TRAILS TO WARSASH PART 9
Trails you can ride either from Warsash or catch a train and cycle back to Warsash.
Gone is the rain for a day or two so out on the Ribble for the eighth chapter in the “Trails to Warsash” series and now something a bit different. 44miles through Knowle, Boarhunt, Hambledon, Purbrook, Havant, Hayling Island, Southsea, Stokes Bay, Lee on Solent and home. This is suitable for mountain, gravel and hybrid bikes.
Download the GPX file from our website:
It starts with my usual route, from the Warsah Cycles Workshop in Dibles Road going east. Straight across at the junction with Fleet End Road and along the bridal path to Warsash Road where I continue east to the Holiday Inn roundabout. Straight across towards the dump and first right into Friary Meadow (photo 1). Just after the barrier you will find a gravel track that takes you to the fisherman’s rest. Turn right onto Fishers Hill, over the bridge and immediately left onto a gravel tract (photo 2). This follow this bridal-way all the way up the hill (it’s bumpy) past Henry Court school through over two roads and eventually down a step slope that takes you to an motorway under pass (photo 3). This is the old railway line that takes you to Knowle.
Carry along this path until you see the road and turn left over the railway foot bridge up a hill to some houses (note, this is a foot path so you must dismount photo 4). Continue through
Knowle Village heading to the A32 junction.
At the A32, turn left for about 100 meters and cut across the A32 into Forest Lane by the old pub (photo 5). I love this track. Follow this track with out deviating through a gate (photo 6) hugging the farm fields, and down to the junction with Bere Farm Lane and right along to the Boarhunt and the Southwick Road. Right at the junction and past Trampers Lane and take a left at the cross roads into Shoot Hill. All the way to the top and on the bend, a sharp right into Common Lane and then down hill left after half a mile into Beckford Lane (Photo 7)
About a mile along Beckford Lane at the top of the hill, you will find the enterENCE to Bere Forest (Photo 8) Follow this track through to another road where you go straight across into another track (Photo 9) that you follow straight across all the other tracks to the Purbrook Road. Follow this all the way to Purbrook, a quick left and right into Stakes Road that takes you up and over the A3M to a roundabout. Right here into Hulbert Road and you wind into Havant.
Through Havant and across the. A27 to the Hayling Island bridge. Just after the bridge you will find a cycle track on your left that takes you along the old Hayling Bill railway line to the south of the island. Right at the end and then hill left down St Catherine’s Lane and right into Ferry Lane. All the way along here until you find the Hayling/Portsmouth ferry and it our first boat trip of the day across to Eastney in Portsmouth (Photo 10).
Follow the cost through Southsea not forgetting to stop at the Southsea Deli coffee van for their amazing peanut slice (Photo 11). Through Old Portsmouth, and past Gunwarf to the Gosport Ferry for the seconds ferry (Photo 12)
From Gosport, cross the Haslar Bridge through the hospital and left at the junction on to Clayhall Road and round to Stokes Bay, through Lee on Solent, Hill Head, Brownwich Farm and stopping off at the Nook and Cranny for a well earned pint. (Photo 13)
Please like and share this post if you found it helpful and like our FB page. Also, I am inviting all Warsash Cyclists to submit their own routes to me so that we can publish them. Please take some photos and describe the route and even include a screen shot off your Strava route. WhatsApp the detail to me on 07565 996846 and let’s get sharing our favourites routes.
Warsash Cycles - Bringing adventure to all- available servicing, repairs at very reasonable prices. Call 07565 996846 for more details.
Kindest regards Simon