Hampshire Riding

Garage dweller- I have been staying clear of the red first section as it's tough enough going up in the dry never mind the wet. May give it a go this weekend based on your experience, I normally start on the blue and then do a cpl of mini loops round the central red/blue section and then finish on the 2nd half of the red which is a lot less prone to bogginess.

Had a ride at Avon Tyrrell this afternoon, pump track was fun but the red loop wasn't up to much, definitely not worth the drive (lamb pie and a beer in Burley was though).
I think I'll be able to make it to the New Force ride on Sunday, I'll be on a black On One Lurcher, so say hello if you see me.

Early morning road ride for me tomorrow. Need to be back for breakfast and then try and get 4-5 hours of studying in as well as some time with the children. When I finish these exams I will not know what to do with myself!

Local loop through Bere Forest today with my daughter. First time out for her on a 26er after moving up from 24, she did great. Probably helps that it's a carbon frame and she weighs a lot less than me but she sailed through the boggy stuff whilst I trudged through it. Really enjoyed it, lng ride with BigShep tomorrow, I know not where.

QECP & Head down yesterday were riding well.
Was going to be a downs CX bike ride today but QE was in such good condition yesterday we're going there again, session some of the Head down stuff with the wife to get her eye in on the steeper stuff ready for the D&N Enduro.

JohnJ, there are some really nice little bits of singletrack in Bere/100 Acres running parallel to Rookesbury Park caravan site. I tend to avoid the place in the winter as its so muddy though! Nice loop or two in there for a cheeky evening ride once the dog walkers are gone though.

Might try and get some of QECP in during the long ride today Mattbee, may see you, what bike should we look out for?

Me and the missus in a pair of Transition Bandits, hers grey & mine red!

I did the CX SDW sting today over Duncton and the SDW is running hard and dry, forests too but in some of the bomb holes it's a bit gloopy.
Lovely hack has to be said.
8)

Really pleased that this thread is still going. 🙂 Alas I've moved out of Hampshire and haven't been on a bike for 5 weeks, or is it 6?

Just on the off chance that anyone's interested, Imber Church (in the middle of Salisbury Plain) will be open over Easter and guess who's been accepted for volunteering again. 8)

http://www.imberchurch.org.uk/

Alas I've moved out of Hampshire

Eh?

Thats all wrong that 😆

😆 May be back, who knows! Glad you enjoyed your cx ride. 🙂

Didn't see you Mattbee but we were a little later in the day than expected.

Ohh results for the S'th Downs Sting CX event are up, I did really rather well.. 😀

Evening ride with BigShep today, last time we tried this route his crank arm kept falling off so we had to knock it on the head after about 10 miles. Tonight we set out full of hope and after 3 miles my rear mech started playing up, eventually we fixed it and 2 miles later I got a massive thorn in the tyre. Fixed that, then spent the rest of the ride with a slow puncture, third time lucky maybe?

Still managed 22 miles and it was a good workout.

Anyone signed up for the QECP night Enduro event? I was bullied into it, I should have stood my ground but I weakened under pressure. I may die!

Don't worry the collective will be there to give you beer at the end.

I'm in, worry not its a blinking ace event ( but we need to play it down or it'll be too popular)

It's a fabulous event (I don't take part but pop over to watch) You see so many folks improving their technique and lines that it's worth going over for that alone. If you get a bit wobbly just watch someone else come through the same section and watch what lines they take, and the speed.

I'll be there to watch again, the CX'er useless for this sort of thing 😆

I know that I shouldn't be posting here any more but am feeling quite left out! Here's a pic of today's little pootle - it's Knapp Down taken from the Shaston Drove in Wiltshire:

[img] [/img]

That area still counts! Hell, my rides often take me over the border in to Wiltshire and even (Shudders) Berkshire!

Are you over that way now, CG? Shall have to meet in Sarum some day! (Am often in a well known velocipede establishment on a Saturday morning as well....)

Niiiice pic, you need to post more like that. Discover the area, post back 😀

Stunning pic CG, you are allowed here with pics like this no prob,em :-). Anyway, you'll be back in Hampshire at some point won't you!

