Hampshire Riding

bikebouy ping me an email (in profile) so i can send you the fit file... this shoud do it i hope

😀
Ta.

Anyone interested in this weekend then? 17th works best for me now. Also going to have a play at QECP Thursday and Friday evening

If you're going to be up at Cheesefoot Head, I'll pop along and say 'hi' to you guys. Alas, a shonky body dictates that I'm best riding on my own, boo. 🙁

I can make cheesefoot and would love to be shown the Singletrack CG.

Won't be able to get the file to bikebouy as his email isn't in his profile, and I am now in bude.... The route me and slackalice did was the hants council one so easy enough for someone to plug into a gps.... Have fun this weekend..

Oops, thinkn I did that for a reason..
Changed now...

Still won't be able to send it, currently 200 miles from my computer!

😆

It's a shame that the meet-up didn't happen today. 🙁

I ventured over to Cheesefoot Head and was mortified to see the debris from Boom Town Fair still on the ground. So many tents had been left, there was a lone car parked in the middle of a huge field, scaffolding was still being dismantled and piles of rubbish everywhere.

Still, I was on my way to the gulley (again) and minced my way down there muttering that I should have bought my fs cos then I would have been rad and got stoked. 😉 Onto some secret single track where much fun was had.

Got talking to a guy who'd just started his SDW walk, complete with tent. He'd driven from Folkestone to leave his car at Eastbourne from where he got the train eventually heading for Winchester. Phew!

Nice little woodland pedal followed by a very overgrown recreational trail. The highlight was the sight of a combine harvester doing his thing with various tractors in attendance.

Where did y'all get to then? 🙂

Nephews here, we went crabbing instead 😳

CG where is the gulley? I had an explore around Farley mount but it's so over grown it's not much fun.

Sorry bout that CG. Life got in the way of riding or should I say I binge viewing of the killing in Netflix saw me hit the sack at 4am and awake at 13.00! Ahh the pleasures of having the family away for a a few days 🙂

bikebuoy - you sound a brilliant Uncle and it's great that you've spent time with them. 8)

beesey - everywhere is overgrown and you'll need to be determined to find the gulley! Grid ref is SU 535 303 and you'll start off on a farm track then some ducking and diving (due to low hanging branches) at the entrance to a wood. Just keep following the obvious track, past some decrepit machinery then you should see a bridleway sign on the left that's actually just in front of a house.

Fight your way through there and continue following the obvious track through the wood. Just as the double track turns off and descends into the wood, continue in the same direction you've been riding and that is still the bridleway. Soon you'll come to the gulley and just follow that to the end, which is a minor road in Ovington.

Strongly advise you to wear full body cover and wait for dry conditions. It was quite slippery in there today.

john - no problem, enjoy the peace and quiet. 🙂

Anybody fancy a ride tomorrow?

Late notice I know but the stars have aligned and I've a rare day with no work or childcare commitments. I'm based in Hillhead and will be carless tomorrow. Currently planning to head up to the SDW via the Meon Valley disused railway line, turn right and head to QECP for lunch and a lap. I may cheat a little on the way back and cut through some lanes, dependent on how my legs are holding up, but will ultimately head back via the Meon Valley again. Anyone care to join me for some or all of this ride? Pace will (of necessity) be fairly steady!

Alternatively if anyone has any better route ideas I'm open to suggestions.

Hi Tallie,
Me and John did that route on Sunday (and got drenched riding back up Butser Hill), unfortunately I've got work so can't join in tomorrow.
Do you live in Hillhead?
I'm only in Stubbington and regularly go out riding with John weeknights and on Sundays.
Send me an email if you fancy a ride another time.
cheers
Mark

Mark,

Yes I do - I'll drop you a line.

Cheers

Tallie

We call that gully 'rear mech alley' total of 3 mechs wrecked in the last 2 visits!

Mark you are such a tart! I leave the country for two weeks and you just move on to the next one! 🙂

Damn I've been rumbled.
I honestly didn't realise they had the internet where you were going.
Just trying to find someone to talk to on the climbs 😆

Brambles look disappointing - not ready yet and very small. Boo. 🙁

How are the hedgerows near you folk?

Git!

No brambles here CG but lots of blue sky and sunshine 🙂

Can i just say its fantastic that this thread is up to 24 pages, having become quite disillusioned with whats available in hampshire i'm now aware of at least 1 more place to explore (CG's post above su 535 303) tracking strava throws up a route that i'll be heading out on asap.

