Hampshire Riding

One of my favourite Tuesday night rides that bit CG.

Particularly fun in the dark.

My description would be start at the gravel path at CH where the water tank is, head down the hill and about half a mile is on the left there is a BW, think there is a finger post or maybe jsut a stumpy post with a blue BW square. That goes down to the tree line and turns right then follow that up a steep hill after a steel portacabin (shooting lodge) past another water tanker, down and up, down and up to the road. Straight over there then follow the BW but look out for a left turn and take that and pedal for all your worth and enjoy the ride..

Then at the end turn right, go over the A272 and follow the road round to Upham for a pint of Punter in the Brushmakers arms….

i’ll be there tonight :-)

Having just sat down with my os map and a pencil, it’s suddenly dawned on me where that was- I think a long time ago you did a group ride and I nabbed some of the route to explore, lovely bit of track – tailed an owl flying down it once.

In return I’ll post some dh style trails that some of you might have not had a play on, they’re in military training land ‘danger areas’ so check for the red flags before going

503275 head n
Follow trail across field to tree line head right heading along field edge to right and wooded area to left

Approx 506276 there will be an obvious chalk ramp up and over the fence. The trail starts in the copse to your right and terminates back on the bridle way you were originally on. There’s a couple of options on way down and nothing harder than you’d find at qecp, just shorter.

I’ve not been for about 3 months but I did a bit of trail clearance then and apart from them being chalk they’re good to ride.

Test valley tour this weekend, what are the conditions like in collingbourne woods at the moment. I still using trail rakers on the hard tail and as I’m local to the route so I’m assuming the woods are a little sticky too. Would like to get the full sus out but it has summer rubber that’s prone to clogging.

I was in Collingbourne on Sunday, I didn’t do any of the singletrack but the bridleway was very wet and there is more rain predicted for Saturday. With the logging in the top of the woods and the windfall in the bottom I don’t suppose this year will see it at its best. I would still be riding it but the date clashes with the Durrington triathlon my wife is in.

Does this help?

Got out along the Harroway to Basingstoke and back this evening.. things are starting to dry up a bit!

Had a bit of an explore of Bull’s Bushes Copse – some nice bits of singletrack (bet they’re great in the dry!), didn’t fancy the ‘dirt’ jumps though!

Anyone regularily leave their bikes at Farnborough Main? you reckon it’d be reet over a weekend??

Anyone regularily leave their bikes at Farnborough Main? you reckon it’d be reet over a weekend??

I wouldn’t risk it. Plenty of thefts from there unfortunately.

safer at Waterloo you think? safety in numbers?

No idea about Waterloo, sorry.

What sort of bike are you talking about? A non-descript commuter well locked-up will probably be ok at Farnborough unless you are unlucky (my cheap Pinnacle hybrid has been for the past year or so, but that’s Mon-Fri).

But if it’s anything nice, I wouldn’t. Found a girl searching folornly for her bike a couple of months ago, couldn’t do much to help her except make sure she had an alternative method of getting home safely.

Likewise a poorly secured bike, even if it is plainly an ancient wreck (like my Dawes MTB, which probably injured whoever stole it from the station).

Judging by the number of police information leaflets, notices, frame-stamping campaigns etc at Farnborough station, its clearly a big problem there.

Lots of bikes left at Waterloo, lock-up areas inside and on the platforms (safer I suppose). Most bikes I see there are pretty cheap and nasty though.

its an aging but pristine cannondale road bike, with a few shiny new bits and fresh wheels so have decided against it…ive managed to lend it to someone at work for the weekend. found an article where some bloke lost two bikes in week at Fboro main! and he snapped the lock key for a third bike one day so turned up with an angle grinder to free it – says nobody batted an eyelid!

Well I’m not at home again this weekend so have fun in the Downs you lot.

I’m hacking the Nocturne in London then off to do Raphas “Hell of the North” on Sunday..

Woooflippinhooo

And MrsBouys away for a whole week too! Yay!!! :lol:

I predict a week of beer and curry rehab

Test valley tour this weekend, what are the conditions like in collingbourne woods at the moment

It’s a mudfest. Logging ops earlier this on the usual route meant most of it resembled a skate park once it’d dried out. It’ll be wet now!

I got around OK on Racing Ralphs Wednesday evening, but it was still very wet all around the area.

Still at least the rain will have cleaned up what the flooding left behind on the barbecue/parking field :-)

Well that rain will certainly have returned various wooded areas to the mess that they were a few months ago. Let’s hope it all drys up quickly, I want to get the darn mudguards off the bike once and for all.

Went for a pootle down wickham railway and into Bere Forest this afternoon with my daughter. I was amazed how muddy it was, went out in my non riding denim shorts ( hot pant style obv) and my new Morvello tshirt stayed reasonably clean due to mudguards until trying to load bikes back onto car and got the new shirt filthy :-( when will it all dry out??

Ooooooh, getting behind!

