Cerne Abas Giant
Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 10:31 am
I did wonder if I should write this up as it's not the sort of trip that is usually posted here. I like to bivi as much as the next man (or woman) but sometimes I don't want to arrive late and leave early and fancy a lie in So for this 3 day trip I spent 1 night on a campsite and another on the brother-in-laws floor. Is this still bikepacking? Maybe that's a whole other thread although I would point out that commercial camp-sites are allowed on the Tour Divide and that's the pinnacle of bikepack racing? Also, based on the number of registered users and the number of regular posters there might be a large number who would like to try bikepacking but are put off by the bivi bit? If that's the case then do as I have and just go where ever you feel comfortable. Perhaps after some trips to commercial sites you'll have the confidence to bivi. The other reason I wondered about posting is perhaps no-one will be interested as it's a bit tame? But I'll write it up anyway I like to have a point to the trip, just some arbitrary reason to be out. I've never seen the Cerne Abas Giant and a look on the map showed it's only a days ride away and there's a campsite nearby so I took the Friday off work and packed the bike. For the return leg I thought I'd visit the Brother-In-Law in the New Forest and then ride back along the coast to Portsmouth to see what NCN Route 2 is like. As the wife says I talk too much I'll reduce the words now and hopefully the pictures will do (most) of the talking.
16 mile road spin to the ferry.
Riding through the New Forest. Just before this I ridden a bridleway through Lymington Reed Bed, the name is the clue, I'd avoid this unless you like wet feet
As I headed west the bridleways became field boundaries which became more overgrown as I got further west.
Before becoming character building
This section is more used, be careful what you wish for.
Home for the night. Most of the caravans were empty, I guess people leave them there all year and use them like holiday homes just popping along for the odd weekend. There were only a handful of people at the site.
A piece of broken paving slab borrowed from next to the water tap to sit my 8g stove on. Dinner was supper-noodles and tuna.
Warming up my still damp socks in the morning sun before putting them back on
The man himself. I think they refresh the chalk from time to time as it was a bit dull and hard to make out.
Cycle friendly pub? The chap on the sign has a saddle attached to him and is holding some new touring alt bars
Day 2 and off to the New Forest. More Dorset bridleway fun, this section is disguised as a stream.
I made it to the New Forest in plenty of time, dinner with the Brother-In-Law and the Wife who had met me there. I slept on my new Thermarest and although I didn't notice any crinkling apparently whenever I moved it woke the wife up.
Day 3 would be an easy spin through the New Forest to Fawley and then a series of ferries along NCN Route 2 to get to Portsmouth.
The OSM mapping on the Garmin shows an airfield.
No sign of it on the ground I think it was a WW2 airstrip and is long since gone.
New Forest tracks are much easier going
Ferry No. 1, £9 single with the bike
Ferry No. 2, £1.75 single with the bike it only takes 12 people. The picture was taken after getting dropped off. The tide was too far out to get to the jetty so we were dropped on the beach.
Ferry No. 3, £4.80 return with the bike. They don't do singles but I've got a year left to do the return journey as that's how long the ticket is valid for.
When I got off the Gosport Ferry it was a quick sprint through the traffic and onto the Portsmouth to Fishbourne ferry. Bought a ticket and straight on, they even lifted the barrier back up for me, so no time for a picture.
Back on the Island and one last detour to the shop to get some milk. Nice artificial lawn outside would make a good bivi spot very soft but I don't know how well the pegs would go in.
I didn't have room in the bags for the milk so I had to strap it to my waist pack, but it's only half a mile to home.
Not bad for 3 leisurely days, although this does include the ferries
I really enjoyed the relaxed nature of this trip, taking time to talk to people, stopping at cafes and pubs for food etc. I might plan a longer version for next year, perhaps alternating bivi's and campsites. I think I'll head north though, not west, hopefully the going might be better. The route was quite flat which did mean I spent more time than usual sat down peddling which showed up I need a more comfy saddle, either that or a hillier route.
Sean
16 mile road spin to the ferry.
Riding through the New Forest. Just before this I ridden a bridleway through Lymington Reed Bed, the name is the clue, I'd avoid this unless you like wet feet
As I headed west the bridleways became field boundaries which became more overgrown as I got further west.
Before becoming character building
This section is more used, be careful what you wish for.
Home for the night. Most of the caravans were empty, I guess people leave them there all year and use them like holiday homes just popping along for the odd weekend. There were only a handful of people at the site.
A piece of broken paving slab borrowed from next to the water tap to sit my 8g stove on. Dinner was supper-noodles and tuna.
Warming up my still damp socks in the morning sun before putting them back on
The man himself. I think they refresh the chalk from time to time as it was a bit dull and hard to make out.
Cycle friendly pub? The chap on the sign has a saddle attached to him and is holding some new touring alt bars
Day 2 and off to the New Forest. More Dorset bridleway fun, this section is disguised as a stream.
I made it to the New Forest in plenty of time, dinner with the Brother-In-Law and the Wife who had met me there. I slept on my new Thermarest and although I didn't notice any crinkling apparently whenever I moved it woke the wife up.
Day 3 would be an easy spin through the New Forest to Fawley and then a series of ferries along NCN Route 2 to get to Portsmouth.
The OSM mapping on the Garmin shows an airfield.
No sign of it on the ground I think it was a WW2 airstrip and is long since gone.
New Forest tracks are much easier going
Ferry No. 1, £9 single with the bike
Ferry No. 2, £1.75 single with the bike it only takes 12 people. The picture was taken after getting dropped off. The tide was too far out to get to the jetty so we were dropped on the beach.
Ferry No. 3, £4.80 return with the bike. They don't do singles but I've got a year left to do the return journey as that's how long the ticket is valid for.
When I got off the Gosport Ferry it was a quick sprint through the traffic and onto the Portsmouth to Fishbourne ferry. Bought a ticket and straight on, they even lifted the barrier back up for me, so no time for a picture.
Back on the Island and one last detour to the shop to get some milk. Nice artificial lawn outside would make a good bivi spot very soft but I don't know how well the pegs would go in.
I didn't have room in the bags for the milk so I had to strap it to my waist pack, but it's only half a mile to home.
Not bad for 3 leisurely days, although this does include the ferries
I really enjoyed the relaxed nature of this trip, taking time to talk to people, stopping at cafes and pubs for food etc. I might plan a longer version for next year, perhaps alternating bivi's and campsites. I think I'll head north though, not west, hopefully the going might be better. The route was quite flat which did mean I spent more time than usual sat down peddling which showed up I need a more comfy saddle, either that or a hillier route.
Sean