Hi,

I don’t know the New Forest but will be working nearby (to the North) in the next week or so. I am hoping to take my CX bike. Can anyone recommend a good route or two? Hopefully an all weather route.

Cheers

Whereabouts in the North?

Just South of Salisbury, but I’ll have the car so I can travel in.

There are plenty of fireroads that can be linked with short sections of road to form a very long loop ie 50miles plus if you are keen.

Best places to start if you are coming from Salisbury is either Godshill or Fritham.

Cheers,
Is there anything more interesting than fire road? Where are the best bits?

There is, almost all is unsigned, unmarked and hard to navigate unless you know where it is or know a local. At the moment, large parts of the NF are very water logged, and so can end up hub deep in mud/water/sh*te. Not trying to be a naysayer, just realistic….

If you are South of Salisbury, then plenty of bridleways in around that area that are great on a CX bike…..try Alderbury, East & West dean and down towards Downton – you can probably ride from the door.

I’d probably avoid the NF on a cx at the moment, okay on a road but avoid any fords they are deep (up to knees last one I cycled through..). I would head up to Farley Mount way, if you need to go off-road, the lanes all round there are a nice ride. Stockbridge is worth a cake stop play spot the Aston.

Just checked the map. Lots of water round Alderbury to Downton. Have you ridden it recently, do you know if it’s rideable? After reading the above posts, I’m wondering if the NF fire roads might be a safer bet. Maybe a nice ride down to the seaside?

What follows is (educated) guesswork; I haven’t been on the forest for weeks as I don’t like to cut it up for no real gain in fun terms

Is there anything more interesting than fire road? Where are the best bits?

The best bits will probably be VERY boggy; not sure you’d get a mtb over them (assuming they’re even visible). If you don’t know where you’re going, off-piste in the NF can be miserable

The gravel paths are OK in the wet, though they get pretty soft sometimes and your cx tyres might cut in quite a way

… speaking of which, much of the gravel is sharp flinty stuff and you’d better take plenty spare tubes if your tyres aren’t heavy duty

Inspired ? I’m bloody not at the moment 🙁

… speaking of which, much of the gravel is sharp flinty stuff and you’d better take plenty spare tubes if your tyres aren’t heavy duty

Sometimes 2 or 3 times on a 2 hour ride, so yeah mega grimmsville 😯

Not got a cx bike, but regularly ride the fire roads on my 29er with 700C’s.

As stated, in order to avoid endless “slashes” I have switched to tougher “touring” type tyres, e.g. conti travel contact, schwalbe land cruisers.

Also as stated above, anything off-piste will be vitually impassable at the moment. Likewise bridleways around Downton, Alderbury etc. The river has been really high for weeks and all surrounding fields/paths etc under water.

I think you’re best bet is a fireroad/road combo. Sounds dull but the scenery is nice if you get a good day. It will be hard going in places as even the gravel tracks soften up in the winter. But not impassable/impossible.

there are some really nice drovers tracks ridgeays to the west of salisbury. worth an investigate for sure.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2798925

Stockbridge is under water but passable as is some of the A3057. The other week I started from Horsebridge and rode along the Test Way to Stockbridge which was surprisingly OK. Picked up a nice minor road that ran parallel to the Test and looked at the water-logged fields.

thomthumb makes a good suggestion – use the Ox Drove and Shaston Drove to make a loop. Fantastic views at Win Green.

Some of Winchester is under water, where the Itchen is anyway. Be aware of the chalk too.