Morning in the woods

I've only done this cycling-in-the-woods-before-work thing twice now but it's already starting to feel like a habit.

The first three miles are on the road - a main road, but most of the traffic is heading into town so I sail past the queues in the opposite direction. After a mile or so downhill it flattens out, and then slowly starts to creep upwards. I admit this bit is quite tedious, but in just twenty minutes I'm faced with this. 

This reservoir marks the start of the path into the woods. On Monday I saw a deer here, peeking through the trees. 

​It also marks the start of the mud. 

This was the worst of it actually, and even this wasn't too bad. I don't have a mountain bike, and just have to hold my nerve and hope I don't fall off (while realising that if I do, nothing really bad is going to happen as I'm heading uphill so there's no chance of a high speed topple). There was no wind on Monday morning, and the trees were reflected in the puddles. 

The path diverges here. To the left, through a gate, is a rocky stream, which wends its way upwards by a steep path, impossible to cycle up even on a mountain bike (for me, at least). To the right is the old carriage track, which takes a slightly longer, less steep route to the top.

The path is rocky here and not so muddy, which makes it easier to ride on, although it can be a bit tricky navigating round the stones. It feels like a good core workout though. 

The path winds through the woods, turning left at the end there and going up the slope to the side. 

It feels more dramatic up here, and you get a good view as the bank drops away to the left to join the rocky stream below.

Near the top, rocky outcrops line the path. 

These woods are a local nature reserve, and are part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and I feel privileged to be able to wander through them at will on my way (kind of) to work. I really must get up there and walk along the path by the brook again soon. 

After two or three miles through the woods I reached the road again. A quiet road for the first mile or two, and mostly downhill, so I stood up on my pedals and sailed along singing to myself as I headed towards the city. Not a bad start to the day at all.