Anyone ridden the Winchester end of the SDW recently?

Just how muddy is it? Thinking of trying Winchester to the sustainability centre and back tomorrow.

I live in Meonstoke. Railway line etc is getting dusty! Should be alright now around Meon Springs. Enjoy the food  at the SC, it is excellent!

The railway line is getting dusty!? Finally!

I’ve just been doing laps of 100 acres gravel recently so not been up on to the SDW. My usual loop is BW, Upham, cheesfoot, SDW to Beacon Hill then down to the Bowman for a pint.

Or

Carry on up old Winch hill then back down to Soberton to the White lion.

Every ride had a pub at the end. Do it in reverse and you get the brush in Upham. 😆

I’m more like halfway along the SDW but, yeah, conditions are turning real nice – compared to how it’s been at least!

Have ridden that path a lot recently and I am on summer tyres! So yes doable and mostly dry ish, the odd patch of mud but easy to ride around so go for it.

James

Cool, all sounds positive 👍. Not eaten at the sustainability centre before, think I’ll try that tomorrow.

Took the VC Venta club gravel ride out on Saturday as far as Beacon Hill – there were 35 of us. all completely fine.

Hi Curt, two of us and Border Terrier dismounted our bikes to let you by as you were coming down the path to Northington rd. We were heading to Alresford.

@nixie How did the ride go? SDW both ways, or back via a different route like Meon Valley Trail?

It was a good spin thanks, trails were nice and dry other than the odd puddle. Only slippy bit was up to the sustainability centre as a shower came through half an hour before I got there and left the chalk surface slippy as ****. I went out and back of the SDW. Need to check out the Meon Valley trail but yesterday was on a time limit.

Good to hear, maybe I might finally give a short stretch of the SDW a go this summer on my rigid hybrid, although I’m not sure how the Marathon Supremes would cope even if route was very dry! Ridden past some sections so many times since ’17 on the road bike.