SDW Train from Eastbourne to Winchester

Neilplant
Neilplant Posts: 11
edited July 2015 in Routes
Thinking of doing the SDW from Winchester to Eastbourne this coming summer and was wondering if anyone has any ideas about getting back to my car at the end of the day. Don't fancy being stranded at the end of the day after 100 miles!!

Comments

  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Route back is Eastbourne - Clapham Jn - Winchester, takes about 2.5-3 hours but there is a 22:45 train which gets to Winchester at 02:45 so no worries on finishing late! 12 hours is a decent time for the route by the time you include gates, stops etc, so perfectly feasible if you leave early and best to aim to do the full route in daylight i.e. get back about 9pm. Even if you're well prepared, it's a long day particularly as half the climbing is in the last third. I've done it 5 times - last time was an over-nighter which was a real endurance epic from a mental perspective, leaving Winchester at 9pm and reaching Eastbourne at 9am with thunderstorms for the final hour.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • JIMCHAPP
    JIMCHAPP Posts: 1
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19319983#p19319983]Monty Dog[/url] wrote:
    Route back is Eastbourne - Clapham Jn - Winchester, takes about 2.5-3 hours but there is a 22:45 train which gets to Winchester at 02:45 so no worries on finishing late! 12 hours is a decent time for the route by the time you include gates, stops etc, so perfectly feasible if you leave early and best to aim to do the full route in daylight i.e. get back about 9pm. Even if you're well prepared, it's a long day particularly as half the climbing is in the last third. I've done it 5 times - last time was an over-nighter which was a real endurance epic from a mental perspective, leaving Winchester at 9pm and reaching Eastbourne at 9am with thunderstorms for the final hour.
    I did this ride a few weeks ago, took 13hrs inc stops etc. One of the guys got the above train back whilst the rest of us stayed overnight in eastbourne. Relatively pain free journey providing you dont fall asleep and miss your stops!

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