In my never ending quest for variation in routes I stole another route from the Wantage CTC. They rode this almost exact route on 1st November as their ‘moderate’ ride. I was interested to see whether I would keep pace with what they manage. They averaged 13.3 mph on the route, I did 15.02 mph which was faster than I expected. I wasn’t keeping track as I cycled as I wanted to see what it would be and I wasn’t especially pushing hard.
The route started in Sutton Courtenay and went via Milton and under the A34 and up Milton Hill. Using Featherbed Lane as a cut to the A417 there was a brief section on the A-road before turning thorugh West Hendred. Heading up to the highest point on the road close to Ginge and along the very quiet lanes to Ardington and Lockinge. Crossing the A417 onto Grove Park Drive fast downhill past Lain’s Barn. I took a short break where the road crosses the old Wilts & Berks Canal, I was looking for an OS benchmark which is on the old bridge access but didn’t find it. There was a brief heavy shower, the weather had been bright but breezy up to then. I then joined familiar roads through Grove, Denchworth and Charney Bassett. I had to cross the A420 at a staggered junction at Fyfield and then I was on the long fairly dull section through Appleton and Eaton I had done a few weeks before.
Back across the A420 at Bessels Leigh and through Wootton on the B4017. The wind was now against me for the final few miles through Sunningwell and Radley. The final stretch was through Abingdon town centre and along the A415 to Culham where it started raining again. But I was only a few minutes from home.
Not too bad a route, some of it is a bit boring and there aren’t many climbs, I wonder if the Wantage CTC average speed includes all the stops?
Distance :: 37.35 mi
Time :: 2h029m13s
Average Active Speed :: 15.02 mph
Run.GPS Training Profile