Cheers All

Hampshire riders are ace

john - I found some that were ripe so I got stuck in. Sorry. 😳 There's a pic a few pages back of the track in question!

Lummox - seek and you will find! At the end of said gulley, turn R onto minor road. At T-junction turn L and follow road with water on both sides. Pub is on L side of RH bend.

At next T-junction you need to pay attention - turn L but immediately cross over at refuge and you should see an embankment to your R. Pretty sure there's a bridleway sign. SU 571 317.

Head up embankment and just keep following the descending track through the trees. There's a minor road at the end so slam on your brakes! SU 573 317.

From here you can head into Tichborne (expensive pub here) then pick up bridleway that'll take you to Gander Down then Cheesefoot Head.

Agreed - Hampshire riders are definitely ace. 😆

Brilliant, pencilled onto the OS map, now to find some free time.

Get out tomorrow as Monday will be pants!

^^^ please be wrong ~ I have to go and recce a group ride on Monday morning for next week. 😥

How are the hedgerows near you folk?

Full to bursting with lovely, lovely fruit! And some lunatic sharp brambles! 😀

Sadly, no riding for me this weekend. Missed out today, but did get to see the Red Arrows from my front door with a refreshing beer! Then, off to the US tomorrow for a day trip. Oh joy. 🙁

Paperclip convention ?

CG not sure if I should post this map (assuming this works) but is this it? going to head out and find it on a nicer day
[img] [/img]

Yes beesey, that's the one. 🙂

I'm around this weekend if anyone fancies a Hack from Hamble. I'll be on the CX 😀

i was thinking about stitching together a ride from cliddesden to alton and back as suggested by hantsnightrider a few pages back... if the boss says i'm allowed out to play after work on saturday

Allthepies, go long on staplers. 😉

I wish. But I am still,tied up sunning myself in Menorca so bike freedom is yet another weekend away:-(

To be fair the sun and lack of work do make up for it a little 🙂

Not sure if this has been posted before but thought it might be useful, you can also use it to report problems and it's pretty good for route planning.

http://maps.hants.gov.uk/rowreporting/default.aspx

Cheers beesy, sun is still shining g here 🙂 only 1 day left 🙁

a ride from cliddesden to alton and back

*Watches with interest...*

Had a lovely spin along the road from Cliddesden to Dummer the other day. Glorious.

Am hoping for a change in work circs sometime fairly soon, and so normal riding timings should be able to resume. Will see how it goes.....

Sorry CFH didn't manage it, but the route is sound... Just too bloody nackered after work. Did however do a really good night ride from Hatch on Thursday... A circular route from hatch to the Hambledon oil fields and back. Absolutely brilliant, especially the bit where a tawney owl flew into our light beams, landed and waited till we were only a couple of meters away before taking off. Some of the ride was interesting as the woods have had a harvester through... Looks like a nuclear waste land, with no discernable trail! Still managed to get back to the hatch by 10 for a well earned wainwright's B-)

Hurrah, pleased that this thread has appeared again. 🙂

How lucky to see a tawny owl and to have been so close. 😀 Were you in Weston Common?

I managed a tiny pootle yesterday and had a stand-off with a sparrowhawk who was sitting on top of a fence post. This lady in black must have scared him off as he flew away into the distance. Wonderful sight. 8)

yes, weston common/closedown wood was where the harvester had been, ended up having to pick up the footpath round the outside, luckily this proved to be an awsome piece of singletrack! the owl was somewhere on the Long Lane, along with flocks of sleeping partridge...
glad you are feeling better...

Interesting ride out with big Shep tonight. One split hope hub for him and a damaged stansion for me, expensive ride 🙁

Still despite the issues it was the first ride for over two weeks due to the holidays and at least my damage didn't stop me getting round the full route, unlike Marks.

Anyone been on the new blue route yet? We heard today that's it's rather fast and good fun.

Does anyone here know where the start of the new blue trail is at QECP?

If you continue along the South Downs Way trail which passes the zig zag berms on your left, take the trail to the right where it forks off which leads down to Halls Hill car park. The new start should be on the level part of this trail on the left just before it starts to decend. There is a bench nearby over looking the view with a statue of a lamb or sheep.

Thanks Ben

Who else was in the Hampshire Bowman last night?

Wish I had been, quality ales in there.

