Agent Double O Soul

It's only Saturday but I heard tomorrow's forecast and didn't like one bit of it. I do like to explore don't you? Some you win, some you  lose.

Buckinghamshire (okay any spot north of the M4) needed checking out.  Going I used a southern (Feltham YOI / West Bedfont) route. It was quiet - I counted only two planes all day!  After Langley and Black parks, lunch was Pinewood and the return was Highway 61 (revisited) followed by our Sipson - Isleworth route and home over Richmond bridge  and Ham.

1) The last section of the B378 (Stanwell-Stanwell Moor) road is closed for three months but currently not to cyclists!

2) Anyone who uses the Junction 14 cycle route may have spotted a tunnel under A3113 Airport Way. Today I decided to find out where it led.
The straight ahead route was more prominent but appealed not thanks to a burnt off motorcycle fifty yards beyond the tunnel. Instead I made an immediate left onto an undulating track running alongside the M25  ending at Longfordmoor. Far more scenic than going via Poyle.

Old Slade Lane

3) But my next experiment was much less successful.  You cannot cross to Iver and beyond this year using the (demolished?) Old Slade bridge nor can I recommend the bridleway return to the A4; those inured to nettles may disagree. You must use Sutton Lane which leads north from the Colnbrook A4 roundabout.



4) The locals seem to have won the day. Hollow Hill Lane is boarded up so onwards to Shreding Green is your only option.

5) Despite notices stating it's closed, there's nothing to stop anyone from entering or exiting Langley Park.

6) Black Park  is even odder. It too is closed; the Peace Road (roughly opposite the main gate of Langley Park) is padlocked. But further east it's a wooden "chicane" and from Pinewood the Link Path is a open gate. Even more bizarre within the park are large (2 metres?) posters warning of the need for social distancing.

7) And on the same theme, check out how many folk observe social distancing on the Thames Path:Northern Bank between Isleworth and Richmond where significant sections  are (just over) two metres wide.