Glorious weather predicted and the prospect of quiet roads, because of big TV audiences for the Royal wedding. A good reason to be putting on my cycling shoes in Barnard Castle at 8.30 am. The air was still cool down by the Tees and on the road up to Romaldkirk. Up the lanes past Hury and Blackton reservoirs, then over the tops to Grassholme reservoir and out over Mickleton Moor on the road to Brough. The road topped out at 1550ft just after the county border to give me stunning views out over Cumbria to North Yorkshire and the peaks of the Lake District. I dropped into the Eden Valley losing 1,000ft in five miles and rolled through Brough for a cake stop at the Pink Geranium cafe in Kirkby Stephen.
Then climb through Nateby and up over Lamps Moss, a two and a half mile climb averaging 8%, but with stretches much steeper. The signs said 20%. I was caught and passed by several other cyclists. It was such a beautiful day, but I was struggling to catch my breath.
The climb topped out at 1650ft and 32 miles into my ride, I crossed into my third county of the day. Upper Swaledale is glorious. Glorious! And such a joy to ride downhill. I used every advantage gravity can give, but my breathing got worse and a wheeziness became a whistle. By the time I reached Reeth, I was really sruggling. I crawled into the Dales Bike Centre at Fremmington and collapsed on the grass.
Coffee, a good sandwich and an enormous slice of cake later, I thought I was ready to push on, but a mile up the road after climbing and 250ft, I knew my day was done. I had to do something I’ve not done in years: make the call of shame. I called home to be picked up.
It was an excellent ride. Will definitely go back to complete it at some point soon.
There is little better than being out early in the Durham Dales. Quiet roads, stunning landscapes, and the chance to rub shoulders with our wonderful wildlife. It’s my favourite time of day and there’s no better way to enjoy it than by bike.
Hamsterley Forest makes an excellent starting point for a ride. There’s plenty of parking and good facilities at the visitor centre. And to get you started the National Cycle Network’s route 70 follows Forest Drive for the better part of five miles’ traffic free riding tracking Bedburn Beck deep into the forest. The forest is full of quietness this morning. It’s just me, a few mountain bikers heading off on the forest trails, the odd dog walker and some squirrels scurrying away as my tyres crunch on the gravel. The challenge of following route 70 is the monumentally steep hill from the forest up to the Woodland road. There’s no shame in walking your bike up the steeper parts.
There are spectacular views as route 70 strikes out across the moorland towards Eggleston. On a previous ride I was joined here for a short stretch by a barn owl gliding over the hedgerows in search of breakfast. This morning I’m treated to lapwings peewitting their courtship in the air above me. The official Hamsterley to Barnard Castle cycle route turns to Kinninvie, but I head to the top of Langleydale and get a peak of the high Pennine fells from the gloriously named Folly Top that stands on the watershed between Weardale and Teesdale.
It’s hard for a cyclist to argue with five miles downhill cycling anywhere. Here, overlooking Teesdale, it would be impossible. I’m soon following cycle route signs through quiet residential streets to Barnard Castle’s bustling Horse Market.
The town has an impressive collection of traditional independent shops that still outnumber more recognisable chain stores. And its smattering of antique and collectable shops would get even the most reluctant of shoppers bargain hunting. But I’m here to see the sights and taste the delights, so I head for the sheltered bike parking offered by the Witham Arts Centre.
The Witham is the beating cultural heart of this rural market town. A fabulous not-for-profit enterprise, housing a gallery, gift shop, and versatile performance space that hosts famous comedians, folk music, live drama and other performances. Right in the middle of the Horsemarket, it’s great as a base for touring the town. And it has a busy cafe serving homemade food, good coffee and freshly baked cakes. What a fabulous place to stop.
Coffee and a sandwich in the Dispensary Cafe followed by a glorious slice of Victoria sandwich sets me up for the second half of the trip.
