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I've been starting at Walderton, parking the car and riding from there .. and stopping at the Hare and Hounds at Stoughton for beer and food.. plenty of bridleways and tracks and restricted byways to knit together.
East Sussex looking more complex and less lanes, hoping when I do the research I'll find a lot of the bridleways are still in existence, a lot were farmed over during the war and never given back.
Wondering if anyone can pass on their wisdom, albeit I hope to leave before 1000 this morning...
Could I safely ride down Limekiln Lane from Butser on a road bike, to then head directly to Stroud, instead of descending down Harvesting Lane?
Sorry five minutes too late-but if I remember correctly the answer is no. I think lime kiln Lane is a eroded rutted chalky bridleway pretty steep in parts that even on a full suss MTB you have to pick your way down very carefully. Or maybe it's just my skills. Apologies if I've got the wrong lime kiln lane.
Yep just checked google maps. Lime kiln is the mtb downhill lane. Harvesting is the tarmaced road.
Cheers for that, I'm still pondering my route, had a feeling it might be dicey but I've yet to turn left at the top of the cat4 Harvesting climb. 🙂
Probably too late but yes, Lime Kiln is rutted. You can go down the SDW on a road bike though and turn right onto the Clanfield-East Meon road and then right again, which brings you out where Harvesting and Lime Kiln come out.
Ended up climbing Harvesting after climbing "River To top" and "Full Little Switzerland" yesterday, then on to christen Bat & Ball and finish my cat 3/4 fest with Wheely Down.
My legs certainly know that they did a new climbing PB yesterday! 😆
Anyone ridden Meon Valley Trail recently, to comment on trail conditions and if there is now more of a view to the sides after trees dropping their leaves?
Sad to report that Annie's, cake stop at Kimbridge, has closed. 🙁
However, in happier news, Piers Morgan switched on the Christmas lights in Stockers the other day. And nothing happened! 🙂
Do you mean the farm shop Cap'n?
Has anyone admitted to inviting PM for the switch on???
Sad to report that Annie's, cake stop at Kimbridge, has closed.
Well that's an arse. Doesn't Houghton Lodge have a slightly more developed offering now than the old honesty box? Haven't been on a road/mixed ride down there for a while, been driving mini B around a selection of Wessex's parks for cross season.
QECP is still dry, I've been trail running it and it's lovely.
nobodyofthegoat - can't help on Meon trail, but the Bat and Ball you mentioned 3 months ago - is that the on in Wrecclesham?
If so, where's this "little switzerland"? Sounds interesting!
The Bat n Ball is just out of Hambledon Village.. Can't miss it, it's on the corner and the old Cricket Ground is on the left. Or up from Clanfield.
Hyden Farm Ln, Clanfield, Hambledon, Waterlooville PO8 0UB
Little Switzerland is near Petersfield,Ashford Hangers Nature Reserve
Address: Cockshott Ln, Froxfield, Petersfield GU32 1
So, Petersfield locals... this Rogate Downwill that I keep seeing on Google Maps.. can you just turn up and ride?
Meon Valley Trail was mostly dry, except a few muddy puddles near Wickham, last Friday. Thick cushion of fallen leaves through most of its length. Fun ride, despite the cold, good test for the new thermal gear I received the day before!
https://www.strava.com/activities/1297908038
Bat & Ball climb https://www.strava.com/segments/3796525 , just west of Clanfield, another odd cat4 segment that even goes downhill before a steep finish! Only done it the once so far, partly because I like doing the "Round Butser" segment, but must get back over there again to try it with fresher legs than when I climbed it back in late August https://www.strava.com/activities/1156332100/overview
"Little Switzerland" is part of the ascent north of Petersfield, which includes at least one true cat3 climb (Bell Hill To The Top). Some say it doesn't live up to its name, but the cat3 segment is the one of the very limited true cat3s we have around Hampshire, albeit it is far kinder than the cat3s I climbed on the Wazoo a few weeks ago in the Mendips (Draycott Steep, that I only had time to descend because I was so far behind schedule, climbs 725 feet in 1.2 miles! 😯 ). https://www.strava.com/segments/626528
DezB -
So, Petersfield locals... this Rogate Downwill that I keep seeing on Google Maps.. can you just turn up and ride?
I can answer my own question - turn up, pay £5, and get your downhiller-thriller mode on. Tracks there are pretty amazing for such a small bit of hill in Hampshire! But if you're a tad more DH orientated than myself, you'd love it. Worth the trip. Jumps, drops, roots, whatever takes your fancy. Most of it rideable without being the descend only type, but more fun if you are. And pushing up is tough if you're not used to it!
Sad to report that Annie's, cake stop at Kimbridge, has closed
So hard for small businesses. 🙁 Wonder if anyone will take over, was rather disappointed to see that the selection of unusual gifts is no longer there either. Were they anything to do with the cafe? Quality of fruit and veg was a tad poor, do hope shop will survive.
Never underestimate the draw of a decent cafe.
Never underestimate the draw of a decent cafe.
Always was busy when I stopped, but I guess weekend traffic only isn't enough.
I like the Tea Cosy in Hurstbourne a lot but I have to take a child or two to justify stopping for tea after 20Km, it soon adds up 😀
Time to revive this handy Hampshire thread for 2018!
Anyone able to pass on first hand experience of the road conditions around Beacon, Old Winchester and Butser (Harvesting Lane mainly) in the last day or two?
