Gateway Sunday Ride to Hyde Hall

A lovely sunny Sunday morning ride. We split into 2 groups of 6 or 7 and made our own way to Hyde Hall (although both groups went the same way!) We set off from Bulphan via Doesgate Lane and Lower Dunton Road where we picked up Chris Garside waiting for us to go by. Onward to pass the Boot Sale and then up Little Burstead Hill through Billericay to Goatsmoor Lane and towards Stock, working our way to West Hanningfield and then across to East Hanningfield via Pan Lane to Creephedge Lane – but not to take the right to Hyde Hall. Instead we took a left onto Leighams Road and then right onto Lodge Road getting us to Woodham Ferrers. Almost immediately to Crows Lane with its lavender fields and Radar Hill (Edwin’s Hall Road) with descents and rolling hills. Across the B1418 to Workhouse Lane and back along Creephedge Lane (with more lavender fields) to Hyde Hall.

Food and beverages were duly consumed and we rested and chatted in the sunlight with the other group which had arrived ahead of us.

Leaving Hyde Hall we exited via the bus stop gate on Buckhatch Lane, descended East Hanningfield Road to Main Road. Instead of going for the hill up to South Hanningfield we continued along the Southend Road and turned left back to West Hanningfield. A blast along Middlemead at the edge of the reservoir took us to South Hanningfield, Downham and Ramsden Heath where an interesting right turn along Dowsetts Lane and then left onto Broomwood Lane got us back to Goatsmoor Lane. For a change we exited right onto Potash Road, left at the roundabout through Billericay, past the railway station and then back the way we had come to Bulphan.

This was a lovely ride out with a few modifications to the normal route that we use.