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
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- 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
Saturday always sells out quickly. Personally I quite like the Sunday.
UK Velo run another one in June (6th June this year) and there is the New Forest Tour (also UKCC) on 19th September.
T4tomo
Legendary Member
Well that was very pleasant. Whilst the wind was quite blustery, more so on the Saturday and there were some horrendous squally showers overnight that occasionally woke us, the sun came out and apart from a 2-3 minute shower we caught the edge of it stayed dry.
Predominantly a cross head wind out and cross tail wind back, I think we caught about 300 yds of true tailwind
and in places - along side Lepe beach and on a couple of the exposed moor sections it was occasionally a battle to to keep the bike straight in the gusts. Reasonably flat route too, one reasonable drag up through the trees nr Balderwood and a cheeky one very soon after the feed stop, plus each way through the "dip" through Beaulieu, although a couple of those into a headwind exposed sections felt like hills.Obviously pretty scenery and varied, (very small) bit of coastal, open moorland scrub with gorse in full yellow flower, through the trees and thru villages and farmland. Plenty of horse donkeys and cows by road too to keep you on your toes.
Generally a decent standard of riding, not too many weaving herberts and despite them talking down the feed stop provision, the 1 on the medium route was well stocked, cake, bananas, crisps as well as the usual bars gels and jelly beans, plus plenty of water and Hi5 to top up. Signage was good and clear. Start and finish well organised with a cold beer on finishing.
As the stop was at 33 of 57 miles we threw in an early unofficial coffee stop at The Absent Pony, marginally off route Brockenhurst, which somewhat confused the marshal as we ignored his instruction to turn right with a "nah coffee!". We also tagged on a little 6 mile circuit at the finish too and Mrs T decided as she'd broken he longest ride ever record, she'd keep going to 62.5 miles to tick of the 100km mark.
I have to say the standard of road surface was a delight down there, way better than the potholed "freshly bombed" look of most of Hertfordshire's rural roads. Even the minor roads have been down with proper rolled tarmac, rather than the awful tar and chip top dress, which just breaks up and crumbles.
Was absolutely pissing it down as we returned up the M3 for home!
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