Barnard castle has a lot to offer and I can’t resist a little tour before setting off. Arriving in town from the east, you’d be forgiven for missing the castle at first. The entrance of the building that gives the town its name sits behind the Methodist Church at the bottom of Galgate. (Find the Post Office and look downhill). At the other end of the Market, the weather vane on the impressive Market Cross bears the scars of a local legend that says two men used it as the target in a contest to see which of them was the better shot. If the holes were made by the shots they fired, I’m not sure the matter was settled at all. And a mile and a half a loop out over the Tees to the eerie ruins of Egglestone Abbey.
Cycle route 165, takes me out of town past the the Bowes Museum, an unlikely French-style chateau purpose-built as a museum by John and Josephine Bowes in 1869, and on through Westwick, Whorlton, Little Newsham and South Cleatham.
Nine miles from Barnard Castle, Staindrop village oozes medieval heritage. It’s pubs, post office, shop and cafes offer the chance for a breather before the final leg of the trip.
Out past the impressive St Mary’s Church at the eastern end of the village, the Darlington road takes me to the back lanes around Wackerfield and up to cross the A688 at the Sun Inn.
Descending into the Gaunless valley at Esperly, the farming landscape starts to include echoes of the area’s industrial heritage. A steep climb through Low Lands to High Lands and there are two miles of descent to enjoy before a one last climb up into Hamsterley village. A mile-long valedictory roll down to Bedburn and I’m back at Hamsterley Forest visitor centre.
This route is an extremely enjoyable 33-mile day out with mostly moderate hills. It is suitable for riders of all abilities with touring, gravel and mountain bikes.
Pleasant weather and I found myself on the bike without really thinking about it. I headed to Harperley junction and fancied giving Billy Row Bank another shot. Now I knew what was coming, i wouldn’t get to the top with energy in reserve. I could leave it on the hill. I aimed to go up 30s faster than last time, but had no idea how to use Strava’s live segments. Made it up in 5:13, 27 seconds faster than last time and a full two minutes faster than my first attempt in February.
I rested fast on the way down to Willington and on to Hunwick. Got some encouragement from a bloke with crutches as I crested one of the smaller hills, carried on down to Bishop, and returned home via the Etherleys.
Ride stats: 20.2 miles; 1386 ft climbed; 01h 17m 56s
Ride 2 – Hell Repeats II
How many times in an hour can I ride the hill in our village? Ten, it turns out. If you allow me one ‘I’ve started, so I’ll finish’. That’s two more than in March, so I must conclude I’m getting fitter.
Ride stats: 11.5 miles; 2,019 ft climbed; 01h 06m 33s
Ride 3 – Never done Crawleyside – Have now
Thirty miles to do to reach target for the week. I have a ride planned in Glasgow tomorrow, but in case something goes wrong and that doesn’t happen, I want the week in the bag.
A pleasurable ride leaves me sitting in Stanhope station nibbling on a homemade fruit scone and sipping fresh coffee – a reward my 14 leisurely miles doesn’t begin to warrant.
Some motorcyclists on vintage machine talking about their plans for the day taunt one of their group about the chances of his bike making it up Crawleyside. Crawleyside Bank: nearly 900 ft in 2.5 miles and part of the road route for the C2C. In my backyard and I’ve never been up it. Down it plenty of times, but never up. Time to earn that scone!
I set away and passed a few C2Cers as they got going. It got steep quickly and I passed gravel traps designed to catch out of control trucks. I hoped not to meet any coming the other way. Then out of the little hamlet of Crawleyside, the wind picked up. More C2Cers – all women – churning out the pedal strokes. I chatted and encouraged as I passed. Over the cattle grid that marks the start of the moors proper and It felt very exposed. Cold wind, dark clouds and spots of rain in the air. I ploughed on to reach the first summit, which gives brief respite before the final assault to the top. Even on a day like today with heavy air and low skies, the view from the top is wonderful. I turned to watch the C2Cers one-by-one reachimg the turn for Parkhead cafe, their last summit on the route – all downhill for them from now on.
And for me too. The wind made the descent tricky, but a few minutes later I was back in Stanhope making my way down the dale home.
