Cycling around the IOW
Discussion
Trying to organise a days cycling round the island for a mates 40th in June. I had arranged to stay on Portsmouth, get the ferry over to cycle the island then beers and food in Portsmouth in the evening.
I was going to stay at the Holiday Inn Express but it's booked (we need 4 rooms). Didn't really want to take the cars across but has anyone done this? Looking for pointers.
Ether places to stay on the mainland or we could take the cars over but it's a faff
Cheers
I was going to stay at the Holiday Inn Express but it's booked (we need 4 rooms). Didn't really want to take the cars across but has anyone done this? Looking for pointers.
Ether places to stay on the mainland or we could take the cars over but it's a faff
Cheers
The round the Island cycling route is around 80 miles and very well sign posted.
Map can be found here (this has it at 65 miles, the route I've done has a checkpoint on the beach at Ryde):
http://www.visitisleofwight.co.uk/inspiration/bicy...
From Fishborne were the ferry comes in, you can pick up the route at Wootton with ease. So leave the cars behind, unless your planning on having someone act as a support car.
The big decision you've got is which way round you go. Anti-Clockwise and you've got the big climb at Blackgang Chine - short but brutal. Clockwise and there is a constant, longer but slower climb from Shanklin to Blackgang. A lot of people favour Anti-Clockwise.
For places in Pompey, I've used the Ibis near the Uni (Winston Churchil Street) and the Holiday Inn in Southsea on Victoria Ave. Both are a shortish walk to the Ferry's/Gunwaffe Quays.
Map can be found here (this has it at 65 miles, the route I've done has a checkpoint on the beach at Ryde):
http://www.visitisleofwight.co.uk/inspiration/bicy...
From Fishborne were the ferry comes in, you can pick up the route at Wootton with ease. So leave the cars behind, unless your planning on having someone act as a support car.
The big decision you've got is which way round you go. Anti-Clockwise and you've got the big climb at Blackgang Chine - short but brutal. Clockwise and there is a constant, longer but slower climb from Shanklin to Blackgang. A lot of people favour Anti-Clockwise.
For places in Pompey, I've used the Ibis near the Uni (Winston Churchil Street) and the Holiday Inn in Southsea on Victoria Ave. Both are a shortish walk to the Ferry's/Gunwaffe Quays.
Edited by DMN on Monday 14th March 09:37
StarmistBlue400 said:
Trying to organise a days cycling round the island for a mates 40th in June. I had arranged to stay on Portsmouth, get the ferry over to cycle the island then beers and food in Portsmouth in the evening.
I was going to stay at the Holiday Inn Express but it's booked (we need 4 rooms). Didn't really want to take the cars across but has anyone done this? Looking for pointers.
Ether places to stay on the mainland or we could take the cars over but it's a faff
Cheers
I done this two weeks ago, although myself and two others stayed on the Island as we were there for three days. We done the lap clockwise as I thought that was slightly more favourable due to the wind but it certainly felt like a strong headwind the whole day! The Island is perfect for riding, most of the roads are pretty quiet apart from Newport but you can avoid that. There are some really nice roads inland and I'd recommend The Downs Road as it feels like you get views of the whole Island. If you are there, I'd recommend the drop down from there to the Garlic Farm. They do a good fry up!I was going to stay at the Holiday Inn Express but it's booked (we need 4 rooms). Didn't really want to take the cars across but has anyone done this? Looking for pointers.
Ether places to stay on the mainland or we could take the cars over but it's a faff
Cheers
My other favourite road is Military road which goes from black gang to freshwater bay. if you do the lap, you will definitely do that road. you don't get much better on views than there. the sea to one side and the downs to the other. Quintessentially English!
Have a good one and I hope it's not too windy when you are there.
I'm riding the island loop on Saturday, the routes well signposted however I decided I want to hug the coast absolutely as much as possible so have made a route with ridewithgps taking in a few sea walls etc. I'm starting and finishing in Ventnor as I have a place there, I always use Red funnel from Southampton so don't know about staying in Portsmouth.
