field. Most unusual!

Deer near Ashley.
(Apologies for the quality of the picture, they were some way away!) 

Once to the top of the The Mount I urged the others to carry on while I paused for a breather. John waited with me. As we rode the undulations along the Old Sarum Road  we kept seeing the others tantilisingly near up ahead, but every time we seemed to gain on them they spurted ahead once more.

John turned off down Kilham Lane and I continued my pursuit eventually catching Colin at the junction with Chilbolton Avenue and passing Jenny and Simon soon afterwards! Jenny and I rode the last couple of miles to King's Worthy together.

Thanks Graham for an outstanding day. I was so pleased you persuaded me to join you. thanks too to the others who made it such an enjoyable ride.

The usual map and data :-

For an interactive map go to :

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/482891057

Gridironman.