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You're welcome and do report back. Trails will be even more overgrown thanks to today's deluge! Just watch out for wet chalk though.
Man up and gain some scar tissue in shorts. The brambles are bad but the nettles are worse 😆
Hey garage-dweller, some of us have enough scars from falling off the bike!
Cheeky post work 30 mile loop today. New tyres (Challenge Strada Bianca) are delicious. About 1mph or more faster and have made the bike feel so much better.
Lovely dry roads and tracks around the river and home in time for beer and an epic fish pie. Happy.
And he's still besotted with his Diverge. 😀 Not heard of those tyres before Cap'n, what width?
Just realised that this super duper Hampshire mapping does not highlight permissive tracks. What a shame.
http://localviewmaps.hants.gov.uk/LocalViewmaps/Sites/ROWOnline/#
Thinking of a long SDW ride tomorrow. Family away so I can play but the rear shock for the cotic is at the menders. Long ride on the 29er it will have to be
You've seen it, CG, surely you can understand why I'm besotted? 🙂
They're 28s. Will try and dig up a pic for you.
Here you go!
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(Not my gate. Used to belong to another of this parish)
The Style Police have been alerted Cap'n!
Diplomatic immunity!
Imber Church opened yesterday and many roadies and mountain bikers took the opportunity to cycle along the Range roads and enjoy refreshments.
Highlight of the day, for me anyway, was the arrival in the Church of two Pyrenean Mountain Dogs. They were both gorgeous and h u g e. 😀
Not quite hampshire but just did a really good Purbecks loop. Two bloody pinch punctures about 4 hours including punctures. One bit I need to work out how to build it into the route to reverse as it was a really good single track decent that I did as a acent. One small section of cheeky foot path to link a dead end bridleway.
Tested my GPS for the first time so have a track log if anyone wants it.
All together now...
"The hills are alive with the sound of........... Gear clicks"
😆
CG, chap round my way has five Pyreneans. One of which has been a multiple best of breed winner at Crufts.
He also has two Bernese.
That's a LOT of dog!
Cap'n - wow! That sounds like a serious amount of grooming and feeding and how on earth are they walked? Separately or what? Full time job for sure. 😀
[b]Dorset riding[/b]
Today saw a first visit to the North Dorset Trailway and what an excellent facility for families. I started from Sturminster Newton where the large car park was right by the trail and this was to be an out and back route.
http://www.northdorsettrailway.org/
There was an all weather surface and what I really enjoyed was the views. The trail was open, lots of benches to sit on and only two minor roads to cross between Sturminster Newton and Blandford. It wasn't completely flat though with some short sharp climbs and descents.
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I was taken down memory lane by the sight of Shillingstone Station which is on the trail funnily enough! Over 20 years ago I ran the Dorset 3 Peaks race which consisted of 12 miles cross country taking in Hod, Hambledon and Okeford Hills. The race actually finished on the platform!
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http://www.shillingstone-railway-project.org.uk/
The cafe is open on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. It's crying out for an improved menu and reckon it could be a goldmine as there's so many walkers and cyclists passing by.
Here's some sculptures although the bike one isn't clear. Apologies for my ss getting in the way:
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The section from just outside Shillingstone to Stourpaine was blighted by the roar of traffic from the A357. The trail ends at Spetisbury and that's for another time.
Ohhh likeee a lot 😀
Thanks bb! Meant to have said that it was good to see blokes doing blokey things at the railway, all volunteers. 🙂
Dorset Interloper! But we forgive you....!
Might get the MTB out for a change tomorrow.
Nah Cap'n, I live in Dorsetshire but usually cross the border to get my fix of the gorgeous Wiltshire landscape. 😀
Just an edit to my travelogue, OS get-a-map shows a road diversion at Hammoon. This is incorrect, the trail continues along the disused railway line and obviously agreement was reached with the land owner.
I (allegedly) did a mini bivi trip last night into the New forest. Short ride but quite fun. Took me about 1.5 hours to travel back about 10 miles as I got a bit lost! Took my old thin synthetic sleeping bag and was a little cold. Maybe time for new one.
So who's planning on riding today / this afternoon?
I was going to go from Cocking to Amberley over the SDW and back but looking like a washout!
🙁
Me, went out Friday (bloody hot and sunny) went out yesterday (bloody hot and sunny) and will be going out at about 11'ish for some hill climbing reps (looking a bit damp)
Roadie 😀
No excuses, guess I'll have to get wet then....
Well... I CX'er'd it instead, since spending a few hours cleaning the roadie in the sunshine last night I didn't fancy getting it obliterated with flint and field run off..
As was I took the CX'er out in very heavy rain and stuck some old CX clothing on and got very wet, very muddy and very hot. I then jet washed the CX'er and threw my kit in the washing machine.
😀
It's stopped raining now in my bit of the coast but looking out of the window it looks a bit "leaden"
Gotta love a hot sodden steamy muddy ride 8)
Well, that was rather moist.
Nice local spin on the gnarmac bike, kept mainly on road given the inevitable gloop fest that the trails would have been.
Time for lunch now, and perhaps an Andwell's hopped lager to wash it down.
Is it a bit damp back home then? Currently sat on my balcony overlooking lake Fuschl in Austria, got my legs burnt today by the orange ball in the sky. I would post a picture but it takes me about an hour to remember how to do it on here and by then I will be sinking an Austrian beer or two.