Are you over that way now, CG? Shall have to meet in Sarum some day! (Am often in a well known velocipede establishment on a Saturday morning as well....)

Dorset to be precise Cap'n. You really must find an lbs!! 😉

Niiiice pic, you need to post more like that. Discover the area, post back

Thanks bb. I enjoy exploring the countryside although I've ridden this drove road before.

Stunning pic CG, you are allowed here with pics like this no prob,em :-). Anyway, you'll be back in Hampshire at some point won't you!

Thanks john and of course it's thanks to you that we have this excellent thread. Has been great to share routes and local info. 8) Not sure where I'll end up though!

Mattbee.

QECP D/N trails are not the cheeky Headdown ones this year.
They are in the main park and will not include Bermy as its being demolished.

I am 'racing' this , should be fun.

Which is bermy? Part of the current red?

nope bermy was/isn't 'official' it was part of stage 2 at the last day night, the bit with a series of bermy chutes that led to the steep roll in and then at the end the chalky rock gardens before the slog back to the top.

Ahh right. Secret stuff *taps nose*

Anyway, this slogging back up thing? How big a part of the race is this? I ask because I am more rubbish at this than I am going down.

The 'transitions' had a fairly generous time for completing. You could either thrash yourself up to the stage start and then rest before your start time, or pace the winch back up. Sadly I exploded after transition 3 and missed my fourth stage start time so I'm not really I a position to give any advice on that.

I think the best advice would be don't stop on the transition and try and pace yourself so you've got some legs for the timed bit.

So when we speak of transitions I think of the changeover between run and ride in a duathalon. Would I be correct in assuming that the transition in this case is the period of time between reaching the bottom of one hill and returning to the start of the next?

Would I be correct in assuming that the transition in this case is the period of time between reaching the bottom of one hill and returning to the start of the next?

Yes and no. You have a start time for each stage. You need to complete the preceding stage and get back up to the start of the upcoming stage within the time between the preceding and upcoming start times, so if you have an epic crash/mechanical whilst racing a stage you may struggle to make the transition. As long as you don't stand around talking all the transitions are pretty easy - I pushed the uphills a lot on the day/night to keep my legs fresh for pedalling the stages.

Looking forwards to the race - only seem to visit QECP for enduros!

In Wiltshire again, this time the Wylye Valley which is one of my favourite places.

If you look just above the gate, between the trees, there is the end of a terrific piece of single track.

[img] [/img]

In the middle of the pic is a chalky double track, long long climb that brings you out almost to a fun gully descent.

[img] [/img]

Only 11 miles that included Snail Creep Hanging Wood, what an amazing name. Twas good to be out except the place where I'd hoped to get a cuppa was closed, boo.

What have you chaps been up to then?

Great Pics, is that some blue sky right there ? Well we had loads of that too on the Coast 8)

I hacked up into the Hills for some early climbs and all went rather well. Nice to be out in short legs and L/S top and a cheeky grin. As my ride went on more and more bike'ists came out to play and I hooked up with a fast bunch heading back to Wickham... did my turns then turned South for home, took in the Coast road to ogle at Warsash Spring Series competitors bob around in 5knts and bright blue sky.

Got home, and drank Tea to M-SR...

The. Day. Was. Awesome.

FWCC fas boys BB???

Digging up at QECP today. Its bone dry so get up there if you can as the trails are rolling well.

Wearing shorts??? I was in Winter tights and softshell jacket due to the Easterly wind, it was biting.

Only dampener of the day was being involved in a road rage incident that resulted in a stand off. I had a word with the ned. 😐

Ended up at QECP late this afternoon just for an hour of riding. Saw some of the collective coming down the final decent as I started the ride, were you one of them Singletrackmind? Trails were indeed running well and I bagged myself some Strava PR's on the downs, none on the ups because I am rubbish 🙂

Nice pics CG, Wiltshire is looking fine 🙂

CG, re my choice of LBS....
They're local enough! Have always spent time in Salisbury, and often pop over on a Saturday morning en famille. Lovely little city, so very much worth the trip.
They're excellent. FACT.
I'm very loyal to good people, and they're very good people.

