Makes sense. To be honest I preferred it to the Somerley Estate as it allowed for a nicer route, and the car wasn't coated with 3 tonnes of med from trying to get to the drop off.
New Forest Classic
- Thread starter icowden
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Hi folks. It has been suggested that the side discussion about road surfaces and resurfacing might make a good topic of its own so that has been moved to a new thread here: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/the-state-of-the-roads.274391/
DRHysted
Guru
- Location
- New Forest
I’ve not been to Somerley Estate, quite liked Gang Warily as it’s only 11 miles from home, so no need for the car at all. But it’s tight for space, so not good for large gatherings.
Somerley is beautiful but the start site is down a very long dirt road, so when there has been dry weather, every bike and car is coated in a thick layer of brown dust by the time you get to the car park (unless your bike is inside the car). Gang Warily is also better for me as the in-laws are, like you, about 10 miles away. Somerley takes about 50 minutes instead of 25.
shnjmsn
Veteran
- Location
- Somerset Levels
Agreed ! Done several from there over the years, great location and start/finish point with lots of space, its just that dusty track is horrible ! first one I've missed for a while in this location, but still plan to do the 100 in September as per usual
Agreed ! Done several from there over the years, great location and start/finish point with lots of space, its just that dusty track is horrible ! first one I've missed for a while in this location, but still plan to do the 100 in September as per usual
I'm skipping that one as the BiL is doing his Iron Man that weekend so we will be going to cheer him on. It's fair to say that we have very different cycling speeds.
I was very pleased to complete the 57.61 mile medium route in 4 hours and 45 minutes. He was moderately happy to complete the 78.72 mile route in 4 hours and 25 mins!! if we had been on the same, day he would have overtaken me
N0bodyOfTheGoat
Über Member
- Location
- Hampshire, UK
Even when I was healthier, I was awful at keeping track of "local" ride events, but had no idea New Forest was Sunday 12th April (Saturday sold out apparently).
Would be ~16 miles each way for me between home and Gang Warily Recreation Centre in Holbury, unless I used the Hythe ferry with my ebike instead, which would make it ~6(?) miles cycling each way.
Only ridden in New Forest four times over the past ~20 years, nice enough once there but I used to hate flat routes, however the main issue for me was I simply couldn't be doing with the agro of dealing with hostile traffic through Southampton city centre until getting to around Eling.
One to ponder, the ebike battery entender I bought in January(?) will help, but struggling to find fitness after Feb/Mar lurgy and I might not be in Hampshire that weekend.
£15-40 online tickets before day for choice of four routes, website has gpx links.
https://www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/products/the-new-forest-classic-2026-sunday