Steelsreal – spot on. :-)
Lummox – yes, we did that section on an excellent Forum ride.
HantsNightRider – yes, thank you. 8)

Excellent ride today but, blimey, it was really muddy in places. :|

Spent a good part of the day sorting the garden out and doing tip runs. The boy decided he wanted to help and was so funny as he spent all his time telling me about the value of hard work etc etc and how good we would feel when we had finished all this hard work :-)

Persuaded the family to join me at QECP late afternoon and I had a couple of runs down the section of th red which hasn’t been destroyed by the logging activity. Still really muddy in places unfortunately but enough dry sections to get some speed up and have some fun :-)

Just been out for a gentle 10 miler with mrsvader… first time she has been out on her bike in over a year… she is already feeling it in her leg muscles :twisted:

The rocket is being dropped off at the bike shop tonight to have its new dropper seat post fitted! Exciting times:-)

@john back in time for the weekend ? I should be riding Saturday and up for a quick trip to QECP, early is OK.

I had a quick spin on Sunday, actually quite fun in/around woods near Netley. I do think I need to get out more as I was quite easily pleased, anything remotely downhill was a joy. Strange mix of mud and suffering from the heat.

Does anyone know any good bits around Lyndhurst way? Is there anything other than boring bridleways?

Plython, I think you are close to Moors Valley so you have a single track section I. There which is twisty and fun if you give it some we’ll but almost totally flat. There is the skills area there as well which has a load of berms and jumps with some north shore, that’s a bit more fun. Other than that I am afraid I don’t know anywhere else sorry.

Jambalaya- yes will pick it up Friday evening or Saturday morning depending on what time I get home from Brum. If I am home to pick it up Friday evening then I am available sat am early. Failing that I am free sat evening and Sunday am and evening.

Plython, I think you are close to Moors Valley so you have a single track section I. There which is twisty and fun if you give it some we’ll but almost totally flat. There is the skills area there as well which has a load of berms and jumps with some north shore, that’s a bit more fun. Other than that I am afraid I don’t know anywhere else sorry.

Yes you are right, i’ve ridden both a few times, but it’s a 20 min drive from where I live. Lyndhurst is a short cycle away which is great to get out for all day XC rides but it’s all so flat and boring!

Lordswood up the road is good fun, but again about a 20 minute drive.

Hey guys now I’ve moved to Hampshire I can start exploring. Is there any single track west of winchester? I found Farley mount but all I could find was boggy bridle ways not really what I had in mind! Am I missing some hidden trials?

Welcome to Hampshire! There used to be a little fun descent off Beacon Hill which is to the W of Farley Mount. Haven’t been there for donkeys though.

If you want single track then QEP is your best bit.

Thanks CG ill pop out and explore later

beesey – check out the map posted at the top. Although it’s not single track there’s some fun trails with a great descent through the woods.

beesey, the descent off Beacon Hill is I think the one on this ride… it’s the only time I’ve ridden Farley Mount, but that bit down the Clarendon Way, and then the climb back up were really good.

For other info on East Hants and West Sussex riding check out Kingley Vale Mountain Bikers and the QECP Trail Collective[/url].

There’s loadsa singletrack round Lyndhurst, more pedally and trialsy than gravity assisted though. Oh and it’ll all be cheeky. Still better than trying to get in and out of there in a car at the weekend.

These are very good for xc riding but don’t expect much waymarking:

http://www3.hants.gov.uk/cycling/cycle-trails.htm

Kimbridge Farm Shop – is it any good? Importantly do they sell home-made steak pies?

Any other good farm shops that I need to know about?

Thanks. :-)

frogstomp, The Harrow Way is local for me, too. Where are you based?

CG, for farm shops, try Jody’s place at Laverstoke. Hmmmmmm, buffalo! For steak pies, have a look in the fridges at Robinson’s in Stockers. Had one from T&T the other day which wasn’t up to the standard of the rest of their lovely stuff.

Also, news for CG and others around these parts – The Bullington Cross wind farm plans have been rejected. Wooooooo!

Found the bit of singletrack you posted CG was a nice little ride followed by a pub lunch in owslebury. Bought an OS map today to make exploring a bit easier.

The Strava Global Heatmap is quite useful for spotting trails… or at least it was when the Veloviewer OS map overlay was working. One other useful tool, if you ride with a GPS, is the Strava Flyby viewer[/url], which allows you to see everyone (on Strava) who you bumped into on your ride – and where they went… it’s a little bit like ‘cyberstalking’, but it can be useful. And of course if you have a local Strava Club you can share routes/rides with other people.

Cap’n – yes, excellent news that wind farms have been rejected. :D Re pies – the last two I’ve had from Laverstoke have contained bits of gristle. I thought that only happened in Gregg’s. :wink:

Will check out Stockbridge butcher. Used to have quite a selection of farm shops in Wiltshire and was spoilt for choice.

beesey – glad you enjoyed that trail! You’ll see on the map that there’s loads of rights of way and will give you an idea of the terrain of the Hampshire County Council routes.

I’m just outside of Whitchurch – you? We normally try and get out for a local ride on Thursdays if you’re interested, although not sure about this week with Mayhem prep etc.

Anyone know what conditions around Bentworth/Elisfield/farleigh wallop are like at the moment.

Thinking of a night time ride out in that direction tonight, not been out that way for a good 9 months

thanks in advance

HantsNightRider.