Hi,

I’ve got a 2 week gap between jobs in September and I *think* my wife will be ok for me to disappear on my bike for about 3 days. I’m in Southampton and would like to ride out of the door. I looked into getting the ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo and then riding along the coast to Le Havre and sailing back from there but I might be pushing it a bit for time due to the travel time. Any ideas / suggestions?

How about getting the Ferry to the IOW, plenty of fun for 3 days there if you fancy off and on road.

Love it but a Bit too close to home! I go over there at least twice a year.

I rode to the Cerne Abus Giant from home (Isle of Wight) last year, write up here

http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB ... ne#p131987

It was a mix of off road and quiet back lanes. I came back via multiple ferries including the Hythe one so you could head that way from home? With the recent weather the bridleways should be drier as well

Cheers Sean - I’ll have a read

Up to Winchester then the South Downs Way. On your doorstep.

I do the SDW every year (August BH) so after something different

The Parc des Caps et Marais d'Opale just south of Calais is an under-rated gem for bike touring. Really nice tracks and quiet roads, rolling hills, sleepy villages with pastries for breakfast... nothing dramatic but I love it. If I lived in Kent i'd be on the ferry many Friday evenings over a summer. I've ridden through it 5 times now and will go back again sometime before long. 10km out of Calais and you're in beautiful countryside. I have some GPS files if you're interested.

Thank you James. I have a few French maps so will check it out.

Jameso, I'm interested.

Will pop you a PM.

St Malo would be a long time on the ferry for a 3 dayer unless you can time it for two overnight trips. That said, the area is gorgeous if you do go. Last summer we got the ferry to St Malo, the train to near Roscoff and then ambled back very gently over a week, loosely following the Eurovelo along the coast. Lots of fantastic beaches for swimming. Would be a bit of a dash to do in that time though.

For a shorter ferry- I've done a couple of trips by ferry to Caen now. That bit of countryside is lovely, sort of France's answer to Dorset. Wander along the coast one way, come back inland, wander along coast the other way.... D day beaches etc if that's your thing. This year we're getting the ferry to Le Havre on thursday night and pottering along for the Sunday afternoon ferry from Ouistreham.

Alternatively you could get the ferry out to St Malo and back from Caen. Someone on here was out there at the same time as us last year and did maybe double the mileage- started at Caen and rode all the way over before riding back to St Malo.

Oh, and Jameso, if you're willing to share I'd be interested too!

Thanks!