😉

FWCC it was indeed !

I knows wheres they ryde, I knows where's thys stop fer kake. 😆

Short legs now the Suns out, tan lines need topping up. We must have had 13C down yer, that yeller thing in the sky kept me back warm and pacing on kept me blood flowing.

No pics from me, too fast, too head down, too introvert fer glamorous landscapes 😆

FW are my roadie club
Inters for me , Im not quite able to mix it with the fast boys ( and girl )

JJ . Nope . recovering from manflu so full of bogies , hence no riding and abit of mattock work for me today

Need some miles this week though as its HonC in 2 weeks ish , might do another 6 reps of Harvesting Lane after work

Qecp again this morning, very different from last weekend, wet and slippy and fell off twice. Also got shown up on the hills by two others, but they do say that you only get better by being ritually humiliated hill after hill!

Well done for getting out! I reckon we'd been a tad spoiled with dusty trails and tomorrow doesn't look any better, boo.

Just cross-referencing this post:

[url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/cotic-and-turner-stolen-last-night-in-winchester ]Bikes stolen in Winchester[/url]

Had my Cotic and Turner stolen from a very securely locked garage last night in Winchester.

That's shitty markend, sorry to hear. Will keep an eye out around Andover and Fareham plus QECP if the dirty, theiving gits actually ride them before selling on.

cx's were spotted at Imber today. Riders and bikes were pretty mucky.

Imber featured on Sky news today, they were just leaving as I arrived.

@Cinnamon Girl. Inspired by your photo I drove to Wilton to ride out last Tuesday (the windy one) and got to Snail Creep before turning back.
Strava [url= https://www.strava.com/activities/276998685 ]here[/url] if you're interested.
I'll be heading out that way again on Tuesday with my son and a friend. Can you recommend anywhere near Snail Creep for a light lunch?

[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7598/16841749528_e310af1315_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7598/16841749528_e310af1315_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/rEfnnS ]2015-03-31 15.42.47[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/122586547@N08/ ]perfectbalancecycles[/url], on Flickr

Mostly_Balanced - really pleased that my pic inspired you and I guess if I log into Strava your route can be enlarged? Happy to pass on gpx's from that area, e-mail in profile.

As regards lunch am sorry but don't know. This is where I was hoping to have a coffee but it was closed, they serve meat from their own farm:

http://www.thegingerpiggery.co.uk/

Over 1,000 visitors to Imber Church today including more cyclists. Pretty exhausted now from serving refreshments all day!

I am intrigued CG, 1000 visitors to a church, our local struggles to get 10, how did they do it?

Took both. Holden up to QECP yesterday, it was heaving! Managed to get a parking space eventually and H tried out his skills on the red and blue trail using his newly inherited 24 Cube. He struggled bless him, but for a 7yr old he did ok, said he had fun and only fell off 3 times so all good.

john - it's in the middle of Salisbury Plain hence it's only open when there's no firing. The MOD are supposed to allow it to open for a certain number of days each year but it falls far short.

It's in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust and it's their busiest church.

http://www.imberchurch.org.uk/
/p>

Well done on getting your children out on bikes, it's a great facility at QEP.

Lovely early morning road and grrrrravel spin around Micheldever before work today. Spotted some interesting looking jumps by the station and some singletrack snaking around Blackwood.
Re the latter, is it worth taking a MTB over there for an explore?

Best get out while it's lovely and dry, folks!

[img] [/img]

I had a nice ride and explore around upham.

Cap'n - thought I read on here that some tracks in Black Wood were lost due to the holiday camp being built? It was quite fun there although a bit creepy.

Yep, saw the cabins as I headed N towards the 303.

As I understand it, an MX'er course was originally cut and the odd mtb'er used it. I believe an mtb race was held there years ago too. A group of us met up with a chap from here (can't remember his name) and he showed us around. It was quite hard going with leaves on the ground but very pleasant nonetheless.