Sorry, that was mean 🙂
The plan today was to investigate a church in the Wylye Valley, Wiltshire, that's in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. Imagine my surprise when I arrived there to find another cyclist in situ who offered to help lift my bike over the railings. He'd cycled up from Bournemouth and he really did prove that you don't need to dress up as a 'proper' cyclist. A 'can do' attitude was all you needed.
The first record of this church was in 1240 and unfortunately there are some ruins.
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Inside was a Bier that was used to carry the dead of the village to their final resting place.
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Now here's something interesting, what on earth was it used for? Surely not a bike stand? 😀
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Time to check out some new to me woods and an encounter with mud, boo. Was surprised to see tyre marks but, alas, no time for single track searching. Worthy of a return visit not least due to something of historic interest that I need to locate, ain't Google brilliant!
Imber Church will be open for a Remembrance Service tomorrow as well as being open on Sunday. More info here:
http://www.imberchurch.org.uk/
Its that time of year
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Well i havnt been riding for ages and then went out twice this week on my winter awesome hack bike 2006 xtc frame with 29er cross tyres, single speed and mud guards. loved it.
Think i might have to have another short session on the test way or maybe upto farley tomorrow and sunday. Love this time of year when it gets cold! all the trails are my own! COME ON COLD WEATHER ICE AND SNOW.
@dobo which parts of the Test Way and roughly what sort of route do you ride, my parents live very near it in Kings Sombourne so interested in a route suggestion
What a dirty bike Jambalaya!
Food - has anyone used Westlands Farm Shop in Shedfield, near Wickham? I'm always keen to hear of anywhere selling decent quality meat. Thanks!
Hampshires been going through some fantastic Autumn colours most recently, some of the forests up Steep way have been quite spectacular, so too QECP and the lower slopes of the Downs. One of the best seasons IMO.
jambalaya, The test way is not all that interesting.
The ride i did yesterday was just a quick blast from near stockbridge towards romsey but only as far as the bear and ragged staff and turn round and back. Its completely flat but mostly off road and a pub at either end.. and is good to get some safe off road training miles in.
I also go the other way from stockbridge to the mayfly, sometimes i stay on the test way past the mayfly until you hit the road, then turn right on the main road and turn next right after 100 yards or so, follow that road then after a few minutes on the down hill theres a bridle way on the left that goes under a bridge and up a hill then onto some tricky thin muddy trail down an even bigger hill (red hill?) and you can cross the road and cycle off road to goodworth clatworth.
Today i went to farley mount.
From Kings somborne head up church road/furzedown road then take first left down that road to the bottom and before you go uphill turn right onto the trail which takes you up a few KM to parnholt woods. turning left at the junction at the top to go towards farley. From there theres many trail options in the woods. Or if you want a long ride you can link up further a field to crawley and trails along a272 and back via other end of farley.
Thanks
Any Hampshire peeps know where I can get hold of a cardboard wheel box? Have been to 3 bike shops but no luck.
Thanks. 🙂
Get a bike/frame box and cut/fold it ? Wheels inside with bubble wrap ? i imagine shops sell more bikes than wheels
I'd say Halfords, they chuck out loads of boxes..
And a Yay! for Hampshire...
I have been riding a lot as always, CX bike now until the clear cold dry days mean the roadie comes out. Found a couple of neat link up sections near the Millburys and they cross the SDW Nth/Sth that have enabled me to ride up and over the main Bump and head towards Cheriton.
The Woods south of Arlesford on the way back to Cheriton are on my list to ride, have seen them used for Gorrick events, anyone know where they pop out?
Thanks chaps! Am posting rims so needs to be specific size, didn't think of Halfords though.
bb - are you meaning Cheriton and Bramdean Woods? Don't think they would have been used by Gorrick though. Lived in Alresford for a bit and rode those woods, reckon they'd be churned up by gee gees at the moment.
Found myself looking at an e-bike earlier. 🙁
I know I'm in West Sussex, but Hampshire is only 8.5 mins away on my new 'gravel bike' - and my daily commute is deep into the Hampshire hinterland (OK about another 8 miles).
Do any of you good folk have any tips for adventure/road routes in South East Hampshire? I know West Sussex pretty well from mountain biking, and I know the South East Hampshire roads but I must admit rarely venture across the A3 these days so I've no idea where to start exploring!
Once the trails improve we should have another Hampshire Riding trip to West Sussex - I can't believe that was July 2014! ( http://www.strava.com/activities/168489345)
CG - if you get really really stuck shout, I have one at work (had 700c in it so should fit anything unless I've missed a niche...) but I'm out for the rest of this week so won't be able to lay hands on it fora while.
brassneck - thank you for your kind offer but I think you're the opposite side of the county?
bartimaeus - I would say that bikebuoy is your man for routes. Can only suggest Old Winchester Hill and the Meon Valley Trail for perhaps linking up.
bb - are you meaning Cheriton and Bramdean Woods? Don't think they would have been used by Gorrick though
Not for XC racing, but the Cheriton round of the Gorrick Trailtrax series has checkpoints scattered around all those areas.
Thanks chaps! Am posting rims so needs to be specific size, didn't think of Halfords though.
Is Southampton convenient? If its just for rims I have some boxes that Light Bicycle 29er rims came in in my spare room. Each is big enough for a couple of rims.
G.