Routes in Southampton?

dphb

Hi all,
I've been set the challenge of cycling 5000km before the end of August to raise some much needed money for a hospital in South America.
I'm doing longer weekend rides, but i'm struggling to find good rides I can do in the evenings on weekdays.
Anybody have any suggestions?
Looking for circular loops starting in the St Denys area of Southampton which take 1-2 hours to complete.
Everywhere I have ridden, I seem to end up in queuing traffic or dual carriageway!

Thanks to all.
Dan

rch30

If you want traffic free roads have a look at Owslebury, Upham, Bishops Waltham, Durley and Botley areas, you can get lots of different routes avoiding repetition. You do however have half an hour or so of urban roads before you get to the pleasurable ones. Even Hamble and Old Bursledon can be traffic free at certain times of the day. Have you tried going on to the mapping/planning sites (e.g. Map My Ride) and searching for routes near villages and towns around Southampton?

The local club Sotonia start at North Baddsley on a Sunday morning 9.00a.m. and do 40-60 mile runs - have a look at their website.

Hope this helps.

rich164h

rch30 wrote:

If you want traffic free roads have a look at Owslebury, Upham, Bishops Waltham, Durley and Botley areas, you can get lots of different routes avoiding repetition.

I agree. I live in Bishopstoke and this is where I do most of my riding. Just head up on the minor roads in this direction, plenty of quite roads and some pretty decent hills as well.

stevec205gti

If you can stretch to a few hours remember you can hop on the ferry and cycle round the Island - good enjoyable cycling roads

Paul32uk

I'm based in Woolston in Southampton and you can head a few ways for nice roads. Myself I tend to head out to Bishops Waltham / Meon valley but these arent that good for the shorter rides.

For my short 30 - 40 milers in the evenings I head off to the New Forest. Mountbatten way can be a pain in rush hour but you just filter slowly up inbetween the stationary cars until you hit the service road by the Texaco garage.

I detest just riding around town. My 30 mile route is about 50% town and 50% forest. My route heads straight out of town past leisure world and onto mountbatten way. I follow that road all the way and go onto the A35 to Lyndhurst. I then swing a left at Boultons bench and follow that road for about 3.5miles where I turn left opposite the hotel / pub. Continue along this road and at the crossroads go left. Continue along this road and when you past the Bold Forester take the next left. Turn onto the road and follow it around to the right. Now stay on this road all the way. You'll eventually pass Long down dairy farm then come to a T junction. Turn right here and head back the way you came!

mikeyboy12345

Getting to the island will break the bank though! Personally I'd head to the Forest, but I'm biased as I work in Marchwood! If you can't put up with the Millbrook dual carriageway there's always the option of the Hythe ferry. I don't see how you can avoid 30mins of traffic, though, whatever direction you head in.

A nice-ish route could be east along Weston shore, cut through Victoria Country park and the police college, quick loop of Hamble, up to Lowford and round Old Bursledon, then the back lanes to Hedge End. Turn south through West End to go home, or go north for a longer ride round Durley.

What time in the evening do you ride?

mikeyboy12345

Paul32uk wrote:

... until you hit the service road by the Texaco garage.

Crikey! I avoid that service road like the plague, even on my rigid MTB. It's a right wheel-bender and one side's always blocked by HGVs. That, and the stupid cycle lane along Redbridge, is definitely the worst part of my day.

Paul32uk

mikeyboy12345 wrote:

Paul32uk wrote:

... until you hit the service road by the Texaco garage.

Crikey! I avoid that service road like the plague, even on my rigid MTB. It's a right wheel-bender and one side's always blocked by HGVs. That, and the stupid cycle lane along Redbridge, is definitely the worst part of my day.

Me too, I stay on the main road and just go around all of the roundabouts. Sounds like the OP doesnt like the traffic though and that road does seperate you from it. You can weave your way through the bumpy bits it just takes concentration The bit I hold my breath along is the cycle path / pavement leading up to rushington roundabout. There is so much glass and crap on that path you're just waiting to hear the hissing from a puncture!

Can you believe though some moronic drivers think that the service road there is acutally purely a bicycle lane. I've had two people shouting at me now whilst I continue on the road to 'get over in the cycle lane', by which they are referring the service road. Plebs. It wasnt even busy traffic wise either. They dont seem to understand I can cycle where I like!

dphb

Hi all,
Many thanks for all your suggestions. I don't mind riding on busy roads, it's just nicer to go on quieter roads
I will try going out towards bishops waltham and fair oak area and see what that's like. I may do a longer ride in that area over the weekend.
I do want to start going out to the forest. I used to cycle back from lyndhurst quite regularly, but haven't been out that way for a while. Romsey way is another area I want to explore.

Mikeyboy, I go after work. Can usually start riding between 5 and 5:30. So I have about an hour of daylight, but I have a good light, so happy to ride in the dark. Feel free to join me!
I'm only looking for 25-35 km rides on weekdays. Just something short & sweet

Thanks once again to all.

Dan

merlinghnd

You could always pop yor bike on a train at St Denys and get off at Romsey and go for a ride out to Stockbrige which is very nice. I live in Chandlers Ford so CF station would be OK, go up Hursley Road( over railway bridge) and then carry out to Farley Mount/Kings Somborne way. Maybe go out and cycle back home as a gentle warm down might be an option.

noiseboyfeetman

Romseys a good way to explore, go out to Michelmersh, Kimbridge, Dunbridge, Lockerley, Kings Somborne and Farley there's some nice quiet roads around there, I use that route at weekends and sometimes on my way home from Winchester to Chandlers Ford.

mikeyboy12345

dphb wrote:

Can usually start riding between 5 and 5:30.

My road bikes are all in various states of disrepair at the mo, but I'd be happy to meet up a bit later in the spring, for sure. I'll PM you closer to the time! If you're heading out in to the Forest we could join up, as I tend to leave Marchwood about 1800-1830ish

dphb

Sounds good Mikeyboy.
So I did a loop from Southampton to Chandlers Ford, up to Romsey and Back down to Southampton today.
The A3090 between Chandlers Ford and Romsey is sooooooooo bumpy!...not good with a loose headset...
Next time I'll venture further north towards Braishfield and Michelmersh as suggested.

Will go out towards Netley Abbey and the Victoria Country Park tomorrow. Think I'll get lost there as the route looks difficult to remember...

xloly

hi fellow Soton peeps.

I live in Bitterne Manor - a good 14.5 mile route from woolston would be Netley via Weston Shore, Victoria Country Park exiting through Hound road, up to tesco, straight down through West End, following the path through Riverside Park to Bitterne and then back through Northam over the Itchen bridge. In the Summer the traffic in the evenings is OK but the road surface is a bit sh*t.

As others have said, straight down Chalk Hill gets you to (pretty much) Allington Lane, there are loads of quiet roads out that way!

Good luck with your target!