New Alresford Groupetta ride to National Trust property at Uppark.

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The Groupetta are going from strength to strength with fantastic distances covered  this past week.

Here is the leader Board:

1	Cycmon	213
2	PinkPal	202
3	Andrew	146
4	Bryce	112
5	Mark	85
	Total	758

The longest single ride was 93 miles by PinkPal.

Thursday 16th July 2015
Since I received my birthday present of membership of the National Trust Simon and I had been planning visits to the National Trust properties. Simon organised our first one, a very exciting and demanding route to Uppark and return via Bepton, near Midhurst, Stedham and Milland to Liss, Selborne and Lower Farringdon where we planned to join the HCMF's luncheon meet. 

The weather was grey and a tad chilly to start but we soon warmed up and wearing my gilet I found I was fine despite having short sleeves. For a while we rode on wet roads as there was a fine drizzle, but it was not enough to spoil the ride.

We made good time until we got to South Harting, here we encountered the "Hill of the Day" according to the sign 16%. The total climb about 350 feet over 1.2 miles, so not quite as tough as those climbs in the TdF. I had to walk for about two hundred yards. PinkPal also had problems when she stopped and could not get going again, but the other two managed to climb it. 

When we got to Uppark we discovered that we were given free coffee or tea  because we had come by bike. They also had a good selection of tasty cakes. We did not have time to visit the house, saving that pleasure for another visit.

Going back down that hill was not much more fun than riding up it as it is very rough in places and has a number of corners. However we were soon out of South Harting and heading East. (East!? Simon surely we should be going North West?). The roads here were a little familiar to me, PinkPal and I having ridden the Tour de Dibling a few years ago.

The road sides here were beautiful, with masses of wild flowers, Meadow Sweet and  Rose bay Willow herb being particularly prevalent. The other three were setting a good pace so I had no time to take any pictures!

Gridironman emerges from a leafy lane.

We headed through a lovely forest are with sandy soil growing pines and heather. We came out onto a main road which had a reasonable cycle path taking us to Stedham Village. We took a wrong turn here and had to retrace our way for about half a mile.

The next section was one of steady climbing a number of deep hilly lanes, with green sandy sides, to get to Milland & Liss.. 

We were now on the north side of another ridge and paused to remove some layers as it was now very warm and the sun was beginning to come through.

My Three Pals with a lovely downland background.

A couple more hills to climb and then a fast ride down into Liss where we decided it was time for lunch. We sat in a tiny courtyard garden surrounded by clematis, tomatoes and other plants. It was warm in the sun and just as we started to eat I had a funny five minutes, feeling hot and bothered and slightly sick. However five minutes inside and a wash in cold water and I felt fine again and was able to eat most of my lunch. I also had a large glass of cold water before we set off again.

More climbing to get out of the valley and into Selborne. Although I was slow on the hill I was able to take the lead through Selborne and down into Lower Farringdon. It was now 3 o'clock and far to late to expect anyone from the HCMF to be still at the pub, so we continued up Brightstone Lane. Of course I was the last up the hill and my pals waited for me at the top.. I suggested to them that they might like to amuse themselves by running a small sweepstake guessing how long it would be before I caught up, but Simon dismissed this idea as he said he hadn't even had time to get his camera out.

Gridironman arrives at the top of Brightstone Lane.

We were now of course almost home with mainly downhills to come and we zoomed down through Ropley Village and along the valley into Alresford. I was home just before 4 o'clock. 

A really great day out there.Thanks Simon, Sarah and Andrew for your company.

For the record here is my map and data for the day. When I compared our moving speeds I discovered that I had averaged 12.3 mph whilst the others were of course a little faster. Not bad for a fairly hilly ride.

Saturday 18th July 2015.

Simon, Mark and I decided to join the Winchester CTC intermediate  ride to Clanfield. We met at the end of my road at 8.45 on the dot and rode into Winchester to join Sheelagh and five others. Daren led us out of the City by an unusual route beside the river and past the college to get to the Cycle Path to Hockley.

We went through Twyford and up Hazeley Road  and then over the ridge to Hensting Lane. We climbed the steep hill to Owslebury which defeated me and for the second time this week I had to walk a couple of hundred yards.

On through Beybridge and Upham we went and then took a Cross Lane through a gravelly patch and past a combine harvesting oil seed rape. We went over Ashton lane and up a small hill before descending Vernon Hill and into Bishops Waltham for our coffee break. We were well looked after in the Coffee Shop and enjoyed our break.

The untarmaced road,
Jervis Court Lane to Upper Swanmore.

Afterwards three riders returned to Winchester. Then there was a discussion about the route  and we decided to vary Sheelagh's original plan as it used some unsurfaced lanes (unsuitable for road bikes, but OK for mountain bikes.) and head eastwards through Swanmore. to Soberton. 

Lots of purple and blue flowers along the roadsides, as well as my favourite, rosebay willow herb, knapweed, marjoram and mallow were some I recognized.
There were more butterflies about, a lot of cabbage white, but also meadow brown and brimstone.

After climbing towards Old Winchester Hill we decided to turn East through the hamlet of Chidden and past the Bat & Ball pub on Broad-Halfpenny Down to Clanfield.  

Here we found Simon Davies waiting for us. He had arrived at the meeting place in Winchester after we had left and had found his own way to the pub.

We enjoyed some good reasonably priced fare and of course a lot of craic before we decided to head for home. This time following Sheelagh's Garmin route.

Gridironman resting his "after lunch legs"
Laterne Rouge John in the bistance

The initial climb after lunch caused the usual "after lunch legs" problems but then we had a super fast dash down hill to East Meon. I was in the lead and clocked nearly 35 m.p.h., others must have been going faster as they caught up with me.

I used my 50 chain ring for about 5 miles from the top of the hill all the way to Warnford, but then I was glad to drop down not once but twice to my 30 as we climbed Wheeley Down admiring two very large vivid blue fields full of Borage which is grown for its oil. 

Borage

It has culinary and medical uses.

Soon afterwards I left the group at the Milbury's to return home whilst the others carried on to Owslebury and Winchester.

Here is my map and data for the day.

Thanks, Sheelagh, for a very interesting and imaginative ride. It was good to ride some less familiar roads.

Thanks also to all who took part for their company on the ride and in the coffee and lunch stops.

Gridironman.