London to Portsmouth - where to get train?

[telstarbox]

A group of us are going from London down to Portsmouth at the end of the month to go over to the Isle of Wight Randonnee. We don't necessarily want to ride the full London-Portsmouth distance on top of the Randonnee  itself so we're thinking of getting a train part way.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a quiet route from e.g. Guildford, Haslemere or Horsham down to Portsmouth? Cheers in advance.

[StuAff]

No, no idea about this 

Would suggest that if you're not riding the whole way, you get the train down as far as Haslemere- the lumpiest bits are four or five miles either side of town, so you'll skip at least some of them. B2070 to Petersfield via Liphook, then either down through Buriton (nasty little climb on High Barn Lane) to Rowlands Castle, Havant, along the Farlington Marshes & Eastern Road bike path, or swing west towards East Meon (slightly longer route- adds about four miles, one grindy climb) then south from there.

[telstarbox]

That sounds ideal, thanks.

For the trip home, any idea about Portsmouth to Worthing or Brighton - is it interesting or just flat along the seafront all the way?

[StuAff]

That sounds ideal, thanks.

For the trip home, any idea about Portsmouth to Worthing or Brighton - is it interesting or just flat along the seafront all the way?

No, no idea about that either (done Pompey-Brighton-Pompey twice this year already).…pleasant enough ride, provided you haven't got a headwind. A259 as far as Chi, through there to Oving then Barnham, on to Littlehampton (pick up the NCN and go through town rather than along the 259 there, that stretch is horrible) then back on the 259 for the duration. A lot of it's off-road paths if you feel so inclined, I usually don't. You're never far from a train if you get bored, provided Southern are running them....

[telstarbox]

Brilliant, cheers StuAff.

[telstarbox]

No, no idea about this 

Would suggest that if you're not riding the whole way, you get the train down as far as Haslemere- the lumpiest bits are four or five miles either side of town, so you'll skip at least some of them. B2070 to Petersfield via Liphook, then either down through Buriton (nasty little climb on High Barn Lane) to Rowlands Castle, Havant, along the Farlington Marshes & Eastern Road bike path, or swing west towards East Meon (slightly longer route- adds about four miles, one grindy climb) then south from there.

Just trying to work out the Farlington Marshes bit. From Havant I go west along Harts Farm Way; then the route runs parallel to the A27;   https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/50%C2%B050'33.8%22N+1%C2%B001'17.7%22W/@50.842716,-1.0237637,488m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d50.842716!4d-1.021575  at this point can I turn away from the road to follow the coastline path or should I stick to the A27?

[JBB]

No, no idea about this 

Would suggest that if you're not riding the whole way, you get the train down as far as Haslemere- the lumpiest bits are four or five miles either side of town, so you'll skip at least some of them. B2070 to Petersfield via Liphook, then either down through Buriton (nasty little climb on High Barn Lane) to Rowlands Castle, Havant, along the Farlington Marshes & Eastern Road bike path, or swing west towards East Meon (slightly longer route- adds about four miles, one grindy climb) then south from there.

Just trying to work out the Farlington Marshes bit. From Havant I go west along Harts Farm Way; then the route runs parallel to the A27;   https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/50%C2%B050'33.8%22N+1%C2%B001'17.7%22W/@50.842716,-1.0237637,488m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d50.842716!4d-1.021575  at this point can I turn away from the road to follow the coastline path or should I stick to the A27?

The A27 is a motorway in all but name. The cycle route stays on the mashes - see http://www.visitportsmouth.co.uk/dbimgs/Files/Active%20Travel%20Map%202014.pdf.