After a daydreaming start, where I rode right past Saddleback, we got in the groove visiting an area quite alien to Louis. Across past Chieveley in the sunshine to the "Quiet Lanes" of Bucklebury, through the heathland and woodland.
A deviation to the plan saw us take in Bagnor and Snake Lane rather than the Boxford Alp, before the Combesbury descent. We parted company near Woolley Barns with a solid and very enjoyable morning's climbing in the bag.