New Forest and IOW Ride 2007

Fri/Sun 10/11/12  August 2007, organised by RT

Friday

PT collects MA from No 10, JR from Offington Roundabout, and ZA from McDonalds carpark at Crossbush, then proceed to Brockenhust to park in the station car park. 20 mile circular tour to Lyndhurst via tracks to east of main road, returning to Brockenhurst after picnic lunch stop via circular loop west of main road.  RT arrives with FL and CB, and all proceed to Lymington with PT towing his and JR’s luggage on trailer.  Embark on ferry, waving ZA farewell as he catches train home.  Tea, and bickies from RT, on ferry.  Proceed to High Down Hotel, now with JR towing trailer.  Arrive 7 ish with 31 miles for the day.

Saturday

All set off to climb to Needles Old Battery, then up to Tennyson memorial for stop, then downhill plummet to Freshwater, where swim/tea debate is resolved in favour of tea.  Visit keys memorial, for repaint while golf progresses.  Climb up to Tennyson trail, then down to road passing three girls.  Stop at road, where RT distributes KMC to all (including said three girls), and depart to climb next hill.  One girl passes PT, having given him a five-minute start, remarking that the KMC has “kicked in” nicely.  PT goes straight on instead of turning left at top, so all follow for downhill to road, where we turn north for Carisbrooke, stopping at Eight Bells for sandwich lunch and rehydration, JR and MA skipping lunch to head off to Ryde for the ferry (made 2:15 ferry in smart time).  Remaining four take detour to Halfords to pump up CB’s front shock, then to White Mountain for brake pads for FL.  Spell on road then path north along the Medina to Cowes, to thread through crowds at Cowes week.  Coastal path round Gurnard, but path closed due to erosion and we are diverted by road to Rew Street to take footpath (with stiles, corrugations, brambles etc) towards beach at Sticeletts Farm.  After a spell along the beach we climbed up into a mobile home holiday camp, and eventually escaped by finding the concealed entrance to the coastal path through a hedge.  Over stiles, past wrecked cars, and eventually hit the road again and turn right for Porchfield.  Past a tandem parked by the road with a sign “free to a good home”, but unable to take advantage!  Pass through Shalfleet and Wellow. Refuel stop at Thorley, scones courtesy FL, then continue by road via Wilmingham to turn right on to track leading to the disused railway from Yarmouth to Freshwater.  Down railway, right at end then left at Garage to long climb up to High Down.  42 miles for the day.

 

MA writes “John and I set a blistering pace from the usual haunt in Carisbrooke and reached Ryde pierhead at 14:00 (Lance Armstrong eat your heart out…) and said goodbye to the island on a ferry shortly thereafter and with only one officious  “jobs worth” train company employee to mar the journey, arrived back in the Worthing environs at about 16:30.”.

Sunday

Uphill out of pub with FL towing his and PT’s gear on trailer, to retrace yesterday’s route to the disused rly, then retrace Fridays route to ferry, with a cash stop in Yarmouth.  Tea on ferry, then by A337 road out of Lymington, fork right towards Boldre, continue to Sandy Down then take track north to Roydon Manor and Brockenhurst.  Only one spill, when trailer hit root and flipped over.  PT loaded up the van and went home, having done 83 miles in total, while RT CB and FL left gear in RT’s car and went for a circular tour in the forest.  Details to be sought from RT.

 

RT writes “For the record, Messrs. Budd, Leroux and yours truly initially intended to take one of the trails leading North and slightly east out of Brockenhurst to Lyndhurst and back down to Brockenhurst for about an hours’s ride. Unfortunately we missed the relevant path, and instead took the road past the Rhinefield Park Hotel (the one where you want to take afternoon tea) and into the Rhinefield Ornamental Drive, continuing along it across the A35. Around a mile beyond we took a left turn, with the intention of taking a right and left to catch a trail that leads down to Burley. Took the right turn early, and realising that we had made a mistake, we had to continue because M Leroux had insisted on dashing on ahead. Eventually got onto the right trail and rode down into Burley. Had a pint in the usual location and then rode back to Brockenhurst along the old railway line, the one hour excursion finally taking around two and a half hours.”.