Final (ish) route for your comments

[oGaryo]

Hi guys, after driving the route in the Route Details Penton Hook to Ocean Village thread, a few things became apparent:

1. The first 5 miles or so are pretty busy traffic wise but we cannot avoid this so we'll need to cycle carefully until we're away from the M25 area. The route itself is fine as it takes us through back roads and towns.
2. The route took us through an Army Training barracks at Pirbright - I am dedicated to raising money for charity but getting shot at is probably a step too far
3. A few of the short cuts Strava calculated would see us riding through dirt tracks with major pot holes

I have therefore amended the route to a state that I would consider it 95% complete and ready for your review and comments. Note the suggested stop off points below, especially the White Hart, they will be great supporters considering they have their own cycling club who (accordingly to Sam (Landlady) will likely want to join us!!!

Here you go then, please take a good look whilst reading my notes below:

View the route here: https://www.strava.com/routes/1230951

Bisley (11m in) - The Hen and Chicken, I didn't stop at this pub but it may be a stop for those that want to do a bit of a pub crawl or simply to ease your way into the ride. I will probably give it a miss and didn't stop off to check it out. Looks a nice pub though.

Pirbright, as above, I've rerouted to avoid the army barracks.. this is a hilly section of the ride so you'll need a rest break once through it. If you do stop at the Hen and Chicken, you'll probably pay for it through this section

Ash (21m in), this will be our first official stop. there are two pubs to choose from (I've left collection tins in both). The Napiers http://www.napiers-ashvale.com/ , small private own pub by the look of it at the entry to the village. The Greyhound http://www.thegreyhoundaldershot.co.uk/ , more modern pub with large car park, friendly and well situated to stop off, typical chain pub, however, there was alot of traffic at the time I went through, maybe due to an accident further down the road (long traffic jam leading away from the pub). Need to choose which one to go for, maybe both if we cycle in groups.

Farnham, the route takes us away from the A31 through the town centre which is doable. We need to be careful at the large A31 roundabout before turning off for the town. I may travel back down there to check out the path to the side of the A31, it may be better to take that route rather than go through the town (lots of cars)

There are steep climbs coming out of Farnham past Birdsworld so try not to down too many pints if you're drinking, I think you'll regret it if you do There are a number of other pubs between Farnham and the next official stop at Hollybourne but I didn't check any of them out, The Forest Inn just before Birdsworld is massive but too soon to stop after Ash.

Holybourne (35m in) http://www.thewhitehart-holybourne.co.uk/, The White Hart, this will be our second stop to rest after the climbs coming out of Farnham and to celebrate / reflect on getting half way to the finish line, very very welcoming and ultra keen to support us, I have left a collection tin with them.

Alton, I need to find a way to stop Strava forcing us to take a route though the estate at the end of the town and instead, we continue on the B3349 and turn left onto the A339. Likewise, I don't seem to be able to reroute under the A31 in the same town as you have to dismount to go through an underpass, better to carry on the A339 and turn right onto Wolf's lane.. I'll see what I can do to get it changed

A32 leading out of Alton is a single road but 60mph so make sure you are visible (lights, reflective jacket etc), it's a great stretch of road for several miles to get some speed up.

A272, don't miss this turn off as it leads to the final stop off where we'll all meet up before the final leg to the finish line

Cheriton (51m in) http://www.hintonarms.co.uk/, The Hinton Arms, looks a great pub to stop off at for our final official stop. I haven't spoken to them as it was getting a bit late and I needed to head back for Milton Keynes. I'll give them a call to sound them out and then pay them a visit if it sounds promising

the original route from this location took us down a road that Strava chose but on arriving, I found a field!! I've rerouted to take us down a road that actually exists The final 18 miles would be good for a local to map out, I've take DJE's route (broadly speaking) for now

So in summary, I am proposing 3 Official stops at 21 miles, 35miles and 51 miles.. let me know what you reckon to that approach please

cheers Gary

p.s. I have taken photo's of the pubs I visited and will post them here later in the week,

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Sounds OK to me, without knowing the area.... there's a few nice little climbs in there to test the legs as well!