Ride stats: 36.3 miles; 2,033 ft climbed; 02h 24m 13s
Ride 4 – Sunday ride out
In Glasgow for work on Monday, I arranged to meet up on Sunday afternoon with an old colleague who’s just got his first road bike. I negotiated a ride of 30-35 miles, knowing that 32 would take me over 100 for the week. We headed south out of Glasgow toward Newton Mearns on a series of unsegregated cycle lanes that were well thought out and poorly maintained. I got to practice my bunny hops several times. Just south of Mearns, a segregated track started tracking the A77 down towards Ayr. We followed it past the turn for Eaglesham Moor and took the turn for Galston. A quick map check at Galston brought home the reality that the ride was to be more than 30-35 miles. My guide was estimating 40. He was doing that to make me feel better.
It was beautiful weather and the A71 fabulously quite late on this Sunday afternoon. We passed Loudon Hill a local beauty spot and landmark and I realised I was running out of water. I’d brought no energy products – don’t need them for a 30 mile ride…
I was flagging.
My guide took pity on me and opted for a direct route back through some delightful country lanes and then we could see the whole of the Clyde valley set out before us. It was downhill from there – very steeply in part.
The traffic grew as we got back into Glasgow. So did the annoyance of stopping at traffic controls. All in all an enjoyable ride – even if it was 50% longer than I was expecting.
Ride stats: 48.2 miles; 2,113 ft climbed; 03h 07m 55s
Week’s total:Â 116.2 miles; 7551 ft climbed; 07h 56m 37s
Snow. Snow? It’s nearly May. Yes, but does it know that? The weather didn’t look much better for the weekend, so I needed to get a few miles under my wheels. I reasoned I’d been out riding in January and it couldn’t be any worse than that. For the reader’s benefit, I have not recently moved to Britain and should know better.
I headed out for a quick 20-mile loop around Bishop. At first it was pleasant riding. As Ranolf Feinnes says, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing. I was properly wrapped up. I could see the storm approaching over the dale it seemed distant and I hoped to get back before it hit. Anyway, I was about to ride away from it.
It caught me on the bypass. By the time I reached West Auckland to turn round, it was a full snowstorm and I was freezing. My gloves are warm, but cool very quickly if the get wet and they were sodden. I turned back into the storm and had to stop in Bishop to wring out my gloves and let my hands warm. I wondered if the conditions warranted a cafe stop, but stopping on a 20 miler would be extreme even for me, the cake-chaser in chief. I got home colder than I’ve been in a long while and congratulated myself for lighting the fire before I left.
Ride stats: 21.8 miles; 1050 ft; 01h 26m 38s
Ride 2 – Tour of the North Pennines
Watershed moment
This is what cycling is about for me. Not the early start and not having to finish the ride before I was ready. But the sheer enjoyment of experiences I wouldn’t have with any other form of transport.
Maybe my decision to head high into the North Pennines was inadvisable in a week where snowstorms had featured and more were forecast. Leaving my grand fondo challenge and 5,000ft of the April climbing challenge to the last day of the month certainly was. To top that I had only ‘til 11am to ride. That’s why I was out of bed at five thirty a.m. Needs must.
Upper Teesdale
New neoprene gloves and fleece-lined neoprene overshoes from Endura and full winter kit were going to keep me warm in near freezing temperatures. Climbing up towards Folly Top in brilliant sunshine, there were large patches of ice to dodge in sheltered spots the sun had yet to reach. Just after Woodland a barn owl came floating out of the frozen mists over the field just ahead of me. It glided there, captivatingly motionless in the air, scanning the roadside verge for a hundred metres or more before peeling off, following a ditch up to a farmhouse. And that’s the point where I chalked up my thousandth mile for the year. What a reward!
Drifting up the dale
Dropping into Teesdale at Egglesham the road was in the frosty shadow of the steep-sided valley all the way to Middleton-in-Teesdale. The absence of the sun left me very cold very quickly and I was six miles further on, looking down at the first of the Low Force waterfalls before I started to feel warm again. The woods around High Force were drumming with the sound of woodpeckers tapping out their early Morse Code messages.
Alston
The road climbed through Langton Beck and Harwood, where snow poles appeared at the roadside and shortly after snowdrifts started to fill the space at the sides of the road. Snow dominated the landscape above 1,500ft. It was tough riding to the Cumbrian border and the road continued climbing to more than 1,900ft before dropping 900ft in seven miles to Alston.