How about the Meon Valley Trail?
Snow and slush from "Beast of the east reloaded" looks to be gone around Bitterne, albeit we had a frosty start this morning, but things could be still a bit dodgy at 600+ feet.
Would love to take the road bike for a spin up the cat4 hills, but after coming very close to a black ice "big off" on the Old Winchester Hill plateau just after Xmas when the ride had been completely safe until that point on CX tyres, part of me thinks play it safe and go up there on the Wazoo with the 252-stud Gravdals.
Just the other side around Chilgrove, Finchdean etc is ‘ok’ but there’s a fair bit of muck on the roads and plenty of extra potholes.
Just looking at something different for a night ride tomorrow and saw hen wood near East meon meon. Anybody been there?
I'm racking up miles for SDW in a day training so might take it in as part of a route.
Everything's drying out nicely round here.
Tangentionally related but picked this up on Facebook this morning from the South Central Ambulance Service:
Speltham Hill in Hambledon https://www.strava.com/segments/3557886
Finally got around to trying it last night, OMG, it's like riding half on the final steep bit of Harvesting Lane... Absolutely brutal (but fun 😉 ), especially after doing a few power intervals up other hills beforehand! 😮
Hi - Recently got a job in basingstoke, and wondering if there's a half decent off-road route from Chineham to Micheldever that I could follow.
Thanks
Depends which side of Basingrad you want to go. From Cliddesden there's a route that takes you south towards Preston Candover and then up and over heading west towards Micheldever.
I know there's routes the other side of Basingrad as someone I follow on Strava often rides over that way (Oakley/Overton sort of direction)
From Cliddesden there’s a route that takes you south towards Preston Candover and then up and over heading west towards Micheldever.
Yep. That's where I'd be heading. Nice lanes/tracks around there.
Gravel bike country, IMHO. I often ride through/around Micheldever, and it's lovely.
Anyone on this thread interested in doing the Evans Ride it event ? https://www.evanscycles.com/evans-cycles-hampshire-mtb-saturday-1st-december-2018-EV322827
I don't live that locally but work in Basingstoke and am keen to find a few routes for after work in the summer.
Hi New Forest riders
A group of us are thinking of getting the train to Brockenhurst from Wareham to do the "Grand Slam" gravel/road ride.
https://cycle-newforest.co.uk/cycle-routes/the-grand-slam/
Could you tell me:
Is this route rideable in the winter?
Is there enough/any signage to navigate the route or is a gpx download needed?
Any suggestions for a mid ride cuppa?
Thanks
In reply to captain flash heart..
Yeah I do it on my gravel bike as its my commute home 🙂
In reply to El Vino
I'll probably do the Ride It, but I already ride those routes.. 🙂
It’s a nice ride from Wareham to Brockenhurst, as long as the chain ferry is running!
Polite request: show us your Autumnal pics of Hampshire to remind me of what the countryside looks like. Thanks.
Just up the way from Flash Towers on Monday morning.
Thanks you CFH, very Autumnal indeed!
It's all very crunchy at the moment!
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4822/31014070027_1160af05fb_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4822/31014070027_1160af05fb_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/PfBdvi ]IMG_0827[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/94816327@N08/ ]James Fabian[/url], on Flickr
Nice pics! always an exciting time of year to be riding sunken trails round me - inches deep in beech leaves and beech nuts, or Sweet chestnut leaves and casings. what's underneath? sticks? stones? roots? rocks? large, slick logs at an slight angle to the path? Dog eggs?
A few of my regular routes stray into Hampshire. Here's a couple from near Grayshott:
Starting to feel properly wintry out there in the past couple days. Roll on the other kind of crispy!
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And as summer was particularly special, here's a couple from near Winchester in August
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They grow on trees y'know
Jobro- yes that should all be rideable, just a bit puddley and maybe a bit soft in places. Proper gravel riding 😁. I'd definitely recommend a GPS device as the gravel tracks in the enclosures can look very similar and it's easy to take a wrong turn which generally ends in a bog.
There's a great cafe at South Gorley - Hockeys - about half way round, plus plenty of options in Lyndhurst. Although I'd be tempted by any of the pubs you'll pass
Also Jobro - as you're Wareham based- have you tried the Dorset Gravel Dash route? 100 miles so a big day out (or overnight bivvy) or you could cut off the blandford bit to shorten it, but a cracking ride and amazing views!
blimmin heck!
c_g, apologies, autumn and winter above are actually Surrey and W Sussex. Top one is taken from Hampshire, but is Hampshire's view of Surrey. 2 and 3 are both a stone's throw from Hampshire border. I was pretty sure they were both the right side, but no.
No pics today, but a nice bimble around Watership Down World. Lots of folk out and about on bikes, almost all with a cheery hello.
Nice bimble, but I've rarely felt so rubbish on a bike. Just couldn't get it together for some reason.
Home, shower, little snooze by the fire, a hearty roast and I'm all back to normal again!
On Sunday I did a loop from Whichurch, Crux Easton, Beacon Hill, Ladle Hill. and Watership Down. No long distance views, but quite pleasant. I was the old git on an orange Soul ! Thanks to the chap that pointed out a good bit of downhill, which I will do next time.
Whitchurch? Bandit country...!
😉
Some lovely riding around Binley if you're over that way often.
Yes , Coffee and mincepies at St.Mary Bourne shop, then up through Binley. You are not Spooner's friend are you Captain?