Sunday was a very pleasant sunny day, after some welcome days of rain, for our ride beyond the M40. First stop Maple Cross, so the most direct and certainly the flattest way was through Bricket Wood and then the Ebury Way. This old railway crosses three rivers - the Colne, the Chess and the Gade as well as the Grand Union Canal.
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Narrow boat |
Emerging in Rickmansworth, our route along the towpath was blocked by the annual
Ricky canal boat festival, with an entrance fee of £2. Controlling, with difficulty, a shudder of revulsion at the idea of paying to use a towpath, we took to the main road to our coffee stop.
Climbing to Chalfont St Giles, through Gerrards Cross, we crossed the M40 into Hedgerley. Not stopping at the favourite White Horse, we continued through the delightful woodland around Burnham. It's not often you see road signs for Egypt.
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Nice bike at the pub |
The Royal Standard, Wooburn Common is a great, old fashioned, rural pub and not to be confused with The Royal Standard of England, not far away in Forty Green. Returning we headed for the footbridge over the M40 into Beaconsfield and then by way of Seer Green to the pleasant lane past the historic Jordans Meeting House.
A relaxing cup of afternoon tea in the nursery on Flaunden Lane provided a welcome pause, before we arrived back in St Albans after a great ride of 56.5 miles.