2 day IOW gentle Tour for beginners...

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Location
South East
We're just back from a short tour of the IOW, and really enjoyed ourselves!

Our travels included Southampton to Cowes, the Red Squirrel Trail (RST) to Shanklin, and then a return to Ryde using a cycle/hike style route.

It was great, the RST is amazing, 20 miles mostly away from traffic, and we got some great weather in the evening, and found a hotel with secure bike storage, a decent bed and breakfast.

Today began with a walk up to Culver Down, and around the coast footpath, with a little riding towards the end, from Bembridge to Seaview and then Ryde, returning home on the Wightlink cat.

Having previously ridden Tandem, our 2 Carreras were quite different, and somehow simpler, although my stoker, now spending her own energy on her own momentum, found the hills a little harder work than if we were still on the tandem!

So, IOW has some really wonderful cycling, and some great scenery, but also some wicked hills - no doubt many of you already know this, but if you're considering something to do, there's really nothing better (well, not on the Southern side of the Solent anyway)!

:whistle:

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annedonnelly

Girl from the North Country
It does sound a nice place but it's an awful long way from Northumberland :sad:
 

jiberjaber

Veteran
Location
Essex
Sounds like you had a good time. A colleague and myself are contemplating a IOW on a 2 day session, care to mention the hotel?, we were presently thinking YHA but hotel may be better, esp if they have secure bike storage :smile:
 
OP
OP
stoatsngroats
Location
South East
Sounds like you had a good time. A colleague and myself are contemplating a IOW on a 2 day session, care to mention the hotel?, we were presently thinking YHA but hotel may be better, esp if they have secure bike storage :smile:

We stayed at the Sandringham Hotel, in Sandown,but took a chance and didn't prebook, arrived just after 5pm, and took whatever room they had available. Bikes are carried through to a back room which is locked between 10pm and 8am, but we locked them together anyway.
The Marlborough Hotel in Shanklin can secure bikes apparently too, althought we never checked in, as the Sandringham was closer to us by that time!

Are you travelling from Soton or Pompey..?
 

jiberjaber

Veteran
Location
Essex
We stayed at the Sandringham Hotel, in Sandown,but took a chance and didn't prebook, arrived just after 5pm, and took whatever room they had available. Bikes are carried through to a back room which is locked between 10pm and 8am, but we locked them together anyway.
The Marlborough Hotel in Shanklin can secure bikes apparently too, althought we never checked in, as the Sandringham was closer to us by that time!

Are you travelling from Soton or Pompey..?

Prob Pompy, struggling to locate a suitable mid way (30 mile or so) location plus the time we were thinking of going was end of Oct, but that seems to clash with school half term judging by booking.com
 
OP
OP
stoatsngroats
Location
South East
Prob Pompy, struggling to locate a suitable mid way (30 mile or so) location plus the time we were thinking of going was end of Oct, but that seems to clash with school half term judging by booking.com

I can't help with anything other than Sandown and the centre trail RST. Although I was surprised at thte ease, and speed of the cat from Ryde to Pompey, with the cycle space onboard - ours were the only 2 bikes!
Our outward trip from Soton to Cowes was fun and interesting, taking away the need to ride from Ryde to Cowes - my OH is much less confident on roads than I - she really doesn't enjoy it.
I'm sure others can offer much better advice as to where to stay - I am sure you'll enjoy it tho!
 
Prob Pompy, struggling to locate a suitable mid way (30 mile or so) location plus the time we were thinking of going was end of Oct, but that seems to clash with school half term judging by booking.com

That is the poor design of the Island!

The southern stretch is hilly and remote with nothing on the coastal route, but some slightly inland
 

bikeman66

Senior Member
Location
Isle of Wight
I'm lucky enough to have lived on the island my whole life, and love cycling all over it, whether on road bikes or on the MTB. On an island 26 miles long by 13 miles deep we have around 240 miles of bridleways, which continue to give me fantastic riding opportunities.

Got back in to road cycling last year too, and although the roads here are a bit sub-standard in places, we are about four years in to an extensive re-surfacing programme which should make the place a real Mecca for cyclists.

A search on the net should bring up details of the Isle of Wight Cycling Festival, which runs for a couple of weeks in September. There's usually competitive events, both on and off road, guided rides, tea stop rides, round the island etc etc.

If anyone needs specific information about accommodation or anything todo with cycling over here I'll be happy to try to find things out for you.

Bear in mind that if you are planning to travel to the island from Southampton, the Red Funnel high speed catamaran service does not currently take bicycles (except fold-ups maybe). Almost sure the Wightlink high speed catamaran from Portsmouth takes bikes, as does the hovercraft from Southsea. Obviously all three car ferry routes from Lymington, Southampton and Portsmouth will transport your bike.
 
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