StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Thought it was about time I opened my ride organising account....
For anyone planning to ride down for the ferry to Cherbourg in June, a little route familiarisation, and for anyone else who fancies a rolling but not too taxing ride through some nice bits of 'ampshire countryside. Flat, it isn't (the four or five miles either side of Haslemere in particular) but there are no major climbs, just lots, and lots, of little ones, along with some lovely scenery. On account of the distance, and the terrain, I've billed this one as 'reasonably rapid'- I'd like the same kind of pace as the late lamented (by me at least) rides for food, I'm thinking that those who have other stuff to fit in on a Saturday would prefer it that way, but just like those we'll be going at the pace of theslowest least rapid rider, no-one will be left behind.
A smidge under 80 miles, starting from HPC at 7.30 or so, through Chelsea, over Putney Bridge, half a lap of Richmond Park, Esher (as Davy remembers, spelt E-S-H-E-R
), Kingston, Ockham, a little bit of the bike path alongside the A3, through Guildford, then on to Godalming and down to Petersfield. From there, I'm favouring taking a dog-leg westwards down to the splendid view of the city from the top of the hill (one long grinding ascent in that stretch) then flat as a pancake to the Castle and the excellent cafe therein. I've done the trip north in five hours rolling, but we definitely won't be that quick, I reckon half-two to three o'clock depending on stops etc.
Halfway stop will be a pub en route in Godalming or thereabouts (I have one in mind, but those with local knowledge might have a suggestion or two) if people want a lunch stop, if a quicker option (and late lunch at the castle cafe) is preferred then there are plenty of shops on the way. We'll never be far from a station if anyone needs to bail, and services back to London (Waterloo and Victoria) from Pompey are frequent. For those who want to make the ride up to a century, Havant station is a flat ten miles away, Petersfield station a barely lumpier twenty.
For anyone planning to ride down for the ferry to Cherbourg in June, a little route familiarisation, and for anyone else who fancies a rolling but not too taxing ride through some nice bits of 'ampshire countryside. Flat, it isn't (the four or five miles either side of Haslemere in particular) but there are no major climbs, just lots, and lots, of little ones, along with some lovely scenery. On account of the distance, and the terrain, I've billed this one as 'reasonably rapid'- I'd like the same kind of pace as the late lamented (by me at least) rides for food, I'm thinking that those who have other stuff to fit in on a Saturday would prefer it that way, but just like those we'll be going at the pace of the
A smidge under 80 miles, starting from HPC at 7.30 or so, through Chelsea, over Putney Bridge, half a lap of Richmond Park, Esher (as Davy remembers, spelt E-S-H-E-R
), Kingston, Ockham, a little bit of the bike path alongside the A3, through Guildford, then on to Godalming and down to Petersfield. From there, I'm favouring taking a dog-leg westwards down to the splendid view of the city from the top of the hill (one long grinding ascent in that stretch) then flat as a pancake to the Castle and the excellent cafe therein. I've done the trip north in five hours rolling, but we definitely won't be that quick, I reckon half-two to three o'clock depending on stops etc.Halfway stop will be a pub en route in Godalming or thereabouts (I have one in mind, but those with local knowledge might have a suggestion or two) if people want a lunch stop, if a quicker option (and late lunch at the castle cafe) is preferred then there are plenty of shops on the way. We'll never be far from a station if anyone needs to bail, and services back to London (Waterloo and Victoria) from Pompey are frequent. For those who want to make the ride up to a century, Havant station is a flat ten miles away, Petersfield station a barely lumpier twenty.