Did go there on my own a few times but it was one of those places that felt a bit creepy due to the absence of any other human life!

Stick to the roads CG, don't stray, you never know what is out there 🙂

I know exactly what you mean about Blackwood. Me and Dezzy went and it was bright and sunny , but there was something slightly off with the place. And its not the fact there is no-one else around. I have ridden loads of places and not seen a soul and not felt uneasy.

Meanwhile therre is a chap having a crack at the SDD tomorrow ( sat 11th) 0500 out of Winch , aiming to finish around midnighht .nutcase.

Inspired by your photo I drove to Wilton to ride out last Tuesday (the windy one) and got to Snail Creep before turning back.
Strava here if you're interested.

I haven't been following the thread much but I'd be interested to know about other places worth riding on the doorstep of Wilton. I've ridden around Broad Chalke, along the Ox Drove and all the bits between Shaftesbury/ Win Green/ Tollard down to Pimperne but I tend to assume that it is eternally claggy in that part of the world so never explore beyond what I know when I take the bike when visiting family

Stick to the roads CG, don't stray, you never know what is out there

😀

singletrackmind - weird that both of you felt the same! The only other place that makes me feel uneasy is Collingbourne Woods. I go all over the place on my own and it's never bothered me apart from two locations. Wishing you good luck tomorrow, do report back! 😀

DanW - I can highly recommend a book entitled 'Mountain Bike Guide Wiltshire' by Ian White, it was £8.50 and includes 25 routes. What I particularly enjoy is his descriptions and local info, really makes it interesting.

Additionally check out this website and its cycling routes:

www.discovernadder.org.uk

I rode one of the routes last year, went off piste and ended up in a quarry!

Gratuitous Hampshire thread post ....

Will be picking my Covert up from parents shed this evening so back to some Hampshire riding this weekend - sunny but chilly looks to be the name of the day - probably Sunday morning up along the river the Manor Park then back down East side of the river to the Warsash ferry. Did measure up the ride from Kings Sombourne to Hamble via Winchester/St Catherines/Twyford as per my questions a while ago here but that's 40k and a bit beyond me right now. Happy days and will be out and about a bit more soon. Sadly missed the sign up for QECP Night/Day but hopefully will get over for some spectating.

How are the bluebells looking in Hampshire?

Indeed Jam, what did you think of the beautiful Hamble ??

Should've said you were coming down.. I'd come out with you (I'm in Town ATM, but would met up, we could've done coffee in Manor Park Tea Rooms!)

A coffee stop would have been good and about my level given my dire fitness, wouldn't want to hold anyone up on an actual ride ! Hamble was looking lovely and I got in 3 Ferry rides too (don't ask 🙂 ). Let me know if you are down, I'm there most weekends.

Nice sailing conditions at the weekend, we did a new rig shakedown on a Class 40 on Saturday, sunshine and 22 knots of breeze. Should be at Netley over BH sometime as a friend has bought an RS Aero, might do my ride from Winchester to there.

Gratuitous photo from Sunday posted as I have given up with Flickr. Test of Photobucket

[IMG] [/IMG]

rode half of the South downs national park ride last night. beautiful day but my heart wasn't in it so cut back early.

but some great views can recommend the loop. i would also recommend not riding the botley - BW road: there are much quieter routes (curdridge road - swanmore)

The only other place that makes me feel uneasy is Collingbourne Woods

I see plenty of bikers in Collingbourne. Well, not so much see, as watch... 8)

Was nearly there the other night, but turned right at Scots Poor and headed over Oxenwood / Buttermere way on the Tripster. Don't find it creepy, but it's my 'local' .. apart from the big old yew tree. I don't hang around there, it's been... decorated..
Got a bit carried away and massively pinched the tyre. Couldn't be arsed to fix with only a mile or two home so picked it up and ran, cue much hilarity from the local 'keeper.

No bluebells yet, will be out tonight to look for some if my lights are charged.

Jam, deffo meet up.. Fitness not really an issue, it's just a ride/catch up.