 

[Fantasie 19]

Cheriton (51m in) http://www.hintonarms.co.uk/, The Hinton Arms, looks a great pub to stop off at for our final official stop.

I would go out on a limb and say the Flower Pots (http://www.flowerpots.f2s.com/ ) is nicer - one of my favourite pubs in fact - camping out back as well if you're "over come"....

 

[oGaryo]

Sounds OK to me, without knowing the area.... there's a few nice little climbs in there to test the legs as well!

thanks Neil, that's what I thought, overall not too challenging hill wise but about three climbs that will see the need to get out the seat to stretch the legs

 

[oGaryo]

I would go out on a limb and say the Flower Pots (http://www.flowerpots.f2s.com/ ) is nicer - one of my favourite pubs in fact - camping out back as well if you're "over come"....

thanks for the info, always good to have details from those that know the area.. I'll go with the flow but the only downside I can think of is the flowerpots take us off route for a tad under a mile so the ride will end up being 70 miles instead of 68.. will let the riders decide if that's what they want. thanks again for taking the time to provide some input :encouragement:

 

[rafiki_]

I'm bound to take the odd wrongy Gary, so I would budget my ride nearer 80 miles

I quite like getting out of the saddle quite regularly as it eases the sore bum syndrome a tad.

 

[fireball]

I still think it would be better to avoid the A32 and A272 - certainly for the long stretches anyway ...

I'll take a look when I can and see if I can come up with a better alternative as its not easy through there - most minor routes tend to be hillier.

 

[oGaryo]

I'm bound to take the odd wrongy Gary, so I would budget my ride nearer 80 miles

I quite like getting out of the saddle quite regularly as it eases the sore bum syndrome a tad.

Get one of these Garmin 810 GPS units, they take the thinking out of cycling and once we agree a route you can upload it to get turn by turn directions like the sat Nav in your car. Loving mine. Not sure it'll help with the bum situation though

 

[oGaryo]

I still think it would be better to avoid the A32 and A272 - certainly for the long stretches anyway ...

I'll take a look when I can and see if I can come up with a better alternative as its not easy through there - most minor routes tend to be hillier.

Thanks Andrew

 

[DJE]

I agree with Andrew they are both busy, narrow roads. There appears to be an alternative via National Cycle Network Route 224 from Alton to Medstead and then Route 23 from Meadstead to Alresford then we can turn south to re-join your route at Cheriton. Still leaves a bit of the A272 but misses out the A32 - which is a road I know well by car so I don't fancy it on a bike!

 

[fireball]

I've just had a look at a route from Alton to Upham - crossing hte A272 south of Cheriton - so misses riding on both roads - I'll run it past a friend who has a bit more knowledge of the area than I do then if he recons it's a goer then I'll pass on ...

 

[Fantasie 19]

thanks for the info, always good to have details from those that know the area.. I'll go with the flow but the only downside I can think of is the flowerpots take us off route for a tad under a mile so the ride will end up being 70 miles instead of 68.. will let the riders decide if that's what they want. thanks again for taking the time to provide some input :encouragement:

Yikes.. 70 miles?! Kudos indeed .. all I can say is that to me the extra couple of miles for a perfectly formed pint of Goodens Gold is a small price to pay... absolute nectar.... but me, I like my ale....!! :encouragement:

 

[rafiki_]

Get one of these Garmin 810 GPS units, they take the thinking out of cycling and once we agree a route you can upload it to get turn by turn directions like the sat Nav in your car. Loving mine. Not sure it'll help with the bum situation though

 

[fireball]

I've had a play around with the section from Alton to Lower Upham to avoid the main roads of the A32 and A272 - believe me they are not nice roads to ride.

https://www.strava.com/routes/1404943

I need to check it out on the road as there are some quite small roads ....

 

[superheat6k]

The route from Upham to Fair Oak is a long steady uphill section, along Mortimers Lane followed by approx 1 mile down to the main Winchester Road just by the Tesco / Esso Garage. The route then turns right 1/2 mile up a steep hill only to then come straight back down to the start of Allington Lane.