I knew time was getting on, so I pushed on down the A689 towards Weardale. For the first time in the ride the wind was with me and the climbing that touch easier. I drained the last of my water on the approach to Nenthead and stopped in the wonderful community shop there. Coffee, banana & some flapjack with a cheeky energy gel, because I knew what was coming next.
Before you say it, I’m not superstitious. Even after this week!
Ride 1 – Not such a blissful afternoon
Using the long weekend to head down to my sister’s and perhaps get a few miles in with her ahead of our Etape Caledonia challenge in May. When I got there, she had hurt her back and as much as she wanted to ride, it wouldn’t have been sensible, so I took her advice on a route and headed out into the New Forest.
The Target was Blissford Hill. There’s a lot of comment online about Blissford Hill around Wiggle New Forest 100 time: killer and wall are just two of the more common and less offensive words used to describe it, so naturally I had to give it a go.
Fit for a postcard
A nice roll down through the western edge of the New Forest following the Avon valley south towards Fordingbridge. These are very English villages with thatched cottages, large greens and ponies wandering around. My sister, nephew and partner were waiting for me on route and said they’d come to watch me climb up the Blissford Hill. They headed off to wait for me.
There’s actually a ford to cross at Blissford and it was raging, so I hoped onto the footbridge and rolled across. A sign with a handy 25% notice let’s you know what you’re in for and then there it was, right ahead of me: Blissford Hill.
Now, I’ll give you the fact it’s steep – the hill rolls up into its steepest bit, then out of it again in a smooth curve. The strip of tarmac is dead straight and very narrow, no more than 2.5 metres – but if you’re used to cycling in the North Pennines, it’s not at all daunting. You can see the top for a start. And I knew it was the top, because I had an audience waiting there.
I fancied my chances at a quick skip up there and wanted to arrive looking like I had had more to give, so I got out of the saddle and clicked over to my second lowest gear and got ready to give it some. I’d like to say I skipped up there like a feather on a breeze, but we’ll never know, because my rear derailleur snapped.
it may be hilly aheadbroken bikeWalk of Shame
I had to walk the bike up the hill carrying its rear end.
Ride stats: 11.5m; 728 ft; 00h 53m 04s
Ride two – Sunday, Sunday
A nice inaugural spin for the new bikey. A few spins round the village with a fettle here and a fettle there and the bike felt right to take out on the roads.
Some hills and some flat. It took some getting used to the new pedal system and gear levers, I think it’ll take a good few more hours before I’m using them instinctively. The surprise was how easily the power transferred from the pedal to the ground. I didn’t push hard at any stage, but I was still more than a mile an hour faster than I’d expect to be on that ride.
Longer days and longer rides. This week included my longest ride of the year so far and my biggest weekly total too.
Ride one – Where ever the wind blows. Then back into it.
A free day forecast to be cloudy and dry. Driving between meetings last week, the satnav took me along a road I’d never driven before. Coming down it gave stunning views over the rolling countryside of County Durham with the city’s cathedral standing out like a beacon. I estimated it at 500 ft and wanted to cycle up it, so that’s where I headed.
I purposely headed over a few climbs to warm up – Howden le Wear to Stanley Crook, Ivesley Lane at Waterhouses, and Commercial Street in Cornsay Colliery – and down into Langley Park to face my planned foe.
Welcome to Burnhope Village
Langley Lane is a Category 4 climb, which rises 500ft in the 2.7 miles it climbs from its junction with the A691 at Langley Park to Burnhope Village above Lanchester. It was a good challenge – the climb is steep and tough at points – but not a pleasant ride. The big lorries were courteous enough, but it felt like other vehicles saw me as more of a target than an obstacle to pass safely. I was relieved t reach the The old minehead wheel that is set out at the entrance to Burnhope Village.
The Riverside
My reward for the climb was an enjoyable seven-mile roll down through Holmside, Edmondsley, and Waldridge Country Park into Chester-le-Street. Waldridge Road took me down into Chester-le-Street. A patient transport service ambulance livened up the experience by squeezing past and cutting me up to slam on the brakes in front of me and indicate to turn right – we have to expect more from all drivers, especially those who are making a living from the activity.
