It’s over 20 years since I last rode those tracks!

I feel old. 😳

3 solid days on the Roadie in the Downs for me. I’m steering clear of any trail until it drains off and dries, I’m bored of washing my CX & Niner, so Roadie it will be until…hmm.. June. 😆

I stretched out on Friday, 88miles all in, hacked over to Winny via Upham/Owlesbury then back to Cheriton, Arlesford, Alton, Steep, East Meon, Dundridge, Home. In the main I stuck to the single track lanes, some are remarkably good condition considering others are either potted/rutted/still masquerading as streams/rivers. The further East you go the worse the lanes are, ahh beautiful forgotten East Hants..
Saturday was interval training. Not far from me is a steep ¾’s of a mile climb out of Swanwick and I timed myself hacking up it, did it 15 times in spin mode then dropped down two cogs and dragged my sorry arse up it again 4 times more by which time I was blowing chunks.
Sunday and one of my fave rollouts, 45miles on my Upham/Privett loop. It takes me up to Upham then over the top of the Downs towards Privett and High Cross then back to East Meon then West Meon where I hack over the top and back into Bishops Waltham where I catch the Botley Road and proceed to get squished by fast cars and slow moving trucks, I rather hate that road and despite my best efforts it still takes what seems like an age to ride over it, hey ho it’s the easiest way home. Got caught out in the hail storm, 15 mins and all I got for it was a stinging face.
Back in Shiney Town and it all seems like an a very very long time ago.. 😐

Apologies for the rain and biblical hail, all my fault – put the Racing Ralphs back on Tuesday evening 😀

If it’s any consolation I spent most of my ride on my backside.

Bikebouy, That hailstorm caught me in the middle of rugby training Sunday, was funny seeing us all scatter for cover when there wasn’t really any nearby!

Bradsneck. You are forgiven as you just made me laugh.

So, I wonder if it was someone from here that I spotted on an orange Cotic in Overton earlier today……

I have an orange Cotic but I hope like hell it wasn’t in Overton today as it should be tucked up safely in my garage!

Well, I hope it’s still there!

Nothing looked out of place with this one, though, certainly not one of those “chav on a possibly stolen bike” moments. Hence assuming it would be someone here!

The scene on my garden tables just a few minutes ago. Anyone get caught in this?

And no, it is not a pub garden! 😀

Now that would have hurt if riding in it!

Another lovely cx ride in the Test Valley today with delights that included an 11th century church and a Roman road. Some different roads this time too. Good thing about shonky roads is you don’t get a peleton whizzing past closely.

Drivers were courteous, I tend to wave them through when it’s safe to pass me followed by a thanks signal. Even got a toot toot in appreciation, I think that’s what it was!

About time I went off road …

🙂

Yes CG as nice as the rides sound you need to get back to proper riding 🙂

No riding other than messing around in the garden with the children trying to teach them how to ride out of their seats and manoeuvre the bike. Epic fail there.

Stag do yesterday basically broke me

John – not long now til ‘proper riding’.

Everyone – where are your favourite bluebell woods? 🙂

One near Kendal where I grew up

Everyone – where are your favourite bluebell woods?

Very near to where I was at school. In a county abutting Hampshire in places. And I’m not telling. 🙂

Just up the hill from Dundridge, effectively behind the Hampshire Bowman. It’s a wood that is about 1.5 miles in length across the hill and about 1/2 mile from field to top of the hill. Wild Garlic grows, so too masses of Bluebells.
Then there’s the woods up the Hamble near the Jockey Pub again the woods run all along the river so you get pockets of bluebells in each of the overhanging tree lines, what with that and the shimmering sun shining off the river and it makes for a veritable kaleidoscope of colour.

Gorgeous, just spectacular. 😀

Everyone – where are your favourite bluebell woods?

Ive a few that spring to mind 😀 …

There are area’s in Chawton Park Woods between Four Marks and Beech, that never fail to seduce me, especially in a few weeks when the Beech have sprouted their fresh, vibrant green leaves 😀

Bushey Leaze (or Sleazy B to some 🙂 ) just on the fringe of Alton, has a few area’s too IIRC

There’s also a cheeky and much fun trail off the SDW just west of Harting Down, towards West Harting woods that snakes and twists its sinewy way through a copse brim full of wild garlic and bluebells. Summer time brings 3ft high nettles to the West Harting end of this trail, leaving arms and legs tingling in a pleasure/pain way 🙂

The wild garlic is coming on strong around the village.

There will be soup, oh yes, there will be soup!

And Pesto, please let there be pesto… 😉

Quick run out to QECP this afternoon, it never ceases to amaze me how incredibly unfit I am these days :-). Had a good ride, had a few practice runs on the bit I never get right and got it about as right as I ever have, which was nice!

Trail was running really nicely and I saw a deer once again which always makes me think the same thing each time. “Well if I hadn’t been out here riding I wouldn’t have seen that” those encounters make the pain worthwhile.