One thing to consider a car ticket covers up to 6 people and a typical day return on a Saturday's about £45 so if you pack bikes in the boot carefully and one of you have a people carrier it maybe cheaper and nice to start and finish where you want at a nice pub for example.
Military roads great, only been down it in car or motorbike and foot as yet, looking forward to rectifying that on Saturday with the road bike :-)
One thing to consider a car ticket covers up to 6 people and a typical day return on a Saturday's about £45 so if you pack bikes in the boot carefully and one of you have a people carrier it maybe cheaper and nice to start and finish where you want at a nice pub for example.
Military roads great, only been down it in car or motorbike and foot as yet, looking forward to rectifying that on Saturday with the road bike :-)
Edited by Herman Toothrot on Monday 14th March 14:16
I did this with a friend last year and followed the signposted route which includes the "floating bridge" (Cowes ferry). This was a big mistake - it would have been much quicker and more fun to cycle round.
The Cowes ferry staff were following some sort of "work to rule" (lazy c**ts) which meant that it took nearly an hour to cross 50m of water.
The rest of the route is fantastic - very little traffic, good roads and great scenery.
The Cowes ferry staff were following some sort of "work to rule" (lazy c**ts) which meant that it took nearly an hour to cross 50m of water.
The rest of the route is fantastic - very little traffic, good roads and great scenery.
Done it quite a few times.
There is the standard Randonee route here https://www.strava.com/activities/297331647
However I prefer my route which goes to the top of the Needles, climb out of Ventnor and then back up Bully Hill in Brading https://www.strava.com/activities/62714461
There is the standard Randonee route here https://www.strava.com/activities/297331647
However I prefer my route which goes to the top of the Needles, climb out of Ventnor and then back up Bully Hill in Brading https://www.strava.com/activities/62714461
S10GTA said:
Done it quite a few times.
There is the standard Randonee route here https://www.strava.com/activities/297331647
However I prefer my route which goes to the top of the Needles, climb out of Ventnor and then back up Bully Hill in Brading https://www.strava.com/activities/62714461
The road from the car park up to the battery site at the Needles was unsuspecting, oh and windy!!There is the standard Randonee route here https://www.strava.com/activities/297331647
However I prefer my route which goes to the top of the Needles, climb out of Ventnor and then back up Bully Hill in Brading https://www.strava.com/activities/62714461
Did this today, I screwed up and forgot to upload my pre planned route to the garmin so just tried to keep close to the coast except I followed advice and cut in to Newport from Yarmouth to avoid the chain ferry, really I should have gone to Cowes 1st then cut in but that's for another day, I don't get the cycle route sign posts, the keep sending you in land, I ignored most of them. I can't upload to Strava until Monday as no laptop to plug in to, but essentially 102km, 1660m climbing and including a stop for fish and chips 4hrs 45mins. I did the whole needles battery, St Lawrence Shute etc so probably more climbing than a more normal route.
I would advise if you want to do a proper coastal ride to get on ride with GPS and program your route in a garmin or similar, from today's ride it's clear that it's hard to keep coastal spontaneously as signs are not clear if you will head to a dead end or have to back track.
I'd also add there has been a huge amount of road resurfacing done on the island this last year 70% is now race track smooth, puts Oxfordshire / West Berkshire roads to shame. No big pot holes and only some rough surfaces, no punctures for me today.
I would advise if you want to do a proper coastal ride to get on ride with GPS and program your route in a garmin or similar, from today's ride it's clear that it's hard to keep coastal spontaneously as signs are not clear if you will head to a dead end or have to back track.
I'd also add there has been a huge amount of road resurfacing done on the island this last year 70% is now race track smooth, puts Oxfordshire / West Berkshire roads to shame. No big pot holes and only some rough surfaces, no punctures for me today.
Edited by Herman Toothrot on Saturday 19th March 17:38
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