Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)
  • Shipwrights Way – Bentley to Portsmouth – anyone done it?
  • burko73
    Full Member

    Hi there, a few of us from work are fancying doing the Shipwrights way from Bentley Station to Portsmouth.

    Anyone done it? We’d probably look to do it over 2 days stopping somewhere either in a pub or somewhere we can ditch our campervans about half way.

    Fitness levels are variable as are bikes. Range of bikes from retro MTB’s to cross bikes.

    Is it worth a trip? What’s the scenery like? Some here suggest it just meanders through Bordon etc and isn’t that inspiring?

    Any suggestions of places to stop or a good pub for dinner/ beer etc at the end of the first day.

    It seems logical to me to do it North to South ending up in Pompey.

    Any help gratefully received.

    ninfan
    Free Member

    I can’t help but feel that it was all for nothing,

    They started off with the best of intentions, a predominantly off road route, did the first section from Bentley to Bordon… and then sort of gave up, and just drew lines along stretches of relatively quiet roads because it all seemed too difficult to sort out.

    The stretch from QECP to Finchdean being a prime example

    burko73
    Full Member

    oh.

    have you ridden it then?

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    jambalaya
    Free Member

    I think @bikebouy has, some of it at least

    bikebouy
    Free Member

    I’ve done it all, on the CXer and in an afternoon..

    It’s really easy, you can’t get lost on it but I’d advise you take an OS map or GPS with the route on. Only one “difficult” bit on the whole route and it’s only because it’s not marked, and that’s the section near Liss Forest where tracks criss cross the open moorland. Some lovely views, forgotten lanes and tracks that are well hidden from anyone. Lovely section down the old railway line which runs along a brook, it’s worth stopping off to spot the sculptures that mark the route too.

    Lovely day out, not sure about 2 days but I guess if you take it really leisurely it’ll be a nice pootle.

    Can’t help with accom but you do go through some small villages, maybe lucky in one of them.

    Here’s the Hants.Gov site incl map and GPX file.
    Hants Gov, Shipwrights Way

    dovebiker
    Full Member

    Ridden it quite a few times but the signposting is still incomplete and the routing around Bordon is rubbish IMO – best to get a map and find your own way. There’s nothing really technical and most of the trail after QECP is tarmac and an MTB is probably overkill. The route between Conford and Liss Forest is a mess due to forestry work – from Conford I’ve been using the track around Woolmer ranges towards Greatham, cross the A3 onto Longmoor Ranges to pick up the trail at Liss Forest. There’s cafes at Petersfield, QECP, Rowland’s Castle and Hayling Island. Havant is pretty grim tho. Not sure it merits a 2-day ride – I include it in a loop to QECP, SDW to pick-up the Downslinks at Steyning and then Northdowns Way back to Farnham, Bentley.

    theboyneeds
    Free Member

    Done it a few times on cx and mtb. Nice enough route although the last section is crappy now the Hayling Island ferry doesn’t run. You might want to divert at Rowlands Castle and head for the Witterings and the Salterns Way for the last stretch. It’s a much nicer place to end up.

    Or alternatively keep on the Portsmouth and jump across to the IoW for some lovely xc riding.

    Definitely take a map or a gps with the route on it. Large stretches seem to have no signage! And don’t be tempted by the shortcut bridal way in Greatham, its a flippin bog.

    andyg1966
    Full Member

    Hayling Island ferry doesn’t run

    Its seems to have reopened, think Branson was involved somehow

    Linky

    corroded
    Free Member

    Interested to know how easy it is to get to the IoW ferry port from Hayling Island now? We have plans to ride the Shipwrights down to the Portsmouth, do a lap of the Isle of Wight and back on the train at Portsmouth. But if it’s a PITA now the Hayling ferry has stopped.
    I’ve done it down to Havant and it’s a breeze, definitely not two day’s worth of riding, unless you stop at the Harrow for a session.

    corroded
    Free Member

    Hooray for that! Big day out is back on.

    m0rk
    Free Member

    Hayling Ferry opened up again today…

    theboyneeds
    Free Member

    Yay! Good news. I’ll have to ride again now!

    TheGingerOne
    Full Member

    Hayling Ferry runs every 40 mins, but is something like £5.50. I’d have said you are better to just divert from Havant and head along the cyclepath along the side of the A27 and then along the Eastern Road into Portsmouth rather than going all the way onto Hayling Island and catching the ferry, unless you really want to!

    burko73
    Full Member

    cheers folks. we thought an afternoon start, pub tea, stopover and then on next day. might extend with IOW and then on to yarmouth-lymington which is nr home.

Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)

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