Welcome to the first Giro Tramonto
Giro Tramonto
15
The route will lead you through Henley into the Chilterns. Along the way you’ll pass through beautiful villages and rolling countryside before winding up at the Fox and Hounds at Christmas Common. The timing of the event is designed to allow you to eat either in our usual monthly meeting venue or at the destination - both of which serve excellent food. Directions are below and to help you further there is a map. There’s also a simple observational quiz - for which there are prizes! The whole route is around 39 miles long and can be completed in about an hour and a half hours but please take your time - it’s not a race. Enjoy the scenery, have a go at the quiz, and above all else enjoy driving your Alfa! The Alfa Romeo Owners Club expects all those taking part in the Giro Tramonto to drive sensibly and legally. Please obey the speed limit at all times and show consideration to non-members in both venues. All cars taking part must be road legal. The Alfa Romeo Owners Club accepts no responsibility for damage to persons or property, however caused, that may occur during the Giro Tramonto.
Factoids & questions
From the Bird In Hand Hotel, turn right onto A4
The Bird in Hand has been the monthly meeting point for the Thames Valley Section for a number of years, but there’s been a coaching inn on the site for 600 years.
1 Head towards Reading on the Bath Rd/A4
Question 1 There’s a famous rowing club on your right as you head towards the bridge at Henley. What’s the second letter of the club’s name? The Regatta in Henley has been held since 1839 - although it was created to organize informal races that had already been running for a couple of years. It became the Royal Regatta 12 years later. Question 2 The first pub you come to in the Assendons could be named after half a famous footballer. What’s the first letter of his surname? The route passes through Lower and Middle Assendon, but there’s no longer an Upper Assendon - there was, but
0.8 mi
2 Turn right onto Blakes Lane 0.5 mi The junction’s hidden in the trees but you should be able to see signs for Food & Drink at the Queen Victoria pub and catch a glimpse of the pub 100 yards up Blakes Lane.
3 Continue onto Blakes Road
0.9 mi
4 Turn right 0.9 mi Signposted Crazies Hill, Cockpole Green and Remenham
5 Continue onto Crazies Hill
0.8 mi
6 Slight left onto Hatch Gate Lane
0.2 mi
7 Slight left onto Warren Row Road
0.7 mi
Approximately 5 miles covered
8 Continue onto Culham Lane
0.6 mi
9 Turn left onto White Hill/A4130 Continue to follow A4130
0.7 mi
10 Turn right onto Remenham Church Lane 1.0 mi Just before the water tower on the left hand side of the road. This section has the narrowest roads of the route. If your ground clearance is really, really tight, go straight on and rejoin the route just before the bridge into Henley at step 12
11 Merge onto Remenham Lane
1.1 mi
12 Turn right onto White Hill/A4130 (Q1)
0.3 mi
13 Turn right on to Bell Street/A4130
0.3 mi
14 After the second of the two mini roundabouts, bear left
it was renamed Stonor in 1896. Question 3 The country estate on your right before you enter the village of Pishill has what as it’s fourth letter? Watlington dates back to the 6th Century and by the time of the Domesday back it was valued at a staggering £610. Question 4 As the B480 bears right leaving the village of Cuxham, there’s a sign to two places starting with ‘B’ what’s the second letter of the first one? Chalgrove Airfield was home to the RAF and the USAAF in World War II and is now home to the inventors of the ejector seat Martin-Baker - which tests its products there. Queston 5 In Tetsworth there’s a pub named after a big cat. What’s the first letter of the first adjective used to describe it? Great Haseley windmill has a date stone marked 1806, although it is thought that the mill was actually constructed in 1760. Question 6 On your left coming into Postcombe is a big, white pub named after a patriotic flower. You just need the first letter of the name. The Stokenchurch BT Tower is 242 metres (794 ft)
on to the Fair Mile/A4130
1.1 mi
15 Turn right onto Lower Assendon/B480 (Q2) 5.9 mi Continue to follow B480 (Q3) Turn at the T-junction, not the right turn at the crest - trip meter should be at about 14.6 miles
16 Turn right onto Red Lane/B481
0.1 mi
17 Continue onto Howe Hill/B480 Continue to follow B480
2.4 mi
18 Slight right onto Cuxham Road/B480 0.3 mi It’s very easy to go wrong here - the road you’re on continues round to the left but the B480 goes off to the right, just before an old-fashioned black and white striped three-way directional sign 19 At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit and stay on Cuxham Road/B480 (Q4) 3.1 mi Continue to follow B480 Just over half way - roughly 20.5 miles covered - and it should all be straightforward from here 26 Turn right Signposted Little Milton and Rofford
27 Merge onto Rofford Lane
0.9 mi
28 Turn right To Little & Great Haseley
0.5 mi
1.1 mi
26 miles covered - two thirds distance
29 Continue onto Thame Road
1.5 mi
30 Turn right onto A329
0.5 mi
31 Turn right onto London Road/A40 Continue to follow A40 (Q5 & Q6)
5.7 mi
32 Turn right to stay on A40
171 ft
33 Turn left onto Aston Hill/A40 1.7 mi Continue to follow A40 Another one that’s easy to miss - the left turn is just after the right - and the climb of Aston Hill can be quite entertaining, if you don’t get stuck behind a truck! 34 Turn right (Q7) 3.2 mi Signposted Christmas Common
above sea level, dates from 1963 and is 120 metres (394 ft) tall. Question 7 From a single rose to a Nature Reserve - what’s the last letter of the second word in the name?
35 Continue onto Stokenchurch/Chinnor
36 Keep right to continue on Nettlebed/Henley 0.1 mi Destination will be on the right
The Fox & Hounds, Christmas Common, Watlington, Oxfordshire OX49 5HL
489 ft
ANSWER SHEET Name................................. Car Model........................ Reg No................... If you’ve completed the quiz you should have 7 letters. Enter them in below, then unscramble the resulting anagram to reveal a word long associated with Alfa Romeo. Answer 1 ____________ Answer 2 ____________ Answer 3 ____________ Answer 4 ____________ Answer 5 ____________ Answer 6 ____________ Answer 7 ____________ The answer to the anagram is .......................................... Hand your completed form to Guy Swarbrick or John Timms to be in with a chance of winning a prize. Don’t forget your name! And if you have any feedback on the event, please feel free to include it below.
Look out for the second issue of our newsletter in September - and we look forward to seeing you at Southern Alfa Day in September. Deatils on the website and on our Facebook page. 186, Bath Road Maidenhead Berkshire SL6 4LB 01628 788887 sales@alfaaid.co.uk
Many thanks to Alfa Aid for providing the prize for the quiz and to the Bird in Hand at Knowl Hill and the Fox and Hounds at Christmas Common for hosting us