occasionally mis-spelt, list of clues from Rally Organiser, Dave Hancock.
Basic research done, map marked, and I was off to bag my first landmark, Rebecca’s Well in Berkshire. I knew from the list that it was near Crazies Hill and I knew where that was. This was going to be a doddle
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An hour later, and I was still riding up and down the hill looking for the site. Found Rebecca’s Cottage and reasoned that the owners must know their namesake’s well. After all, I’d researched my house’s name when I moved in some 30 years ago. But no! The guy I spoke to had only recently bought the place, knew nothing of any possible link, and wasn’t particularly interested. The track running past his cottage ‘only led to a couple of other cottages, nothing else’y">
Back to the hill and more riding up and down. By now I knew every bump, pothole and drain grill in the road. Then a lucky chance! I stopped and spoke with a local gent walking his dog that cared about local history and knew Rebecca’s Well (the local, not his dog!). It turned out to be further along the track that ran past Rebecca’s Cottage. So back I went. Ruts and gravel were no problem – I had a new GS! But the wet ground and slippery slope in front of the site were not so easy for the ‘landmark + bike photo’ manoeuvres. Managed to get the ideal pose, took the pic, sat on a nearby tree stump for a moment’s reflection on this first success and was greeted by the same gent with dog. He had diverted to make sure I had found the well and went on to regale me with its history and then to recommend I rode further along the track, across a field (‘don’t worry, the owner won’t mind’), and along another track, I would reach a brilliant vantage point that would enable me to appreciate a unique view across a couple of counties. I could then ride down another landowner’s drive (‘don’t worry etc’) to a road which would lead me back to my quest.
I’d been looking forward to getting to my next landmark, but didn’t have the heart to reject his advice, especially as he showed no signs of moving on, so off I rode, cross-country! The bike and its Metzeler tyres were brilliant, and my long unused ‘off-road’ skills proved up to the task – although I had a couple of wobbly moments – and I did reach the vantage point. The view was worth the effort and I’d left a happy local with the warm feeling of having helped a strange, leather-clad, grey-haired apparition to commence his magic quest successfully.
So this was what it would be like………….. I rode on.
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