After the Mad March Coast and Quantocks last Sunday I had a couple of days off and rode to work on Wednesday. Felt I had recovered quite well so entered the Denmead 200km on the day. I guess there were about 30 entries.
This was a mostly flat route, the first leg going out south of Winchester and Romsey to Salisbury, then up the Woodford valley which was simply beautiful. Lots of lovely houses and unspoilt villages to the control at Heale House Gardens, in the tea rooms, where they served up an excellent soup. I was glad I had stopped there and felt good afterwards.
Crossing Salisbury Plain the wind got up a bit but it was just a case of plugging away until getting to Pewsey for the next control, which was a cashpoint job, then a nice route to Great Bedwyn following the canal and railway line. Bedwyn seems a nice small town and I bought some provisions in the shop. Turning south the wind got up again but it was gently downhill all the way to Whitchurch, again along nice quiet roads through pretty villages, some of which seemed familiar from the Watership Down (and Up) 100. The final control was in Whitchurch, before the final leg back to Denmead. This was OK until Alresford, then it seemed to get a bit hillier and the wind seemed to get a bit stronger and it got a little tiring. Once up on the ridge there were fine views of Pompey to the right, before diving off left down a great descent. The last bit was a tedious slog along a B road, which probably wasn't as hilly as it felt. Got back at 7.05pm and was a good 2kph faster than last week.
All in all another good ride and I feel like doing another soon, even though there was a headwind for the final 80km. Maybe a DIY 200 this weekend to keep the miles up.
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