Parking in Portsmouth, bike packing on the IOW

as the ferry terminal is down a ramp right at the end of the train terminal parking your car (for free?) in the environs of a nearby station and training in might be an option

we did a bikepacking thing on the IoW for the weekend and left the car in a standard car park near to the ferry and spent most of the time wondering if it would still be there, because Portsmouth 🙂

We used Justpark, when we left cars for a week while touring in france. Try this? Our space was actually up in cosham, it's only a 20 minute ride

haha - I remember as a kid parking in Portsmouth and visiting IoW on the ferry.
dad gave a some local kids a couple of quid to 'watch' the car, somethings never change.

Unless I've missed the date again and see riders' Strava activity after they've done it, I think the Randonnee is coming up soon...

Yep, 5th May, ironically knowing in advance when I'm in no shape to try it.

https://www.cycleisland.co.uk/

Used to work at the uni and parked here weekday office hours - I assume it's still free in the car park and one side of Bradford Rd

(I wouldn't be leaving a fancy car or any valuables in it overnight, mind)

(oh, and IIRR it has a height barrier, so maybe not a van)

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Romsey/ @50.7947573,-1.0803503,72m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x48738a467a935321:0x921d2f3be7c06e5f!8m2!3d50.98893!4d-1.49658!16zL20vMDE4MHF3!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu

But more importantly any self respecting bike packer gets the hovercraft? Potentially easier parking too, plenty of residential streets east and a quick whizz along the esplanade.

I think I’ll try justpark and investigate the hover craft 😄

There's a couple of places considerably less than an hour or so of easy pedalling away with wider streets with no restrictions depends how nice your car is / how precious you are. Won't post publicly as a couple are near home but drop me a PM if you like.

Midday on a sunny Saturday bank holiday I suspect you're gambling on finding a space opposite the terminal as that's a natural overspill for Gunwharf.

There's a fairly large capacity car park just over the road from the hovercraft terminal, you can pay in the terminal booking office when you buy your ticket. I've never not managed to find a space there.

“ because Portsmouth 🙂”
Indeed. ‘94 Lava Dome stolen from the car* while we had a mooch around HMS Victory on our way to France. It ruined the holiday. Thirty years on and I’m still bitter.

*Bike was locked to the rack, they just cut the rack off. (Lovely dark green Lava Dome with Manitou forks. Insurance paid out and I got a Cindercone instead, but it wasn’t the same. First love and all that. Hey ho, it was just a bike).

We normally park at the Lymington ferry terminal and cross from there, about £11/day and never had an issue with a space even on the day of an event (Seven Hills, or a Glorious Gravel ride). But it depends if Freshwater is where you want to be once you get to the IoW?

I’ve planned from Ryde and booked camping on that side

Where are you coming from? Never not been able to park in the car park opposite the hovercraft terminal, but a) it's a bank holiday and b) looks like it's the randonee? That may also mean lots of bikes and there's limited space for bikes on both the hovercraft and the passenger ferry (more so on the Hover).

I haven’t had any trouble booking bikes on the fast ferry. I have clicked through to pay yet but space seems ok

Just booked here

https://portsmouth.apcoa.co.uk/

No more than a drive on Parkup

While you're on the island, I'd suggest a visit to Chessell Pottery for some amazing cakes (they do great brunch/lunch food too).

You can park at Gunwharf for multiple days, not the cheapest option though

We go past there on day 2 🙂

I've spent some time riding over there and visiting, so here are a broader set of recommendations. Not sure where else you'll be heading to on your trip but other good places for food include.

East:

• Dell Cafe, Seaview (not far from Ryde) - for cakes and light bites at the beach
• Duver Cafe, Bembridge - light snacks right on the harbour
• Yarbridge Inn, Yarbridge - traditional pub with good food
• Salix Cafe, Small Hope Beach - beach side cafe with good lunch options

Central:

• Garlic Farm, Newchurch - bit touristy but good for ice-creams, cake, lunches
• Pointer Inn, Newchurch - traditional pub with good food/portions
• Taverners, Godshill - pub/restaurant with good food
• White Lion, Niton - another great food pub
• Briddlesford Farm, Briddlesford - good cooked breakfasts and other food

West:

• Chessell Pottery, Chessell - mentioned above but the cakes are amazing
• Piano Cafe, Freshwater - cakes and coffee and light bites
• Freshwater Coffee House, Freshwater - good coffees
• The Red Lion, Freshwater/Yarmouth - nice pub/food near to the estuary
• Off the Rails, Yarmouth - coffee, cakes and good food in a converted railway station

Others:

• Cowes - lots of places to turn up and try
• Newport - biggest town on the island so a wide selection of options - Cafe Issola is recommended but I haven't been

I've used the public car park opposite the hover terminal several times for weekend trips to the iow. Very easy and no issues to date.  The hover craft also gets you into central Ryde which for me, is preferable to Fishbourne.

Just Park has been excellent. Used it many times for finding parking in London.

We normally park at the Lymington ferry terminal and cross from there

Having done both crossings (and Southampton) Lymington would be my choice, only downside is Yarmouth isn't as nice as Ryde to start from (IMO).

But if you're going to be on the IOW for several days it doesn't really matter where you cross does it, you're going to see the whole island.