It crossed my mind that yesterday's route would also make a very good day ride, with the possible exception of the A-road bits nead Stratford-upon-Avon.
I rode it during the day the other week, and that is indeed true. The Rea Valley route is of course busy with the usual cyclists, children, dog-emptiers and so on during the day; you don't quite get the lanes to yourself (though it's mostly farm traffic rather than speeding nutters) and yes, the A-roads in Stratford are full of cars (usually to the point where nothing's moving particularly quickly), as are the final couple of miles into Banbury. Worst bit is the right turn off the A3400 at Preston on Stour, requiring either extreme assertiveness, luck or pedestrian road-crossing tactics.
There are some lovely views. During the daytime, I'd probably include Tanworth (very pretty little village, when you can see it), consider an alternative destination in Stratford (if nothing else, the Morrisons by the railway station would be open, and involve less main roads), and perhaps make use of a pub somewhere between Shipston and Long Compton.
