I have to joy of volunteering at Brazier's Park in Oxfordshire every so often. I usually take the Friday off to enable me to set up for our group, just in case the weather or other circumstances make it a hard job. However, the majority of the time, I get a few hours around lunchtime for myself. So, the bike comes out and I ride into the hills.
This is located in the edge of the Thames valley, and is sited just below the Chiltern dipslopes near Goring. Thus it has a bit of climbing, and I choose the pleasure of old tracks for the up and down sections.
A short way into the journey up the first track, the King William the Fourth offers the perfect opportunity to stop and lunch. With awesome Brakspears straight out of the barrel and a good menu it's great. And then the view from outside makes it perfect. The hills and valleys toward the Goring Gap a spread out in front of you giving 10 miles of wooded and farmed landscape. And then, it just gets silly as Red Kites circle in front of you.
And here's the clip (music warning!) with a variety of start points which open YouTube in a separate window.
Go HD see * at bottom
At the start
0:12 Turning Out of Braziers
0:33 Ipsden
1:09 King William the Fourth
3:18 Event Staff
4:03 Turning Out of Braziers
4:30 Great view from top of Braziers Lane
There was an odd thing going on at the farm (in *Homer*, I kid you not!), which meant I met with event staff at the top of the track.
Also note that I met horses on my way round. I start flicking my brakes gently a good 100 yards away. The horses pick up on it first and start turning their heads. I doing it gently and slowing, as braking does, from a long distance out to make sure the animals are aware and the riders do pick it up from a fair distance as well. This gives everyone plenty of time to react, move and take care of all involved.
Great fun for a mid day break from work!
* How to go HD.
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