Awe not me, going tonight though 😀

I fell off today, landed hard on my face and sporting a black eye and two large rashes on my cheek 😆

That's what you get whilst in CX hack training 8)

We'll that's another day of CX training done, Hampshires looking bloody lovely as usual and I've seen less brambles and nettles this last week.
I may have annoyed a lovely family pooling out on bikes with my 22 reps of a steep hill whilst timing myself, thought I'd catch a quiet morning with no one around but nope, so sorry about that.

The Bowman was ace as usual, sat outside having supper and a beer in amongst the deep red sunset rolling over the South South Downs..

Aannnnd rest 😆

Quick recovery from your off bikebuoy! Respect for 22 reps, sounds painful. 😯

Feeling a bit guilty for disturbing 4 fallow hinds on a bridleway plus a million and one partridge lacking in common sense. Found some delicious brambles but exercised self-restraint by keeping to a single figure. 😀

Yeah, Hampshire's looking pretty lovely right now. 8)

Off for a point to point tomorrow. Top of the Test to the Wallops for a spot of lunch then back in time for [s]tea and medals[/s] a few beers.

If anyone's at a loose end, I should be passing through Whitchurch at some time around 1000.....

😉

I might venture to QECP one night this week for some night riding fun. I'm an irregular visitor to Hampshire and didn't know the new blue had opened.

The Wallops is a really pleasant area, have fun! 😀

Rode the new blue this evening, bit twitchy in parts with the loose new surface but good fun. Had a bit of a navigational error as we missed out the new drops. If anyone can explain where we went wrong that would be great

The new drops are very near the start of the Blue singletrack about 100m in from where it starts after the top of the new climb. They are not yet part of the trail, but you can't really miss them.

[url= http://app.strava.com/activities/194554033 ]http://app.strava.com/activities/194554033[/url]

[IMG] [/IMG]

I know what you mean about the surface - it's not too bad, but on a couple of the downhill corners it's a bit sketchy... I'll speak to the guys as you can carry a fair bit of speed into those corners and both have something to collide with if you drift too wide.

Ahhh I see thanks bartimus, we were expecting them as part of the trail so were not looking anywhere else.

Thanks for the comments CG, much apreciated.

I am sporting the "unshaven" and rugged image today 😆

One thing I have noticed, we have a a few really rather excellent sunsets of late... 8)

So ... *when* the new cx/roadie steed arrives it may be taken off road but I can't think of where would be suitable, apart from the Test Way which would necessitate a beer in the Mayfly.

Any double track, gentle gravel etc in Hampshire?

Depends where you want to go and how long a ride - I can easily do over an hr in Alver Valley without breaking out for cake 😉

Wot??? No cake to be found in the Alver Valley???

😀

Oh - trust me there's cake CG 😉
And it has a cracking view of the sea 25mts away 🙂

[url= https://www.google.co.uk/maps/ @50.8010296,-1.173285,2219m/data=!3m1!1e3]Here[/url]

And cake [url= https://www.google.co.uk/maps/ @50.7863035,-1.1692112,132m/data=!3m1!1e3]Here[/url]

@bikebouy 22 reps of the same climb make me happy I am enjoying a different branch of the sport !

I was going to check out new trails etc at QECP at the weekend but in the end drove by and enjoyed some the driest conditions I've experienced in the Surrey Hills for quite a while. I trust QECP was running fast too.

hammy - ah, quite civilised then. 😆

Well it IS Lee on Solent 😉

I did a couple of laps of Red at QECP last weekend on the CX. It was running bloomin nice when I went.
I tend to stick to the less rutted tracks, bit poncy I know but I can still hack along nicely.
Out back over the top's where I normally play, much more through the trees and loooong uphill drags, less roots and less MTB'ers 😆

Alver Valley, well blimey, Browndown? I know it rather well. Then up through the bird sancuary towards Rowner?

CG, if you get the oportunity, it really is a great place to pootle around. Lots of gravel roads, great Sustrans route from Gosport (you could catch the train to Pompey, cross P'mth harbour on the ferry) then through to Warsash (via Hook) and pop on the pink ferry and head through Netley Marshs on the old railway lines, head back into Sotty and catch the train home..

Make a day of it.. 😀

Tend not to bother with Browndown as it's "technically" in private hands now.
Alver - the full MOD area, past the Pump track, Apple Dumpling Bridge, Cherque farm, etc keeps you going for ages - a full 8 miles the other morning without really repeating myself!

