Nice ride today. Three of us turned up, myself leading, Michael and also Sam who was still recovering from some injuries a couple of weeks ago. Weather was sunny but surprisingly cold in a northerly wind.
We had a delayed start as the Half Marathon came past, and fortunately Sam was able to take us through some back roads behind the college so we could avoid the runners. That accidentally took us past the finishing line for the half-marathon, to cheers and applause from the organising staff and victory air punches from us.
We took the usual route to Horndean through Westbourne and Rowlands Castle where we had coffee at the Horndean Garden Centre Cafe.
Sam was suffering from his injuries a lot by then so he turned back after elevenses. Michael and I carried on, through Catherington and down Lovedean Lane and Day Lane to the obviously very narrow Broadway Lane from where we turned off through Crossways to Hambledon. Then we went up the steep Cams Hill, towards Soberton Heath, where we turned south down Heath Road to join the Meon Valley Trail, which was really delightful through the autumn woodland, and on to Wickham.
At Wickham we lunched at the King’s Arms as planned. The Pub and the village have an interesting history as shown by the sign there.
We then returned through Knowle village, then the cycle route to, and down, Wickham Road, then down Pook Lane to join the Portsdown Hill Road just at Fort Nelson, with the usual spectacular views over the Solent (photo actually taken last Wednesday when I scouted out the route)
Then we followed the usual route back through Havant and Westbourne to Chichester. My mileage was 53.
Bob Birtwell
Bognor and Chichester Cycling UK 