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| First some general notes. The figures in brackets are approx. mileage from the Woodley Aviation Museum (click on link for directions on how to get to the the museum) to key turnings or landmarks so that you can gauge distances before you start looking for the next turning. The notes for the main ride are written in similar fashion. Some of the narrow country lanes need care. Please beware of debris, mud or holes, especially if you are riding in a group and cannot see clearly ahead. When riding on any major routes, please be sympathetic to other road users and obey the Highway Code. Leave the Museum Car Park turning right and then right again into Sandford Lane. Continue along this road (rough surface in places) over a couple of bridges until you come to a T-junction (1.2). Turn left onto the B3030 (heading towards Henley). After a couple of hundred yards the road bends sharply to the left with an alternative road (Church Hill) going straight ahead. Also at this juncture is a turning to the right. This is the one you need to follow. At the crossroads (2.4) continue straight across into Pound Lane and keep right at the fork shortly afterwards. Turn right into Broadcommon Lane (3.6). Turn left at the T-junction (4.3) towards Hurst and the first right (4.7) onto the B3018 (called the straight mile) and watch out for potholes that may still be there after the winter punishment. Stay on this road over the M4 heading towards Binfield then Ascot. At the T-junction (8.6) turn left, by the Stag & Hounds pub, heading towards Ascot and follow this road up Cabbage Hill. Turn right at the T-junction onto the A3095 (9.8) still heading for Ascot. Keep going staight on as the road becomes the B3034 (10.1) and bear left onto the B3022 (10.7) now heading for Windsor. After a short distance, turn right into Hayley Green again heading for Ascot. At the end of this road turn left and continue across the cross-roads (11.8) into Forest Road (B3034). At the T-junction (13.3) turn right into Winkfield Road (A330) and then right (13.9) at the first roundabout and then left at the second roundabout (14.0) back into Winkfield Road (If you've gone the right way, Ascot Race Course should now be on your right). Turn left at the next T-junction (14.8) towards Virginia Waters on the A329 (don't worry, you're going somewhere much nicer than Virginia Waters -:) ). Continue straight over the roundabout and pass the old Little Chef (now closed down). A little further on you will notice some grand gates on your right, this is the Tittenhurst Estate, that used to belong to John Lennon and where the Imagine video was shot as well as other Beatles clips. Shortly after these, turn left at the Ascot Oriental Restaurant (16.9) and turn off right towards the white gates which are the entrance into Windsor Great Park (17.0). If the main gates are shut, cycle up to within 1 meter of them and they should open automatically. If they do not, you will need to use the side gate. Depending on when this ride is undertaken, the flora display can be quite outstanding. While April / May are, in the authors opinion, the best months, June / July have a great deal to offer (Rhododendrons (including azaleas); styrax; stewartias; rose species; Kalmia latifolia; magnolias, Cornus kousa; Heather Garden; hydrangeas; cistus; potentillas being the most obvious displays) while offering the potential for better weather. Having entered the great park, you need to head (passing the Guards Polo Club and continue through gates at Cumberland Lodge and up to a crossroads (Bishops Gate). Turn right here and head out of the park through a set of gates (19.8) with a very attractive pub set down on the right with a beer garden for the thirsty ones among you. Remember, the distance from gate to gate is 2.8 miles, so if you decide to look around, you will need to make your own corrective calculations from here on. Continue down the drive from the gates and turn left (20.1) into Crimp Hill (Cycle sign). Bear left at the T-junction (21.8) and bear left again at the next T-junction (straight Road) (22.1) and follow the A308 for Windsor (keeping left), @ 23.3 follow the roundabout (bearing right) towards the town centre into Kings Road (23.4) passing Victoria Barracks. Carry straight on at the traffic lights and follow the road round to the left. At 24.2, Windsor Castle should be on your right (if it's on your left, turn round). Keeping the castle on your right continue to the traffic lights and turn left down to the river (24.5). Stay on this road, as it bears left, thus avoiding getting your pedals wet, and continue under the railway bridge and go round the roundabout (24.7) heading for the Leisure Centre / Maidendhead. At the traffic lights continue straight on towards Maidenhead and straight over the next mini roundabout onto the A308 and straight across the next roundabout (26.6) staying on the A308. Stay on this road until you come to another roundabout (29.1) , go straight across this, go under the M4 and turn immediately right (29.2) into Upper Bray Road, towards Bray. Continue through Bray (probably well worth investigating) and stay on the obvious main road and continue under the railway bridge (30.7). At the cross roads (31.0), you need to turn right, unfortunately this is not allowed. You should therefore turn left and cross at the pelican crossing (50 yards down) and thus effectively turn right. Go left at the next roundabout on to the A4094 to Cookham (river on right). There is a suggested pub stop (though it's a free choice) at Boulters Lock (31.9) on right over small narrow bridge. To enter the pub, go into the Hotel entrance and the 'pub' is at the top of the stairs. Stay on the A4094 and continue through Cookham and carry on to & through Bourne End. At the mini roundabout (35.2) Turn left towards Marlow on the A4155. At the next roundabout (37.5) continue over the A404 and stay on the A4155 over two mini roundabouts. At about 41.3, there is the entrance to a grand hotel called the Danesfield. It's a bit of a climb and probably not the place for a casual drink but the views they offer are superb and the hotel is magnificent, overlooking the Thames and Hurley. Stay on this road through to the roundabout at 46.3 and bear left, into Henley on Thames, heading for Reading. Follow the one way system through to the traffic lights (46.7) and go straight across (river should be on your left). At the T-junction turn left to Reading and stay on the A4155. After a few ondulations, as you'tr going downhill, make sure you don't miss the left turn into the Spring Lane (51.5) by the Flowing Spring Pub. At the end turn left (51.9) turn left onto the B478 into Sonning. At the roundabout (53.5) (A4 Intersection) go straight over heading towards Twyford. At the mini roundabout (53.7) turn right into Park Lane and straight across the next roundabout.. Turn right at the Lands End Pub (54.0), or get your feet wet in the fjord, and continue to the T junction (55.0). Turn left and then follow the track to your right signposted unsuitable for motor vehicles. This track continues down, through a set of concrete bollards, until the track again becomes a road. At the T-junction (55.4) turn left and then take the second left (55.7) into the Aviation Museum and back to where you started. |
Ride details
Distance: 56miles |
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