The North Sea at Seaham
Out of Chester-le-Street past the Riverside Cricket Stadium and Lumley Castle. I’m heading for Woodstone Village where I’ll turn right and follow Pithouse Lane back down to Durham. Only I miss the turn and happily follow a different straight road for a few miles. I’m in Rainton Meadows before I realise I’m off track and sitting in front of a sign that offers Seaham as a destination. Well, it’s a niceday, so how about a trip to the seaside? The wind carries me six miles over to Seaham.
Costa is the only cafe with somewhere to lock the bike, so 35 miles into my ride, I settle in for a coffee and a sandwich.
The ride back is harder. The tailwind out here was much stiffer than I estimated and now I’m cycling into it. The 15 miles back through East Durham to Durham City is a killer and being back on familiar territory doesn’t make the 12 miles I’ve still got left to do feel any better.
I over-cooked the ride. 50 would have been plenty for today. I inadvertently end up doing 62 and winning myself the Strava Grand Fondo  badge for March with a 100km ride.
Ride stats: 62.7 miles; 4,438 ft; 04h 56m 24s
Ride two – Who stole the hills?
Suffolk. Easter weekend visiting family and bad weather forecast for later in the day, so I took advantage of the lightest morning we’ll see for a few weeks and got out on the road early.
Out of Stowmarket I took the road that follows the Rattlesden River through the village that shares its name with the river, then Gedding and on Felsham. These were narrow country lanes cold and quiet, save for the odd Landrover or HiLux going about their gentle, early business.
Which way now?
The headwind had been stiff since leaving Stowmarket and turning south on Bury Road just before reaching Cockfield Great Green I faced it full on. Getting down to Thorpe Morieux (12 miles) was hard work. And south west through Hitcham, Bildeston, Semer and Whatfield, where I turned to have the wind partially at my back travelling west to Sproughton. The lanes were pretty, the meadows alongside them, the becks, streams and hedgerows all lovely. There were beautiful old cottages and big houses, churches, pubs and village halls, but for me the houses seemed too big. The lines of super luxury cars behind big electric gates seemed to have sucked the soul out of these places. I’m being harsh, but it was hard to see the obvious evidence of community that’s in plain sight on my rides at home.
At Sproughton (29 miles) I turned North on the B1113 and got a turbo boost from the wind. I tracked the River Gidding up past Bramford and Great Blakenham to the lovely Needham Market, which was only mildly spoiled by a guy in an Audi TT probably enjoying being a nob by driving dangerously around a cyclist.
The final four miles took me back into Stowmarket joining the A1308 and the roads getting wider and busier on the approach to town.
The days are definitely getting longer, but still too cold to ride early mornings and not yet enough light to ride freely in the evenings. So I’m stuck to carving out time in the week to ride during the day.
Ride 1 – Chatterbox run
Strava told me my year’s ride total stood at 457 miles when I left, so I knew breaking 500 miles would be the challenge for the day. This was to be an easy ride out, no pressure on myself; the weather station in the dale was showing the road temperature still well below freezing, so I planned to take care and watch out for ice. Today would be about miles, not time.
Weardale from Harperley
I stopped on the way down Harperley Bank to take a photo of that view I told you about last time and rolled on to Wolsingham for another photo stop. This is going to be a problem with regular rides: finding new photos to take.
Wolsingham Square
I was cycling into a biting cold wind and though sunshine filled the valley I could already see storm clouds forming up ahead to dump snow on the big hills. At Frosterley I noticed the diversion signs had gone, so I took the back road over the Wear bridge and up to Stanhope past the temporary fix to the landslip problem.
Crossing the Wear at Frosterley
Dogs out on the road at Western Hopeburn Farm chased round the bike. Paying more attention to them than the road, I hit an icy patch and the bike slid. Hard-wired self-preservation drivers kicked in for all of us: the dogs lost interest in me as suddenly as I lost control of the bike and somehow I stayed on and made it round the corner to the last stretch before St John’s Chapel.
