Chepstow to Portsmouth cycle route.

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Gethynhughes
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Chepstow to Portsmouth cycle route.

Post by Gethynhughes »

Fifteen of us are planning to cycle from Anglesey to Paris in July 2015. Though we are familiar with the route down to Chepstow we have no experience of cycling from Chepstow to Portsmouth. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks,
Gethyn.
tatanab
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Re: Chepstow to Portsmouth cycle route.

Post by tatanab »

I'd probably go roughly Bristol, south towards Shepton Mallet, east to Shaftesbury, across Cranborne Chase or a bit south of it, through the New Forest to Lymington, ferry to Isle of Wight, the ferry to Portsmouth.
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Mick F
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Re: Chepstow to Portsmouth cycle route.

Post by Mick F »

Looking at the map, I'd have headed east out of Bristol to Chippenham, then SE to Devizes and Upavon, Ludgershall and Andover. Then Stockbridge, Winchester, Hambledon and Waterlooville to come into Pompey through Cosham and North End.

I've ridden many of those roads, but not for twenty odd years or so. :oops:
Mick F. Cornwall
Gethynhughes
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Re: Chepstow to Portsmouth cycle route.

Post by Gethynhughes »

Thank you both for your imput I will be looking at the map later. Are your suggestions on A roads and are these roads fairly good for traffic?
gplhl
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Chepstow to Portsmouth cycle route.

Post by gplhl »

Mick F wrote:Looking at the map, I'd have headed east out of Bristol to Chippenham, then SE to Devizes:


I've ridden Devizes to Portsmouth several times to get the ferry to France.

Last time on May 14th for my current ride to Africa.

Route from Rowde near Devizes is here: http://cyclemeter.com/9fb89c614db84b86/ ... 40514-1045

It's similar to Mick F suggestion. Roads are pretty good.

Kind Regards,

Gary Hewitt-Long
http://www.longbikeride.co.uk
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Mick F
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Re: Chepstow to Portsmouth cycle route.

Post by Mick F »

I was stationed in the Portsmouth area many times in my RN career and often went out riding at the weekends. Many was the time I'd gone out in the Devizes direction and back. I would ride out most evenings and my favourite ride was up the Meon Valley and cross over to Winchester and back either via Botley or Bishops Waltham.

I still have the map of "London to the South Coast", and I drew pencil radii at 10miles, 25miles and 50miles from Pompey so I could pick destinations and know approx how far away they were.

Devizes itself is a bit too far for a day out because it's a little beyond the 50mile radius. (Just looked at the map). :D
Mick F. Cornwall
tatanab
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Re: Chepstow to Portsmouth cycle route.

Post by tatanab »

My route is primarily minor roads. I lived in Portsmouth for 25 years and in Bristol for 8, so know those ends of the trip. I certainly used my suggestion as far as Cranborne Chase from the Bristol end and know the New Forest part as well. These days I would simply avoid the Eastleigh/Southampton/Portsmouth type route because it is all built up and I would consider popping over to the Isle of Wight for a bit of peace. I suppose your route will also be dependant on how far you want to ride. Mine is probably further and certainly more hilly.
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Cunobelin
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Re: Chepstow to Portsmouth cycle route.

Post by Cunobelin »

Not the best map...

There is a good off road route from Cosham to the Ferry

Alternatively you can avoid Portsdown Hill by coming down through Fareham and Gosport, then cycle from the Gosport Ferry to the Ferry
Richard Fairhurst
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Re: Chepstow to Portsmouth cycle route.

Post by Richard Fairhurst »

I'd head towards Bath and then take NCN 24 to Eastleigh, which is mostly on minor roads. Good opportunity to do the Two Tunnels out of Bath too!
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Gethynhughes
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Re: Chepstow to Portsmouth cycle route.

Post by Gethynhughes »

Thanks all for your imput, it's given me a lot of helpful advice which I will consider strongly.
I'm nursing a serious case of road rash at the moment having fallen in Porthmadog on Sunday crossing the railway line. Wheel went into the groove, I was third in the peloton.
Thanks again,
Gethyn.
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