Overbiked? Yes, just a little. However, what a glorious day to be out and about! Sneaked in a cheeky couple of hours while Little Miss CFH and Mrs CFH were having an afternoon doze.

Lovely dry and dusty trails, one of those “Oooh, I wonder what’s along this trail here” rides that leads one to new singletrack. Which it did! Then, back home in time for tea and medals.

Well done for getting out chaps! Reckon I know that view up there.^ 🙂

Happy to report that I’m back on the mtb and smiling. Sad to report that after my little ride today I was looking forward to stopping at my newly discovered Cafe in Barton Stacey but, alas, it’s no longer there, BOO. 🙁

CG, sorry to not be able to bring you a bluebell pic from today, not many around sadly.
View should be pretty easy to work out. Looking towards another county, across balding fields below. (Geddit?)

Should really get you up here for a ride, just the sort of trails to bring a smile to the face.

Anyone got any recent experience of The Watership Down at Freefolk? Am poring over maps, and it looks like it might make a decent pint stop on a route around that area. Bike friendly? Beer? Bar snacks? That sort of thing?

Thanks in advance.

Decent LBS ideally in Winchester or Fareham area open today, Easter Friday. Need to get some brake fluid and bleed kit and want to give the business to a good shop. Only have phone so haven’t searched this thread, thanks

BTW will be doing a gentle 2 hour Sat 9-11 ride with a mate who rides occasionally likely Hamble, Botley woods (thanks to @bikebouy), Warsash, Hamble if anyone cares

CFH, not been to the pub in ages but was out over that way on the bike last week and the trails were dry as a statues… and absolutely lovely

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@daft lovely photos, obligatory rendition of “Bright Eyes” ?

Any LBS ideas anyone ?

Singing as I type!!! 🙂 try hargroves in Winchester?

Daftvader, your top photo looks awfully familiar! Local for you?

Jamabalaya, you could try North Hants Bikes. A ‘virtual’ shop these days, I believe, after their recent break in.

Cfh… stood just about 20ft further on from your photo I believe! yup local trails for me one of my longer off road loops, 26ish miles round trip from work, 35ish loop from home….

I lovely evening this evening… bluebells, great light and fast dry trails… PBs on all 3 of the Stoughton DH trails for me!

Jambala apologies i only just saw your post and would have said Hargroves Fareham. Although thanks to me they were one man down for a lot of the day. See hereThread Linky

We’ll I did the Shipwrights Way yesterday, I really enjoyed it. Heading home after a few weeks in London and I was eager to ride dirt. It’s worth doing if you coming South a mix of sustrans and Bridleways which was perfect for my TCX and eager legs..
Looking forward to bouncing my butt over the Downs now on the roadie, awe haaaappppppyyyyy days 😀

Off across the border today, Swinley calls.

Despite my wife suggestion that I may be subjected to a deliverance style assault if i met a stranger from the internet in a wood, or worse they might mug me for my bike! I survived my meeting with Jambalaya and Mark with little more than a few scratches to my calfs.

Lovely bluebells on display and some interesting trails to be found i think. A few too many trees were blocking the trails today to get any real idea of what these woods could be like but we saw signs that riders have been in before and created some stuff.

Good to meet you Jambalaya and hopefully get out again somewhere soon.

Something of interest for those looking for a ride out on the 27th April: The Houghton Trail 32k Cycle Ride. It is a charity cycle ride around the Test Valley which uses the Test Way and has a couple of interesting climbs included.

If you would all excuse me for a moment so i can have a rant in the privacy of our Hampshire thread.

@@@***!!! england @@!??>> roads@@??”” cars @£$*&^ children’s safety @£$%$£ unable to get to a place i would love my children to ride because the roads are unsafe and you can’t park close enough. @!%$£@! Wan$£@!

There, fed up and frustrated as I got all the bikes loaded up and promised the children a new ride in some woods and just couldn’t get close enough to make a safe entry.

OK rant over, as you were 🙂

That’s a shame… ^^

However I had a couple of hours early this morning before the monsoon hit and went out after Amstel Gold when the rain stopped..

All good. 😀

Johnj, where was that? and has anyone ridden in micheldever woods?

I blame you Bikebouy, it was Botley Woods trying to get in from the titchfield lane side. Went there yesterday and it’s perfect for the kids to ride but on arrival i realised that the parking was at least 400m from the entrance and along the hideous road that no one abides by the 40mph speed limit and no footpath. Not good for a 9 and 6yr old.

Is there an entrance that you can actually get to without dying Bikebouy? No problem with me on my own but really want to get the kids in there for a play.

Never been in Micheldever woods sorry Daftvader.

and has anyone ridden in micheldever woods?

I have but you’re not supposed to. Bluebells will be fantastic and really must pop up there. 🙂

There’s bridleways in the wood opposite though.