I know my route up to Chatterbox is 21 miles and the way back 20, so I needed to add at least a couple of extra to break 500 with today’s ride. I toyed with the idea of heading on past St John’s Chapel up to Cowshill and turning back before stopping for lunch, but the “Last Cafe in the County” announcement on the board outside Chatterbox was all I needed to abandon the idea. Â When I stopped I’d been riding for an hour and 39 mins. Three minutes faster than last time – so much for an easy ride out.
Lunch was as wonderful as always at the Chatterbox. £1.95 for a bottomless coffee & homemade flapjack – what more can a cyclist ask for? The list isn’t long.
Back on the A689 after 50 minutes cycling down the dale, I looped round the A689 toard Bishop Auckland and made my way home the back way. 43.6 miles. Job jobbed.
Ride stats: 43.6 miles, 1,679Â ft, 02h 52m 48s
Ride 2 – Roll out in the sunshine
Another sunny day to squeeze some miles into the week. Even though I’d already got to my weekly target of 40 miles, I didn’t want to leave this week’s total more than 30 miles down on last week’s.
So a quick ride to keep warm in the cold with a couple of climbs thrown in at the beginning to get my legs up to working temperature.
I headed into Bishop and out to West Auckland on the bypass, then retraced the route home. Simple, quick and effective.
Ride stats: 18.7 miles; 888Â ft; 01h 11m 46s
Week’s total: 62.0 miles; 2,567 ft;  04h 04m 34s
I spent the weekend and the first few days of this week suffering with stomach cramps. By Wednesday I was desperate to get out on the bike.
Ride 1- The Bat
My go-to route when I have an hour is a 15-mile loop that crosses the Wear Valley. The route has three big climbs and looks a bit bat-like when you see it on Strava. On a warm summer’s evening after months of training, I’d expect it to take about 50 minutes.
I set off with the wind up the first climb and felt ok for the first mile or so. Then turning back into the wind I realised I didn’t have a lot of power in my legs. I settled in to climb the 500ft second climb, the wind contriving to be a headwind no matter which direction I cycled. At the top of the third climb the tail wind and drop four-mile drop back to home were very welcome, but I’d already taken an hour. I finished up knackered and disappointed it had taken me so long.
Ride stats: 15.2 miles, 976 ft, 01h 14m 42s
Ride 2 – Darlington and ice cream
Friday was windy and had a decent forecast, so I decided on a ride to Darlington. It’s a 500ft climb to get over into Teesdale from our part of Weardale and it was into a strong headwind. It took me an hour to reach Ingleton where I picked up speed. After crossing the Roman road I received a wonderful gift – the B6279 had been resurfaced with a wonderfully smooth tarmac that was like a ribbon of silk running under the tyres. In Darlington I spent some time looking at bikes in the fabulously friendly Bike Sport on Bondgate. While I was there they gave my bike the once-over and topped up the tyres.
Mmmm, Archer’s
Back out of Darlington on the luscious blacktop to Walworthand up the hill for a deserved lunch stop at Archer’s Jersey Ice Cream Parlour. Archer’s is a special place. They lost their dairy herd in an outbreak of foot and mouth disease and decided to build a Jersey herd and build a business as ice cream producers. I’m thankful they did. On Friday the log burner was roaring away as the perfect accompaniment to my coffee and flapjack. Warm and full, I cycled on through Heighington and Redworth to Shildon and a steep descent into Bishop Auckland. The five miles home from there left me thinking I could have added a few more.
I reached the middle of the week having spent three days suffering from the snotty head cold that brought my ride on Sunday to a halt. Despite forecasts of poor weather, Wednesday was a beautiful morning with bright sunshine highlighting the darkness of the storm clouds sitting out to sea.
Ride 1 – Aeron Valley and Cardigan Bay loop
Good weather and I needed some more cold medicines, so even though I didn’t feel like it, I decided I’d get out and cycle the 5 miles to Aberaeron. That was the right decision. Three miles in and I felt better than I had done in a week.
