This was my last “full” day of cycling as I headed on up to Oxford. For the most part it was the first time that cycling in England on this trip was a pleasure. There were still the potholed roads etc but the wind had abated somewhat and, as I drew closer to Oxford, the scenery and countryside became more like the tourist brochures pictured them.
I stopped at the village of Stoke Row for a coffee as it had been a bit of a slow long climb up into the Chiltons. It’s always interesting to chat and find out about a place. For example Kate Winslet had her wedding reception at the local pub here. The Maharajah of Benares paid for a well to be dug in Stoke Row after hearing that drought conditions also occurred on parts of the Chilterns. And the St John the Evangelist Church, a beautiful 13 century flint church was actually built in the 1840’s
And then it was on to Oxford via the rivers and canals and some meandering around the nearby countryside.