No Snow

My second start of spring country ride was one I had unfinished business with. In the snow a few months ago I had started a ride near Henley on Thames and had to give up as the exertion of fighting the bike through inches of the stuff was too much and I rolled home.

This time I was back to check it out on one of those perfect riding days where the sun is warm, the wind just enough to cool you off, the trails virtually empty and the ground dry (not great for the drought situation, but fantastic for riding).

It was definitely worth it. Tucked between fields and posh homes, and taking in long driveways, country estates and patches of woodland this ride delighted me over and over again with great beechwood singletrack on top of a dusty flinty surface. For a couple of hours I railed the bike into rooty corners and down sunken lanes, finally cruising out into a perfect spring day on the river in Henley. What more could you ask for?

I feel that this area benefits from the amount of horse riding to keep bridleways open, and this means that unlike in some places, there are loads of options. You’re not really going to go there on a biking holiday, but it’s worth a good hour or so of excellent British spring riding.

What more could you ask for?

A