Devils Punchbowl, Hindhead

[Dogtrousers]

I have spent many happy hours in traffic jams on the A3 at the Devil's Punchbowl, glancing nervously at the clock and worrying about Portsmouth ferry sailing times.

Now it has been replaced by the Hindhead tunnel, I thought I'd ride out there and see what it's like now. I know they completely ripped out the old road and landscaped it.

Does anyone know if the new path is rideable? I'd be on 28mm slicks. I'm not averse to a bit of comedy off-road.

I found this https://www.surreyhills.org/discover-route/cycle-surrey-hills-devils-punch-bowl/ which says This loop is mainly on bridleways that are not suitable for road bikes. Certain sections of the bridleway will be muddy in the winter and soft sand in the summer so may require you to dismount and push through.

But it's not clear whether the mud/sand sections are on the old A3 bit round the punchbowl, or other sections of the route. The section I'm interested in (Thursley-Hindhead, about 4km/2.5 mi) doesn't have any hazard markers (apart from an incline warning) on their map

Anyone walked/cycled up there?

Edit - oddly enough the ghost of the old road, complete with heavy traffic, lives on in Google StreetView.

 

[Cerdic]

No. But I've often wondered what the old road is like now, as well.

Those were the days, though! Creeping slowly round the Punchbowl wondering if I was going to have to jump the Isle of Wight ferry ramp Dukes of Hazzard style...