I stopped for some photos at Aberaeron’s harbour and after visiting the pharmacy, decided to head back on a loop over the hills. First up the coast road to Aberarth with stunning views of Cardigan bay sitting on my left shoulder. For a mile or so I’d been able to see the steepness of the road I would follow. I considered turning back and heading up the valley road again – that would give me about 15 miles, not bad for someone with Man Flu – but I gave it a go, settling into granny gear and spinning the pedals. I reached Cross Inn after what felt like ten miles climbing, to find I’d added only four miles to my ride.
 I carried on toward Tregarron turning toward Llangeitho at Peneuch. The descent was scary – running water and slippery leaves made braking impossible on the steep slope. When I reached the valley floor, I was knackered. A headwind and undulating road didn’t help and I churned out the last few miles.
Ride stats: 26.7 miles, 2,049ft, 02h 09m 36s
Ride 2 – Aeron Valley miles
On Friday I took the chance of a break in the weather to put a few more miles in. it had been snowing and frozen overnight, so I decided to stay away from the smaller lanes on higher ground. The result was a spider’s scrawl around Felinfach and Talsarn. Damp lanes and impatient drivers made it less than pleasant in parts, I got the miles in to reach this week’s target.
Getting back on your bike after a crash isn’t the easiest thing to do. I didn’t ride for three months after a crash on my mountain bike in 2012, then when I did get out there were riders with tassels and stabilizers who had more confidence than me. It took months of riding and eventually a new bike (any excuse!) to get my confidence and roadcraft back to useful levels.
It’s generally no more than a loss of confidence that takes time to rebuild. And sometime a push helps.
My sister got into cycling earlier this year and has been making really good progress, regularly getting out for 30 miles and more. A few weeks ago she hit the deck hard after a saddle bolt sheared and she lost her balance. She spent a few days in hospital with head and facial injuries and and assortment of scrapes bruises and other fractures – I thought some big-brother encouragement would help, even in middle age, so I slung the bike on my new Saris Bones car rack and headed down to Wiltshire.
We started out in the pretty little village of Whiteparish on the edge of the New Forest National Park. A short stint on a very wet A27 through the village’s attractive mismatch of ivy-covered cottages and down a lane to cross the A36 into the Forest. Narrow, twisting lanes with high hedgerows, high banks and tall trees – the kind where a deer is likely to pop out at any point – took us to up to Redlynch. Wet lanes covered in grit and gravel washed out by the rain didn’t make ideal conditions for someone on their first ride after a crash, but she looked confident and I was probably more worried for her than she was.
Long, mostly level road out across the forest and the rain was really coming down. My sister complaining that her lack of bike time made her unfit. We joined the Fordingbridge to Cadnam road for a mile, it’s designated a B road, but is busy and treated like a trunk road by the traffic using it, so we cycled single file for the mile or so up to a crossroads where we turned back  to Nomansland down the hill Pipers Wait – steep and twisty, be warned – and on to Landford.
An unpleasant mile and a half on the A36 (the route suggested here is amended to avoid that) took us back to Common Road and into Whiteparish. A thoroughly enjoyable wet ride in lovely countryside.
The Book
Distance – 18 Miles
Profile – Easy:Â 550ft
Starting at All Saints Church in Whiteparish, take the 27 west through the village for 1/3 mile. Turn South on Newton Lane, cross A36 to Moor Lane and continue to the end. At The junction, turn right signposted Downton/Redlynch and follow the road to the top of Bowers Hill at Woodfalls; turn left. Follow the B3080 through Woodfalls and onto Forest Road towards Cadnam. Three miles to the junction with B3078 and go straight on for another mile to the crossroads at the top of the hill signposted Landford/Nomansland, turn left. Steep incline warning for the hill at Pipers Wait, through Nomansland past the Lamb Inn and to the crossroads signposted Salisbury/Lyndhurst. Turn Left (North) towards Landford. After a mile you’ll reach a junction signposted Hamptworth Golf and Country Club, turn left (West) and follow the road for three miles back to the junction signposted Whiteparish. Turn right (North) and retrace your path along MoorLane, across the A36 and Newton Lane to join the A27 back into Whiteparish.
Where to Park
We started in Whiteparish, because it was easy to get to from the A36. There’s plenty of on street parking and All Saints Church in the centre of the village has a large car park.
 