Glad to hear the Class 40 stuff is going well, be nice to hear some tales of racing do's.

I'm up in Town ATM but will be back next weekend for a good few weeks judging by whats going on at work 😆

^^ ferry ! Grey haired old Man or da Yoof wearing a baseball cap??

Blimey, check out that ferry and shelter. 😯 Clashes with jambalaya's bars. 😉

See that house in the distance ?

I live behind that one 😀

bb - you're lucky that you can't see the ferry then! Looks a great location to enjoy the sea. 😀

Beautiful, it's really beautiful 😀

I am very lucky indeed.

Bluebells are late up here near the head of the river, CG.

Cap'n - oh, that's a shame but won't be far away. There were some gorgeous ones in the Nadder Valley (Fonthill estate, do you know it?) and did post a pic in the official Bluebell thread.

I know the Fonthill very well, CG! Many a drunken weekend shooting and boozing down there! At the Beckford, before it went all glam/gastro.

They're coming out around here, but the usual massive field along the Waltham Lane is just a bit meh at the moment. Not the normal overpowering bulk of colour, sadly.

Hello hampshire people... Not been on thus thread for a while as all my riding has been done at night due to time constraints, and tbh it's bloody dull. However I am likely to be comming into some spare time (to hopefully sort my head out) and will be looking for inspiration from you good people for routes around north hants... But I am also after ideas for an off road route from Southampton to either alton, winchester, whitchurch.
Cheers

Sorry dv can't help with North Hants but the trails at QECP are ace at the moment.

I was broken by tonight's ride, too many ups for my poor legs. Shown up on the final hills by my riding partner and some other speedy types who don't know the meaning of being knackered. Was chased down the final descent as well which was mildly amusing as I ballsed up the top berm and then went down the rest slower than my grandma.

Great to be out in the evening sun, really enjoyed it.

May give qep a go as the last time I rode there was with slackalice of this parish and it was after a Seatpost clamp failure, so slightly shorter than hoped for!

daftvader - that doesn't sound much fun so hopefully you'll soon be out in daylight to enjoy the bluebells. 🙂 As regards route ideas, I shall take a look at my mapping software and report back.

Edit: a very quick glance would indicate that Whitchurch could be more interesting.

Cheers c_g... Much appreciated

OK, you need tomthumb with his encyclopaedic knowledge of Hampshire and he'll advise of the best way to get out of Soton. Hopefully he'll see this thread!

Are you wanting to go the most direct way or would you be happy with some convoluting to use rights of way rather than minor roads? Alton looks tricky!

It's a mostly off road route I'd prefer.... It doesn't have to go to alton, but I can get back from there on known routes, same as whitchurch or winchester...

Working in Southampton, living in Eastleigh and riding around winch I'd suggest.

Taking cycle route out of soton via the river heading towards mansbridge. You then have a cheeky or not cheeky option.

Cheeky- continue on following the river, cutting under the motorway and skirting Eastleigh airport eventually emerging at Eastleigh rugby club- continue up the river until reaching shawford. From shawford go up the road to the left of the pub, pub on right, railway on left. Ride up this lane till end and there's a path leading to a field. Go straight across field and follow path till you reach a Tarmac road that runs alongside m3. Turn right follow and eventually go under m3 to appear at hockly link. See below for route from there or cross over road onto cycle path turn right with viaduct above and to the left, as ramp comes down from viaduct to the right is a path going up. Take this and you've got a nice techy rooty climb onto the top of the twyford cutting, follow this with m3 below and to the right till the end, go through gate and cross m3 on bridge. On the otherside of the bridge is a gate that will take you up towards the golf course mentioned below however you will be riding down to a crossroads where you'll need to turn left to get to morestead road/ chilcomb etc

Not cheeky- follow cycle route through Eastleigh emerging at otterbourne and continue till hockly link (twyford junction m3) there is a bridle way that goes from twyford up past the golf course continuing on to cross morestead road and the descend to chilcomb. From here pick up the southdowns route and follow to cheese foot head.