Sunday 24th January

Biggest group out this year - 5 in all - Chris, Steve, Simon, Pete and Stuart, still tanned from his Christmas hols in the Caribbean.

The day started gloomy but soon brightened up, almost Spring like, a real tonic after the weeks and weeks of wet conditions pre-Christmas and then the snow of the New Year.

The planned route strayed no further than 10 miles from our home village of Highclere but was over 55 miles and over 3500 feet of climbing.

We set off heading for Whitway to pick up Simon and then the first ascent of the day from Sydmonton up over to Whitchurch. Chris made a solo effort for the Sydmonton sign and then on the climb the group split up and but soon re-formed at the top. Simon and Chris then descended quickly and forced the pace only to have to ride back up to find Pete had punctured.

From Whitchurch is was up the Bourne valley to Stoke, with Steve and Simon dominating the village signs, then we turned sharp left and up the impressive hill of the same name. We then ventured into new territory around Enham Alamein and onto Tangley and Chute. The turning for Chute Causeway was missed, a shame as the views would have been excellent, so the slight change in route took us to Shalbourne and down to Ham.

The roads were undulating and there was no shortage of attempts to force the pace on the uphill sections by various group members. After Ham, Stuart took a wrong turn and let us know by text he had headed back for home. Not a bad decision as the route ahead was a real "rollercoaster" - the stiff climb up from Ham then onto Linkenholt with a fast descent where Pete pealed off to head back on his own via Faccombe and Ashmansworth. He didn't fancy climbing over Coombe twice!

Steve, Simon and Chris kept up a good pace through Coombe village and then up to Coombe Gibbet. Chris certainly "struck his last match" here as he kept the pedals turning hard all the way to the summit.

We then cut the route short with another fast descent leading to a climb up Coombe again, this time a slightly easier route. Steve at this stage had been descending cautiously as his rear brake blocks were almost worn away, but made up for it by powering up the last ascent.

At the top, it was agreed that time was running out(a second puncture for Pete had given us a us a bit of a break between climbs) and lunch was calling so instead of Faccombe we dropped down to East End. Downhill speed merchant Chris managed to increase is maximum speed here to over 43 mph.

The pace then slowed, with a bit of feisty riding by Simon occasionally to test our legs as we continued through East End, onto Woolton Hill and home.

51 miles and an excellent hilly workout of 3500 feet. All agreed, next time we would try to complete the whole Wayfarers Wheelers version of the Hampshire Hilly.