Went for a little ride yesterday. Very cold out but I managed to get some nice photos to share.
Strava says my cadence hit 157rpm on this ride, my highest yet and a number I thought was impossible to achieve not long ago!
In the morning I flew the drone straight above my house to check the conditions. It was a very chilly morning, temps around 0-1 C. Frost covered fields for as far as the eye could see. Dunstable Downs on the left and looking out towards the village of Dagnall, which is just beyond the hill you can see in the distance.
My morning consisted of extensive battery charging. The bike, my phone, drone, cameras and Garmin all needed charging! By the time I left home, the skies had largely cleared allowing for some amazing photography!
The first place I came across was St Mary's Church in Edlesborough. Building started in Norman times with parts of this church dating over 800 years old. The Tower was added in 1338 with alterations made in the 1400s.
There was a constant crunching noise as I rode over the frozen ground and frost-covered grass! I had to be careful of riding on the frozen puddles, when I broke through the ice some were deeper than expected!
Next up I arrived at Grade II listed Pitstone Windmill. Thought to be built in the 1700's it is now owned by the National Trust and open for visitors during the summer months.
I then rode up Pitstone Hill which offered some great views along the vale.
When heading in this direction a stop off at the Ashridge Estate is a must... The grounds of the estate are fabulous for bike riding, with lots of wonderful trails to ride. The late afternoon sun made for a good photo of the Bridgewater Monument.
I stopped off at the Cafe next to the Bridgewater Monument. £3.50 for that chocolate brownie... I felt like I had been mugged!
Seating at this cafe is outside, and the frost-covered tables give a good idea of how cold it was... Luckily I was wearing my insulated waterproof cycling trousers so I didn't get a cold and wet backside!
Next to the cafe, you'll find the Ashridge Visitor Centre. A great place to find some overpriced garden ornaments and souvenirs.
With the sun starting to fade I made my way towards Ashridge House. I had the drone with me and wanted to grab a few shots of the house while the sun was still out.
Always baffles me why the National Trust decided to build the car park right outside the entrance of such a magnificent building instead of hiding it somewhere else.
A rare sighting of the rear of Ashridge House. You have to be a member of the National Trust to gain access to the building and gardens. The gap in the trees (top middle of photo) leads to the Bridgewater Monument.
Charlotte Catherine Anne, Countess of Bridgewater and widow of the 7th Earl, was still in residence at Ashridge
(after the passing of Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater and 6th Earl of Bridgewater, known as the Canal Duke). She objected to the erection of an obelisk, which she considered to be in poor taste, and at her behest, the monument to the Canal Duke was sited some distance from Ashridge House so as not to be seen. (Wiki)