As legs will be very tired, a simple left at Winchester Road then right at the lights offers a much flatter section along to Allington Lane. Roads in this area will all be busy on a Saturday, all the way into the Southampton centre. I am using the footways, especially on the up hill sections, and many are shared cyclist / pedestrian anyway.

The final route in can if you wish basically follow the River Itchen along Thomas Lewis Way, which although a fast road for cars is quite wide, or as an alternative past the University Halls of residence and along past Cobden Bridge, then over Northam Bridge and minimal hills all the way in through either Northam or Portswood / St Mary's (soon to be Immigrant Street fame), on to Ocean Village.

I for one will be looking for the flattest route available by this stage.

 

[oGaryo]

The route from Upham to Fair Oak is a long steady uphill section, along Mortimers Lane followed by approx 1 mile down to the main Winchester Road just by the Tesco / Esso Garage. The route then turns right 1/2 mile up a steep hill only to then come straight back down to the start of Allington Lane.

As legs will be very tired, a simple left at Winchester Road then right at the lights offers a much flatter section along to Allington Lane. Roads in this area will all be busy on a Saturday, all the way into the Southampton centre. I am using the footways, especially on the up hill sections, and many are shared cyclist / pedestrian anyway.

The final route in can if you wish basically follow the River Itchen along Thomas Lewis Way, which although a fast road for cars is quite wide, or as an alternative past the University Halls of residence and along past Cobden Bridge, then over Northam Bridge and minimal hills all the way in through either Northam or Portswood / St Mary's (soon to be Immigrant Street fame), on to Ocean Village.

I for one will be looking for the flattest route available by this stage.

Trev, thanks for the route details and it all sounds good to me, flat towards the end is most welcome :encouragement:

 

[oGaryo]

Need to get this finalised chaps and frustratingly, I am too busy at work to drive the route again.. we're probably 90% there. any ideas welcome as to how finalise the remaining detail of the route?

p.s. I will be driving from Ocean Village to Penton Hook on Friday 5th June so can pick up any loose ends on that day, a bit 11th hour mind you

 

[DJE]

Need to get this finalised chaps and frustratingly, I am too busy at work to drive the route again.. we're probably 90% there. any ideas welcome as to how finalise the remaining detail of the route?

p.s. I will be driving from Ocean Village to Penton Hook on Friday 5th June so can pick up any loose ends on that day, a bit 11th hour mind you

I could get Sue to drop me and the bike in Alton and ride the route down from there to Fair Oak as a training ride. Fareham to Fair Oak to Ocean Village then home would do as another. Should be able to fit those in sometime in the next 2 or 3 weeks.

 

[oGaryo]

I could get Sue to drop me and the bike in Alton and ride the route down from there to Fair Oak as a training ride. Fareham to Fair Oak to Ocean Village then home would do as another. Should be able to fit those in sometime in the next 2 or 3 weeks.

that'd be great if you could and report back here on you findings :encouragement:

 

[DJE]

I got a lift to Alton this morning and rode Fireball's route to Ocean Village. Details are on Strava. Generally it is very good, mostly quiet country roads some of them only about 8 feet wide in places. Lots of bootiful 'ampshire countryside and several bitching 'ampshire 'ills too. 320 feet feet of climbing out of Alton and the last bit is the steepest. We drove up from Fareham on the A32 and that confirmed my opinion that we don't want to cycle on that road if we can avoid it.

The last 10 miles is a lot less pleasant. Mortimers Lane to Fair Oak and Allington Lane from Fair Oak are both fairly busy but there are no obvious alternatives that look any better. Then you get a nasty mile on the main A27 until the turn off for the cycle path by the river. After that it is quiet back roads with occasional patches of nasty traffic. Difficult to follow though.

The Strava Android app on an HTC One used about half a battery over the whole 43 miles today so it should just about cope on the day. But this is not turn by turn navigation - most of the time it is a black screen to save battery you have to switch it on when you get to a junction to work out which way to turn.