[Closed] NDW

Unlike the SDW,  the NDW is mainly footpath with a few bridleway sections here and there.

There are lots of stiles and awkward gates, and steps especially once you get further East than Oxted.

With it being a footpath there also seems to be less of an incentive to keep the route level,  so many needless up and downs along the face of the hill for no discernable reason.

I'd personally not bother. I've tried on a bike heading East on a quiet, dry summers day and soon got bored.  The bits of the NDW that I have ridden over the last couple of weeks between Newlands and Reigate were tough going with the mud. I would expect that the conditions are similar further afield.

Plenty of options for a big loop if sticking around the Surrey Hills. If you fancy something different,  how about doing something in Surrey Hills,  then heading up towards Wisley via Ranmore,  Bookham then join River Wey Navigation,  head North, Follow Basingstoke Canal Towpath West towards Tunnel Hill. Plenty of riding and bivvy options round there and could even had over to Swinley way. If heading back Westcott way then there are plenty of handy stations on the Reading to Redhill line.

NDW from Guildford to Farnham is reasonably sandy / well draining as are the trails around Puttenham, Thursley, Hanley and Hindhead, with plenty of bridleways. Lots of surface water about - wettest I've seen it in 25 years though.

Thanks both - sounds like west is best !

If you take the NDW to Farnham, head south to Alice Holt forest park and pick-up the Shipwright's Way which takes you to QECP / SDW. Avoid the 'official' SWW routing between Bordon and Greatham - head straight through Bordon (Forest Road) onto Woolmer Ranges and ride the peri-track east and then track southwest alongside the A3, take the bridge over the A3 into Longmoor and straight-across to re-join the route at Forest Row and into Liss. Alternatively, after Woolmer, exit at Conford Bridge and take the 'Haslemere Loop' MTB route that takes you through Linchmere, Kingsley Green, Haslemere, Grayswood and up to Hindhead and you could track your way via Thursley Common, Elstead and Puttenham Common back to the NDW.

Right I think a route is forming from home (sunbury) west out along the Basingstoke canal, Farnborough to Farnham pick up some of Dovebikes suggestions then back east along the NDW until above Horsley then north through Wisley to Weybridge and Home.

Thanks guys sounds great.

If coming down the Basingstoke Canal, come all the way to Aldershot and come across the Long Valley Army Ranges around the top of Farnham, Caesar's Camp and drop down via lanes such as Golf Course Lane, Crondall and across to Bentley where the SWW starts at the Railway Station. PM me if you want a .gpx of some of the route - I live right on the Basingstoke Canal in the centre of Fleet.

Dove biker yes please to a .gpx

jaminb@mac.com

thanks

ben

@jaminb how did you get on at the weekend?

I've ridden the NDW from Guildford-ish  to Dorking. I wouldn't do it again. In theory it was on bridleways but fairly sure I strayed onto the occasional footpath as it's quite hard to follow.

It was greasy chalk or deep, unrideable sand (unless on a fat bike) or soggy mud.

This was mid-summer a few years ago.

Was it any better?

thanks for asking Peekay

Completed the epic 113 mile loop yesterday afternoon - It was a great ride thanks to combining your suggestions and dovebiker's gpx loop.

I messed up on some bits of the navigation but with some refining I think it could make a summer time classic adventure bike route for the lesser spotted SW london gravel rider.  I messed up some of my navigation because I am useless, don't know how to read or map or work my GPX,  I was tired and it was dark.  Also I should have gone clockwise (if only to avoid the drag up to Hindhead) to have the easy canal section at the end.  Oh and the mud was sole sapping but I had fantastic ride and bivvy.

Quick summary left home at 16.00 for 30 miles west along Thames and Basingstoke canal to Fleet where I joined DB's route.  Headed south along country lanes, it got dark and I got lost at Bentley (missed the footbridge at the station) but managed to rejoin the Shipwrights Way.  Missed the turning at Liphook services to cross the A3 and ended up in the MOD fenced area. I got out at at Giggs Green only to get trapped in a private wood!  Eventually escaped and then turned east and managed to get my bottles filled and a pint in the Hungry Hoss in Liphook at 11.45.  Then bivvied at a beautiful spot off the Sussex Path on Stanley Common.  Back on the bike at 07.00 where I muddled up the Serpent Trail and ended up heading north on the road into Haslemere I then rejoined the route at Grayswood. I struggled to scramble up the cliff to Hindhead but was rewarded with a second breakfast at the NT cafe.  Across Devils Punchbowl with absolutely beautiful landscape with no mud! I eventually left DB's trail to head east at Tilford and picked up the Greensands Way and then onto the NDW.  More refreshments at Newlands Corner before more NDW and then exiting above Shere to head north to home via Wisley.

Great adventure although I am sure I missed some of the best bits through navigational incompetence.  I enjoyed the comfort and great rolling of 27.5 plus wheels, perfect for carrying all my bivvy gear, but I will attempt again in a clockwise direction on the adventure bike when conditions are a bit dryer and see if can become a classic all day gravel adventure (probably a for hour jaunt for some on here!!).

Thanks again for your input.

PS does anyone have a route to join the Basingstoke Canal to the southern end of The Ridgeway?  I am thinking of another loop starting/ending from SW London and joining up with the Grand Union Canal to complete the triangle.

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/22199639?privacy_code=kTdKusy1WOfzEnyb

Hopefully this link works

Quality map reading. 🙂

Glad you enjoyed the route Ben - here's photo from a week-ago, last year where were the bluebells in full-bloom at the back of Blackdown which is probably one of the bits you missed.