Cycling the Hampshire coast

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Donger

Convoi Exceptionnel
Location
Quedgeley, Glos.
I'm in the early stages of creating a long-term plan to cycle the whole of the South coast of England. This will involve some short holiday breaks on the South coast, and several day trips, always requiring there-and-back-again bike rides of 30-60 miles at a time. I have always been fascinated by ferries, and I enjoy taking my bike on ferries on my rides whenever possible, and I'm intrigued by a section of the Hampshire coast. I would prefer to do this whole stretch in one visit

Does anyone have recent experience of riding across from the New Forest to Hayling Island? On paper, it looks possible to park up at Beaulieu and work my way across to Hayling Island via: (1) the Hythe to Southampton Blue Funnel service, (2) the Hamble to Warsash ferry (which appears to require telephoning the duty ferryman!), (3) the Gosport to Portsmouth ferry and (4) the Eastney to Hayling Island ferry. Some parts of the route look either a little uninspiring or heavily urbanised, but not enough to put me off the adventure. I would prefer to do this whole stretch of coastline in one visit rather than needing to return several times to do it in smaller segments. My current thinking is to avoid repeating the most urbanised parts by returning via the Isle of Wight, taking (5) the Hayling Island to Eastney ferry, (6) the Portsmouth to Fishbourne ferry and (7) the Yarmouth to Lymington ferry before riding back to Beaulieu.

The idea is for this to be a leisurely ride, not one that requires seat-of-your-pants breakneck sprinting to make the seven or eight ferry crossings. If I did a straight re-trace, it seems it will cost about £28 in all for eight ferries, but probably closer to £40-£50 if I return via the IOW taking seven ferries. That seems OK to me for a one-off adventure ..... but does anyone have any words of warning or have the inside track on problems I might encounter? I aim to do the ride in the Spring or Summer of 2020 and in mid week rather than at weekends.

Thanks, Donger.
 
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numbnuts

Legendary Member
This is similar to the 6 ferry ride
https://www.plotaroute.com/route/47674
 

IaninSheffield

Veteran
Location
Sheffield, UK
Somewhat out of date now, given that it's from 2012, but days 3 & 4 might have something to contribute (although not Hayling). We were very lucky on all of the ferries we took and as I recall, Hamble wasn't a problem.
7617131832_7578423405_z_d.jpg
 

Heltor Chasca

Out-riding the Black Dog
Just a tip: Having arrived in Portsmouth at around midnight after riding 200+km and climbing 4000+m I was absolutely starving. The only food options were fast food in town where the young and beautiful were drunk and leery. Perhaps not the best place to be dressed head to toe in Lycra. Even the bouncers were sweating on my behalf.

(Never seen security in food joints before. Must get rough)
 
If you want to minimise the ferry crossings, head from Beaulieu to Marchwood, then to Totton then to Southampton. Head out of town over the Itchen bridge up through Woolston, then head out towards Hamble, but don’t head down to Hamble, rather go straight over, and go for Swanwick. Head past Swanwick Marina, up bridge road, and take a right towards Warsash at the petrol station at the big roundabout at the top of the hill. Then head through Stubbington, and for Lee on Solent, then Stokes Bay. Head for Fareham, then from Fareham head for Havant, there’s a fire trail near Havant railway station, which takes you to the start of the ‘puffing billy’ route, which is a disused railway line onto Hayling Island. You can speed up the return by using the various ferries, instead of the road route.
 

footloose crow

Über Member
Location
Cornwall. UK
Donger - get in touch when you get to the Cornwall section of the south coast. And give us the details of your ride after you have done it, something that I quite fancy having a go at too.
 
OP
OP
Donger

Donger

Convoi Exceptionnel
Location
Quedgeley, Glos.
Donger - get in touch when you get to the Cornwall section of the south coast. And give us the details of your ride after you have done it, something that I quite fancy having a go at too.
Thanks for that. Certainly would appreciate a local guide every now and again, but no immediate plans for the Cornish stretches. It really is going to be my next long term plan. I'll probably spend a few years doing the odd stretch of coast here and there, trying to finish each stretch in a logical place to start another leg from later. I've already covered a stretch of the Kent Coast and the Isle of Wight, and I have family near Exmouth who I can stay with. Throw in a couple of short holidays and the rest will have to be done by a series of day trips.

As I really like ferries, I'm aiming to start with this Hampshire ride, and some time next Spring I'd like to take in a couple more ferries in Devon. (Dartmouth, Starcross etc). May have to park up and ride 30-35 miles along the coast each time and then turn tail and ride back to the car, hence the long-term nature of the plan.
 
There is also a ferry that takes cycles from Bosham to Itchenor, Bosham is on the NCN 2, Itchenor is near to the Saltern Way which will take you into the Witterings, there is a cycle route around the Medmerry RSPB reserve which will take you into Selsey Village or connnets with the Bill way which goes though to the RSPB Pagham Reserve, then follow the the Bill Way North towards Chichester were it connects with the NCN 2 again.
 

Fiona R

Formerly known as Cranky Knee Girl
Location
N Somerset
I have always been fascinated by ferries, and I enjoy taking my bike on ferries on my rides whenever possible, and I'm intrigued by a section of the Hampshire coast. I would prefer to do this whole stretch in one visit
Thanks, Donger.
I have no idea about Hampshire ferries, but if you love ferries (as I do too) get yourself up to the west coast of Scotland and Islands, huge amounts of fun planning routes round all the CalMac ferries (occupies dark winter evenings), and they're all subsidised and very cheap too. Without trying to maximise ferries we did 15 crossings in a fortnight.
 

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
next Spring I'd like to take in a couple more ferries in Devon. (Dartmouth, Starcross etc).
I'll offer you at least 3 more ferry options in that neck of the Devon 'woods'!!
http://www.teignmouthshaldonferry.co.uk/
Recommend stout plastic bags to go over shoes for beach embarkation/disembarkation.
And rather than one of the Dartmouth ferries, I've used this one across the Dart:
https://www.dittishamferries.co.uk/
Here's a suggested route (Exmouth, ferry to Starcross, Torquay/Paignton, ferry to Dittisham, up south side of Dart to pick up cycle track Sharpham to Totnes, train back (via Exeter) to Exmouth): https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31555433
Could carry on down to Dartmouth from Paignton, ferry across )(choice of 2) and then come back via Dittisham to Paignton for (non-main line) train round to Exmouth. Or, on that train 'back', get off at Dawlish and cycle the Exe Estuary cycle track all the way (circa 20km) back to Exmouth (ferry across from 'the Turf' to Topsham optional - http://www.topshamtoturfferry.co.uk/).
 
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