Cycling again
Since Malcolm's accident Sue and I haven't been out cycling much. We decided last weekend to get out and take a trip to get back into the groove again. Sue took Friday off work and we spent the day riding down to Portsmouth for a late-afternoon ferry to Fishbourne on the Isle of Wight.
Once over the water we followed the small lanes from Fishbourne to Sandown taking in a scenic road across Brading Down. The views were good, although there was a lot of fast traffic for such a minor road. I think the culprits were people anxious to get away for the weekend, along with a couple of motorcyclists out for an after-work burn-up.
We were booked into the Youth Hostel at Sandown. We haven't been hostelling for some years, but decided to re-join this summer. The hostel was nice and less formal than they used to be. It was a fine evening, so dinner consisted of fish and chips from Fat Harry's taken on a bench near the pier, followed by an evening stroll.
On Saturday we left Sandown via an off-road cycle route to Newport, and then made our way to Yarmouth for lunch. We left Yarmouth on the ferry to Lymington, and from Lymington we rode through the New Forest to Burley. Burlet hostel was very busy, not just inside, but also with families and groups camping in the hostel grounds in tents and teepees.
On Sunday morning we set off to ride through the New Forest to Mottisfont Abbey which is a National Trust property. We are members of the National Trust so we are able to make use of their properties for informal tea-shop stops. At Mottisfont they served some excellent cheese and watercress scones which set us up for the next part of the ride.
We rode through King's Somborne and skirted the north of Winchester, pausing for a cream tea at the garden centre in Headbourne Worthy. From there we skirted the south of Basingstoke to arrive home in the early evening.
It was a lovely weekend. We had some damp spells, but each day ended with sunshine Some of the roads were busy, but many were quiet, and the whole experience reminded us why we love cycletouring.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Musings on life, computers, bicycles and much more.
Posts
About Me
- Mike Smith
- I spent 20 years working in IT, and 8 years working in a clinical laboratory before that. I needed a break from the world of IT and from June 2006 I taught English, spending almost a year in Prague. I returned to the UK in July 2007 and am now employed as a freelance IT consultant.
3 comments:
erm.... excuse me... didn't see you on my doorstep to say "hello" ? Ok, I don't make scones as they do at Mottisfont, but what's wrong with Garibaldi biscuit anyway?
I wasn't sure that your domestic arrangements suited themselves to unexpected callers. Still, it's nice to know that someone is reading this stuff. :)
Absolutely! Your blog is a lot better then Grisham's latest novel. (about a US tax criminal relocating to italy and learning the language & customs) Don't worry - will tell you when it's getting boring :) (unlike Grishams novel)
Post a Comment