My second half-century of the year - a nice, slow one

Not the best pic, I admit, but you should just be able to make out the ruined castle behind the trees.
Except it is not a "real" castle at all - it is a "folly".
They were popular a couple of hundred years ago,
and some rich folks used to have fake ruins built on their land to give a feel of "classic age".
This one is just beyond Stone on the road from Aylesbury to Thame.

I followed the cycle path out through Stone, then down this quiet side road that leads to Cuddington. Later, I'll be going up those hills at the back - the first of two ridges I'll be climbing

Out of Cuddington, and down the hill towards Chearsley. I'll be turning right at the bottom of the hill, towards Ashendon.
The hills at the back look a bit bigger now ...

When not rushing along, one has time to enjoy the scenery - these were just growing in the verge.

Up the first hill (actually tougher than the second, although the second is a higher, Strava Category 4 climb!).
You can see the second line of hills in the distance.
I am at the crossroads, with the road to Chearsley on my left (not the same as the last one!),
the road to Cuddington behind me, the road to Waddesdon on my right,
and the road to Ashendon(and beyond) in front of me.

Yep, I did the extra few yards up to the reservoir to "claim" the Cat 4,
then back down again to the "proper" route.
Little diversions like this are ENTIRELY a result of the growth of cheap, portable, GPS receivers!

A rather more civilised place to stop for a sip of water than  roadside verge!
This is at the top of the hill at Ashendon.
The side road visble leads up to the "Cat 4" reservoir.

I acn see for miles and miles and miles - the view facing south from opposite the bench.

After Ashedon, it was down to Westcott, and then a short length of main road to the next turning, which leads to ...
Quainton.
The railway museum is shown.

Then on into Quainton "proper".
Didn;t the old windmill used to have a white "cap"?
Or am I confusing it with another one?

After Quainton, it is time to take the road back to Berryfields, on the edge of Aylesbury.
Road surface could do with a bit of maintenance on this stretch, methinks ...
If you look carefully between the telegraph poles, you can see the "new" windmill
- the tallest "onshore" wind turbine in the country.

Lake and turbine shot in Berryfields.
Actually, it's not a lake, it's just a bit of flooded waste ground, but the birds don't seem to mind :-)

Then after all that, I had only covered about 35 km, so it was up the lovely new cycle path to the Buckingham Park area of town, through the park there, then up the cycle path through Haydon Abbey, down to Fairfod Leys, through that, then up the cycle path nect to the A418, past the edge of Friarscroft, along to the railway station, over the crossing, up (and I do mean UP!!!) Castle Street, them home!

51.5 km travelled, with 294m climbed, in a nice, leisurely 3hrs 15 minutes/
Map and further route details here:
https://www.strava.com/activities/262803983