Anyone know one? I fancy doing the South Down Way and can get from Bristol to Devizes but then want to try to do as much as the gap off tarmac............
Keep going on the canal to Newbury or Reading and get the train to Winchester?
(I've rode Reading-Bristol along the canal but can't help with an offroad link to Winch, soz)
There are loads of Byways from Devizes across to Andover etc.But i would wait till it drys up Wilts can be a mud feast at the best of times.Not much help sorry canal route is quick.Done that few times.Lived in Bradford-on-Avon for a while.
Look up the Wessex Way, which goes Weston to Eastbourne.
Pop on at West Lavington.
Pop off this route near Andover, down through Collingbourne Woods, Stockbridge, then Winchester. Simples.
The SPTA might limit your routes across the plain. How about the Wiltshire cycleway to Salisbury and then across to Winchester?
Yep, can be done. Across the Plain (when it's open) to Salisbury, then you can use some of the Monarch's Way/Clarendon Way (some is a footpath). Finish with a bit of cheeky singletrack in Farley Mount.
Traversing the Plain will be fine, it's one of my semi-regular routes. Let me know if you want a link to the firing times.
Edit: or you could come off the Imber Range Perimeter Path to drop into the Avon Valley, say, Enford, then across to perhaps Tidworth?
as above (canal)
off canal at/between Crofton beam pumping station/Great Bedwyn (lovely bit, cafe at pumping mill museum, and a windmill somewhere up hill to S), head SEish to Ham Hill/Inkpen Hill then see last page of -
(*also see walks overview as that may give other ideas, yes I know what a foot path is but you might get away with it)
then at Kings Somborneish do an E
ps when doing canal look at bridges, quite a few with masons marked stones and quite a few are rather pleasantly ornate.
white horse trail (from westbury) & imber ranger perimeter path
followed by clarendon way.
email in profile if you want some gpx files.
Right, I'll sit down with some maps and see which look doable.....
Not going til June, but i normally leave things 'til too late and end up not doing what I origionally planned....
Now Fixed Karate Monkey or Pugsley??
Isn't Clarendon Way a footpath? Is it OK to cycle?
There's a break in the Wilts Cycleway at Longleat
Isn't Clarendon Way a footpath? Is it OK to cycle?
Some of it is. NE of Salisbury on the A30 you can pick up a Byway that becomes Monarch's Way and the Clarendon Way joins it further along. You can stay on this until Broughton then you will need to head for Kings Somborne where you can pick up a Byway that leads to Farley Mount Country Park, just on the Western side of Winchester.
Edit: there are loads of choices but it's working out what will be the most time-efficient!
Someone suggested the Wessex Way, which I could start in Weston, so another option......
Yes, that sounds good. Be worth getting the book.
Do keep us up-to-date and a ride report is compulsory!