Isle of Wight Randonee

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srw

It's a bit more complicated than that...
The fact that the one at Gurnard, the rise from the ferry at Cowes and that vicious dip at Whippinham are all in the last 5 or 6 miles is a real grind
Or, if you start from Cowes, in the first 5 or 6 miles. With cold legs. I was quite pleased to be overtaking people on the drag up from Cowes, although the sight of the club riders powering off into the distance was sobering. Perhaps next time we'll bring the lighter tandem!

What's the optimum starting point? The best blend of flattish start and not-too-hilly finish?
 
Location
Hampshire
Or, if you start from Cowes, in the first 5 or 6 miles. With cold legs. I was quite pleased to be overtaking people on the drag up from Cowes, although the sight of the club riders powering off into the distance was sobering. Perhaps next time we'll bring the lighter tandem!

What's the optimum starting point? The best blend of flattish start and not-too-hilly finish?

When it's anti-clockwise (next year) starting at Cowes gives you an relatively easy first 17 miles and a downhill finish.
 
Or, if you start from Cowes, in the first 5 or 6 miles. With cold legs. I was quite pleased to be overtaking people on the drag up from Cowes, although the sight of the club riders powering off into the distance was sobering. Perhaps next time we'll bring the lighter tandem!

What's the optimum starting point? The best blend of flattish start and not-too-hilly finish?

My impression of this year will be the fact that the club riders were more prone to lying in the road, and fixing punctures than the casual riders!
 

PaulM

Guru
Location
Portsmouth, UK
I made it round, the first time on 2 wheels rather than 3. Strangely I never felt cold, though it was wet. I spent an hour in the White Horse at Whitwell having a Sunday Roast lunch. The end result was that I had a glorious run in the sunshine from 4:30pm heading east from Yarmouth back to Wootton. It was great to meet so many nice people. I've never seen so many punctures on a ride though.
 
On a brighter note!

I was across on the Island this week, christening / abusing the wife's new Gekko to see if it could do the short route.

W planned as far as Newport as this is within the stated mileage when the Gosport bit is taken into account. It did well, 25% battery left and we are very happy with it.

But that is not the reason I am posting.

On the Cowes Ferry they now have poetry and it includes an "Ode to the Randonnee", but has not named the author

P7120093.jpg
 
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PpPete

Legendary Member
Location
Chandler's Ford
2012465 said:
I guess this is the best place to ask this.

Is the IOW randonne route the best one for a circuit of the island?

Clockwise or anti?

The randonnee more or less follows the permanently signposted route / green dots on the OS map.
I would say it's as good as any, with the possible exception of that stupid bridleway between Yarmouth & Freshwater.

On the randonnee clockwise years are better because you avoid the queues at the chain ferry.... but then you sometimes get a headwind on the southern coastal sections, and the short little hills around Gurnard are a lot harder at the end of 100k than at the beginning.

Do both ways and report back...
 
2012465 said:
I guess this is the best place to ask this.

Is the IOW randonne route the best one for a circuit of the island?

Clockwise or anti?

Its not a bad one especially for those that don't know the Island. You may want to organise some detours such as down the hill into Ryde and back up and to the odd pub or two But its well signed all the way all year round (its basically the official Round the Island cycle route) and drivers expect cyclists on it. . Once you've done it once you can then play around with variants. I prefer anti-clockwise and starting from Cowes but both ways are good and its very much a personal preference.
 
2012503 said:
Thanks both. At the moment I don't know where my start point is so where specific hills are is yet to be considered.

The hills are:

The big climbs at either end of the southern leg. Probably slightly easier clockwise than anti. The rolling hills between Cowes and Wooton Bridge - about the same both ways. The smaller rolling hills between Yarmouth and Cowes - about the same both ways although there is a steep short climb going clockwise near Gurnard that is easier going the other way.
 
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