So ... *when* the new cx/roadie steed arrives it may be taken off road but I can't think of where would be suitable, apart from the Test Way which would necessitate a beer in the Mayfly.

You're paying then 🙂

Any double track, gentle gravel etc in Hampshire?

Fair bit around Vernham, top end of the Bourne valley. And whilst it's over the border and therefore cheating, Salisbury Plain is going to see a lot of me and a Tripster once I've finished with the kitchen. And building the tripster.

My legs is hurtings!

From the top of the Test, over to the Wallops for lunch, and then back. Lovely riding, only a little bit of road around Whitchurch.

Passing the Plannies here;
[img] [/img]

Arms are pock marked from the brambles, legs are gently tingling from the nettles. Feels good!

So ... *when* the new cx/roadie steed arrives it may be taken off road

Erm, I may be about to enter a new niche in that area....(Preview post here, pending potential purchase! Details may, or may not follow....!)

Any double track, gentle gravel etc in Hampshire?

Cfh... Any chance of a gpx of that route? Been thinking that a trip to Whitchurch is in order.... And would it be doable in the dark? I seem to be only riding at night atm... No sign of fangs yet and I still like garlic 😀

Any chance of a gpx of that route?

Oi be old skool! Maps and ting. 😉

However....For the night -
Out of Oakley, NW towards North Oakley, then up towards Walkeridge Farm. Across the top of Cannon Heath Down, then due South at the top, down towards Robley Belt. Right on to the road, then due South towards OVerton, with Willesley Warren Farm to your left. Left on to the Harrow Way, back across the 3051 North of Overton, then head to the North of Ashe Warren House back to the bridleway towards Oakley. Nice little loop, that. No gnar, but lovely riding with very little road.

Ah... Tbf I've only recently converted to gps... But it's great!

So ... *when* the new cx/roadie steed arrives it may be taken off road but I can't think of where would be suitable, apart from the Test Way which would necessitate a beer in the Mayfly.

You're paying then 🙂

Any double track, gentle gravel etc in Hampshire?

Fair bit around Vernham, top end of the Bourne valley. And whilst it's over the border and therefore cheating, Salisbury Plain is going to see a lot of me and a Tripster once I've finished with the kitchen. And building the tripster.

EDIT: Wooooooah, 24 hour double post. Maybe a new record 😀

Thanks for route suggestions chaps. 😀

brassneck - would rather have the mtb in Vernham but do agree with your suggestion of Salisbury Plain. When I lived in Wiltshire had a lovely loop that did include some singletrack until 'maintenance' was carried out. Started off from Redhorn Hill, dropped into the valley then back again onto the Plain. It was frequently a lonely route in a vast area and perfect for my ss especially if it was breezy and raining! Loads of options for extending too.

First ride will be to the Mayfly to terrify the customers! 😆

Cap'n - [b]the[/b] Plantations that's discussed on here? That track looks grim but guessing that's erosion?

When will your new niche be divulged then? IIRC the Harrow Way used to get trashed by mx'ers, is that still the case?

The Plain is ideal especially with my Stan's Gravel rims. 😀

When will your new niche be divulged then? IIRC the Harrow Way used to get trashed by mx'ers, is that still the case?

Once I finally make my mind up and/or pull in a favour or two from the manufacturer!

The Harrow way section above Whitchurch/Overton is lovely at the moment, there's the grrrrrrravel option, obviously, but some great snaking, natural singletrack running either side of it as well. Well worth seeking out! If you're planning a trip over any time soon, do let me know! 😀

The Plain is ideal especially with my Stan's Gravel rims.

Did you get them locally?

Hi guys,

Just curious, does anyone know why there is a huge log left in the middle of the trail on the SDW between The Milburys PH and Holden Farm? It's just as your approaching the farm if your heading for Winchester..

[[URL= http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg521/benmotogp46/imagejpg1_zpsd55a343e.jp g" target="_blank">http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg521/benmotogp46/imagejpg1_zpsd55a343e.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

[quote=CaptainFlashheart]The Harrow way section above Whitchurch/Overton is lovely at the moment, there's the grrrrrrravel option, obviously, but some great snaking, natural singletrack running either side of it as well.

+1 was along there on Saturday.. perfectly damped down at the moment..

[quote=benmotogp46]Just curious, does anyone know why there is a huge log left in the middle of the trail on the SDW between The Milburys PH and Holden Farm?

I would hazard a guess at stopping green-laners and / or rural theft access..