Marlow circular bike ride - flats in the Chiltern Hills - 50km

Met up at Bergers, a cafe in Marlow, for today’s pre-ride coffee. The place hasn’t changed much in the 20 years or so that have elapsed since my last visit. The group headed off into the Chilterns on one of my favourite routes. Two guys punctured and we lost about 45 mins which meant targets for lunch had to be revised. I was just happy it wasn’t me holding up proceedings. For November, it was quite a nice warm day and there are worse places to hang around than Hambleden. There's a coffee stop at the Post Office with recommended cakes and there is always the Stag and Huntsman if its past the beering hour. We headed over the Thames weir Mill End and then down Remenham Lane to Henley for an early lunch at the Henley Tea Rooms. Never a hardship, like most of the group of eight, I had Fish and Chips including a coffee for £6.90. Then we headed off up a quiet Greys Lane towards Greys Court, a National Trust property that’s worth a visit. We did not stop but carried on up Rocky Lane to the Nettlebed Estate. There is a right of way through this property owned by the Fleming Family of James Bond fame. Casino Royale was conceived here apparently. We turned right when we hit the main road but after a short distance took the first left down Bix Hill towards Lower Assendon.

Fingest Village on a summer morning

From Lower Assendon we gasped up the steep hill that is Dobson’s Lane towards Frieth and then onto Turville Heath and Fingest. The beech trees looked absolutely stunning in the Autumn sunshine as we headed for Frieth and Marlow. Won’t be long before the trees will be bare and I expect the scenery will be more stark when I pass this way next time.

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