Flatter routes in/near North Hampshire

[livpoksoc]

Trying to train for thr Pru and one of the issues I had last time is that the routes I know around Basingstoke are quite hilly (1558ft climb over 17 miles yesterday).

Are there any locals who know of some flatter areas I can go to try and up my mileage. My plan is to end up with a decent long route come end of June which incorporates the hills I know and the flats I may not be aware of.

Thanks!

 

[andym]

Google Maps terrain view.

 

[Broadside]

Going east is prob your best option, out through Old Basing and towards Hook, or around Bramley and Silchester which is about as flat as you will find in the area. Going down the Test Valley is also nice once you get there but there are a few hills on the way.

 

[Bollo]

Going east is prob your best option, out through Old Basing and towards Hook, or around Bramley and Silchester which is about as flat as you will find in the area. Going down the Test Valley is also nice once you get there but there are a few hills on the way.

Probably this, but......

Rides with hills, even if the mileage isn't huge, will probably be better training than just cranking out flat miles. Are you following a structured training plan or just busking it when you have the time to ride?

 

[StuAff]

Ride London route is emphatically not flat. I'm with @Bollo, you're better off if you're doing some climbing. Anyway, if you go up a bit there are usually some downhills to go 'weeeee' on....

 

[Bollo]

It's just dawning on me that 1500ft in 17 miles is hilly even by local standards. Are you doing Northgate Lane repeats?!

 

[livpoksoc]

It's just dawning on me that 1500ft in 17 miles is hilly even by local standards. Are you doing Northgate Lane repeats?!

It's on my route. I live in town so go out through memorial park, onto Farleigh road and turn left to go up Northgate Lane and then depending on how long I have, dictates whether I take a short loop back around to Cliddesden, or stay on that road and head towards Alton.

Yesterday I did two laps of the former before going back up through Cliddesden into Hatchwarren and home.

My alternative is to go left on Dickens Lane towards Upton Grey then Odiham and looping southwest towards Alton and then back along the familiar route.

 

[livpoksoc]

Probably this, but......

Rides with hills, even if the mileage isn't huge, will probably be better training than just cranking out flat miles. Are you following a structured training plan or just busking it when you have the time to ride?

Ride London route is emphatically not flat. I'm with @Bollo, you're better off if you're doing some climbing. Anyway, if you go up a bit there are usually some downhills to go 'weeeee' on....

I haven't got a structure per se as my work is a bit hectic at the moment, so am at the mercy of workload and then when the weather and light allows in the weekday evenings, so my main aim is to up my mileage by 10 miles a weekend and try at least one 60-90 minute spin in the week.

 

[Bollo]

If you're constrained by time, I'd keep the hills in as they'll give you better training-bang-per-hour.

The flattest route I can think of locally goes as follows

Pack Lane to Oakley
Oakley to North Waltham
Popham Lane to the Wheatsheaf - cross the A30 and then under the M3
Head towards Axford - this is reasonably flat.
Go right then immediately left at Axford on to Berrydown Lane.
More flat until you come to Green Lane, where you turn left up to Ellisfield/Cliddesden and home.

It's about 20 miles all in and by no means flat, but the M3-Green Lane stretch will let you establish a rhythm.

 

[livpoksoc]

If you're constrained by time, I'd keep the hills in as they'll give you better training-bang-per-hour.

The flattest route I can think of locally goes as follows

Pack Lane to Oakley
Oakley to North Waltham
Popham Lane to the Wheatsheaf - cross the A30 and then under the M3
Head towards Axford - this is reasonably flat.
Go right then immediately left at Axford on to Berrydown Lane.
More flat until you come to Green Lane, where you turn left up to Ellisfield/Cliddesden and home.

It's about 20 miles all in and by no means flat, but the M3-Green Lane stretch will let you establish a rhythm.

Thanks, I can give that a try this week if this rain goes pretty quickly. I don't mind that climb up Green Lane.

I will retain the climbs over time, but at the moment I am just lacking in power as I am so unfit so want to get some confident miles up too. The RideLondon climbs total about 5000ft so if I can get an average 500ft per 10 miles then I'm happy.

 

[livpoksoc]

If you're constrained by time, I'd keep the hills in as they'll give you better training-bang-per-hour.

The flattest route I can think of locally goes as follows

Pack Lane to Oakley
Oakley to North Waltham
Popham Lane to the Wheatsheaf - cross the A30 and then under the M3
Head towards Axford - this is reasonably flat.
Go right then immediately left at Axford on to Berrydown Lane.
More flat until you come to Green Lane, where you turn left up to Ellisfield/Cliddesden and home.

It's about 20 miles all in and by no means flat, but the M3-Green Lane stretch will let you establish a rhythm.

Something like this...?

 

[Bollo]

Something like this...?

You've won a prize! That's pretty much my Thursday route (daughter skates at B'stoke rink a few days a week) apart from the beginning/end where I take on the Brighton Hill roundabout at rush hour. Yeehaaa!

The ride Oakley-Hannington-Wotton-st-Lawrence is also reasonably civilised. It's only the last 1km up to the mast where the road ramps up a bit.