Boulters Bash Whitchurch to Marlow

Stonor

Over the Chilterns to Marlow

At the end of the Alpaca farm you climb into the Chilterns. The road cuts across a corner of Nuney Green's beechwood, offering a majestic bluebell display in season. Taking a turn for Reading you briefly join the A4074 Reading-Oxford Road by the Packhorse Inn. It is not long before you turn right and off that road for Tokers Green.
Goring Heath 
A 19th century well is sited at Kidmore End on the corner by the church entrance.  Due the chalk bedrock of the Chiltern's water supplies, available water is deep underground and expensive to extract and the well saw communal use until well into the 20th century.
The well at Kidmore End
A large and largely modern village, Sonning Common, is passed through next, followed by a crossing of the common of Rotherfield Peppard.  The right turn off the B841 brings you to the entrance of Greys Court.  A National Trust property with the catering only available if you have paid entry (but cyclists do get a voucher for a free cuppa). The part of the house that is open is interesting with the contents reflecting what the home might have looked like when occupied by the family, up to 1969, when it was donated to the National Trust. This does however give it the feel of a TV period drama.
Greys Court
The impressive gardens are divided up into a series of "secret" courtyards, with different themes. Greys is noted for its Wisteria which as the following photos show was magnificent at the time of visit (early May).
Greys Court Garden, early May



Wisteria plants up to 175 years old


Greys Court Dower House

Shortly after passing Greys Court you take a left turn to Broadplat a settlement of half a dozen or so properties. Continue to Bix, crossing the A4130, the Henley-Oxford Road just before arriving at Bix. You then take a steep hill - White Lane - to descend into the Asssendon Valley. It is narrow with a poor surface and rubble strewn. It gets a bit better near the bottom where there are houses, but there is a deformation in the road just before the end that could have you off the bike if you go fast.

You do a right-left on the B481 to climb the other side of the Assendon Valley. The climb has a horrible surface for 200m, after which it is OK. The climb is long but only steep for a couple of short portions.

You pass by the back of Stonor House and woods mean you don't see it. Stonor is set in a bowl which makes it look very impressive. Built next to an ancient stone circle, it has been occupied by the same family for 850 years. As the Stonors remained Catholic after the reformation, the house holds a priest hole. You can visit it by bike from the B481 (turn left after Bix). The house is open to the public. You can just ride up to the visitors centre, which has a basic cafe, at no cost.

The stones at Stoner

Stonor


Once on the flat top of the hill after a bend right you can look back and get fine views to the west. Taking a straight ahead when the road you were on bends right, you soon pass the Luxters Winery and Brewery, open for tasting. Another steep descent follows, but this time on a decent surface. Turn left at the valley bottom and then right in the direction of Frieth. It's a stiff climb up, with 500m at 10%

Frieth is a village only founded during the  19th century when the difficulty of getting water supplies and having a heavy soil to work could be overcome. There is a information control in the village. A prominent resident of Frieth was King Zog of Albania.

You descend to a crossroads after the end of theillage and join the same route at the 50k ride until the finish.You go right for Marlow with a little bit of climbing taking you to just shy of 150m above sea-level. After that it is downhill most of the way to Marlow, descents punctuated by short ascents.


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