Route advice - SW London to Chichester

clarkey cat
clarkey cat Posts: 3,641
edited July 2011 in Commuting chat
Google maps is giving me Cobham, Ockham, Guildford which should be fine but then after that A3100 to Godalming and then A286 the rest of the way. Are these rides okay to ride on?

Thanks
Dolan Mythos

Comments

  • davis
    davis Posts: 2,506
    clarkey cat wrote:
    Google maps is giving me Cobham, Ockham, Guildford which should be fine but then after that A3100 to Godalming and then A286 the rest of the way. Are these rides okay to ride on?

    Thanks

    No bloody way for the A286 if I were you. I'll see if I can figure out a route for you. Where are you ending up in Chi? (Roughly)

    Road, travelling at a fairly decent pace, preferred yah?
    Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.
  • davis
    davis Posts: 2,506
    Oh yeah, and how complicated can the route be? I know most of the area really really well, but if you're having to follow route cards you won't necessarily appreciate the zigzag through country lanes.

    (PS bring a good rear light, drivers round here are, in general, less considerate towards and aware of cyclists)
    Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.
  • clarkey cat
    clarkey cat Posts: 3,641
    Hi davis. Heading to Bosham - I'll probably be following my nose with a page of an atlas stuffed in my pocket and a mini-compass in my sock! Would like to get down in no more than 3 hours if possible. I don't know if that is possible!
    Dolan Mythos
  • davis
    davis Posts: 2,506
    Phew, turned into an essay.

    Ok, this looks reasonable to me. I've assumed you're capable of getting out of
    Guildford through Godalming on the A3100 towards Milford by yourself.


    http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?l ... for_cc.tcx

    I'll repeat myself about bringing a decent rear light! You'll be in shade or dappled light for some of the way.

    The route:
    Take the A283 (Petworth Road) towards Petworth. The A283 is also a bit of a lorry route, but this section is generally slow enough that you should be ok. Go through Chiddingfold, and through Ramsnest Common (not much more than a few houses and a petrol station on the left) and up the slight hill -- there's a turning on your right signposted Haslemere Station, but continue to the next crossroads here:

    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=51.077 ... 4,,0,16.97

    Turn right (signposted Lurgashall Winery), then left here:

    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=51.074 ... 95,,0,8.59

    You're heading towards Lickfold and Lodsworth, but I don't think it's signposted. Keep heading approximately South-West. There's an optional "refreshment" stop at Lurgashall -- you could turn left here:
    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=51.038 ... 4.32,,0,14
    and nip into the Noah's Ark for a refreshing beverage.

    Either way, continue on to towards Lickfold/Lodsworth. When you arrive here:
    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=51.026 ... .4,,0,10.6
    there's the option of climbing Bexley Hill by turning right. It's a bit of a sod really, with a poor road surface, and will bring you out in Midhurst -- this'll make navigation easier by getting you on the (by now much safer) A286.

    If you don't fancy that, continue South through Lodsworth. When you get here:
    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=50.988 ... 96,,0,0.07
    turn left on the A272 towards Petworth, then immediately right towards Graffham, Selham and South Ambersham. Careful with this section of the A272 - you don't want to be heading West towards Midhurst if you can help it.

    When you get to Selham, turn right at this junction:
    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=50.978 ... 8,,0,12.62
    over the bridge and past the church. Turn left in South Ambersham:
    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=50.978 ... 01,,0,1.04

    Which should be signposted Heyshott. Continue South West-ish to this crossroads:
    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=50.963 ... 91,,0,9.21
    and turn right towards this junction:
    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=50.963 ... 8,,0,12.26
    Turn left here towards Chichester on the A286 (shouldn't be too bad now).

    Go through Cocking (fnarr!) -- it's probably one of the easiest crossings of the Downs round here, so I don't think it's much of a hill. Continue South on the A286 -- pretty much head down and spin. You should go through Singleton and West Dean (think there's a college of some sort here). Go past the Selsey Arms Pub, and when you get here:
    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=50.903 ... 5,,0,19.26
    You can skip on to the Centurion Way, which is a paved cyclepath. I'm not generally a fan of segregated cyclepaths, but this'll lead you straight into the Western side of Chichester. There is a choice that you'll have to make here:
    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=50.890 ... 91,,0,3.12

    The Centurion Way continues East for a short way (where the camera's pointing), and it's not sealed for about 2km. That's a bit of a guess, and I haven't ridden it for probably 2 years or so, but I think I'd do it on my road bike if it was dry. You'll have to make your own mind up here. If you don't fancy that, you can continue down the A286 South and pick up the Centurion Way again around here (it's about 150m along a footpath):
    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=50.869 ... 95,,0,11.1

    Then, follow the Centurion Way all the way to Bishop Luffa School, turn right across the railway track through here:
    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=50.835 ... 75,,0,5.61
    And get on Fishbourne Road East. Cross the A27 (can't remember if that's a bridge or an underpass) and you'll be dropped in to Fishbourne then Bosham directly.

    Hope that helps fella.
    Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.
  • clarkey cat
    clarkey cat Posts: 3,641
    wow - that's fantastic davis. Thanks very much.
    I'm going to take in some of the North Downs early in the morning so will head west from Leith Hill and will pick up your route from Ramsnest Common area. I can't wait to ride through Cocking!
    Dolan Mythos
  • clarkey cat
    clarkey cat Posts: 3,641
    Davis - thanks again for your suggestions. I picked up the route from the sign for Lurgashall Winery having arrived there coming from Cranleigh direction. I opted to go for Bexley Hill which was absolutely brutal... rear wheel kept slipping out beneath me as it was quite damp and steep. I saw the footpath for Centurion Way in Lavant but actually carried on and went down Hunters Race. I will take the Way next time though as saw it from a bridge and looks great.
    Cheers!
    Dolan Mythos
  • davis
    davis Posts: 2,506
    clarkey cat wrote:
    Davis - thanks again for your suggestions. I picked up the route from the sign for Lurgashall Winery having arrived there coming from Cranleigh direction. I opted to go for Bexley Hill which was absolutely brutal... rear wheel kept slipping out beneath me as it was quite damp and steep. I saw the footpath for Centurion Way in Lavant but actually carried on and went down Hunters Race. I will take the Way next time though as saw it from a bridge and looks great.
    Cheers!

    Some people aren't the type to say "I told you so". Happily, I'm not one of them. I told you so. :D

    No worries though.
    Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.
  • Wrath Rob
    Wrath Rob Posts: 2,918
    Got back safely from Portsmouth earlier. Next time I'll pay a bit more attention to the Surrey HIlls Project page as I managed to go up both Winterfold to get to Peaslake and then Whitedown to get to Effingham. My legs weren't happy with that, especially the two 21% sections of Winterfold :shock: At least I had a tail wind for most of it.

    Still, 73 miles in an average of 16.4mph with 1,144m of climbing. Not too bad. Shame the CycleChallenge has finished!
    FCN3: Titanium Qoroz.

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