If I say “Henley”, you’ll probably say “regatta” (unless you’re an Eagle’s fan, in which case you’ll say “Don”). But the riverside town in South Oxfordshire has plenty going for it even if you’re not a fan of straw hats and messing about on the river.

 

Nestled between the M40 and the M4, it’s like the last outpost of the countryside, an English village holding out against the urban sprawl of nearby Reading, Maidenhead and High Wycombe – never mind London looming on the other side of the M25. Which makes Henley a great jumping-off point for a quick weekend ride.

 

This is a short-but-sweet rideout that’s easy to fit into a weekend or a day off – those motorways make it quick to get to and from Henley. It heads out into the countryside, skirting two small towns but mostly keeping to the quiet roads between fields and woods.

 

True, it’s not an epic ride of majestic vistas and rolling mountains… but this is the South East. There are no massive hills and everyone’s busy, so this laidback loop that packs a lot of country goodness into less than two hours could be just what the doctor ordered. Especially if, like Mr Henley, you’re living life in the fast lane...