I had planned a bike-packing weekend of doing the whole thing, but a fully-loaded test ride quickly demonstrated that I needed to rethink given the weight, volume of stuff, my fitness and the heat. So the plan became a train assisted first half on Saturday and some quality sitting about on Sunday...
My alarm went off at silly-o'clock, I had a quick breakfast, picked up the last couple of things from chargers and rode to the station. Waiting on the platform I was glad of the extra top I brought. I took the first train of the day to Winchester, reading a book and watching the misty scene out of the windows. Having failed to find coffee on the way there, I paused at the station for an espresso while the GPS warmed up. Then I round the town, quite possibly the long way, and through the stalls being set up for the Saturday market until I found the statue of King Alfred.
Over the motorway bridge, away from the houses, a quick ride on a cycle path that could pass for singletrack beside the main road and then leaving town into the countryside. It was cool and misty still, though the forecast was for hot, but this was a welcome start.
I came over a hill to see what looked like a circus tent in the distance. A bit further on more tents in the valley. It turned out to be the "Boom Town" festival being set up, a curious mixture of tents, totem poles, and people building the metalwork for stages.
This gently rural section had lots of farms, wooded paths giving some shade as the sun broke through. I stopped for a bite to eat, chatted to another rider who was planning to ride the full length over the weekend.
I saw the beacon at Beacon Hill. Getting past fences to the old hill fort at Old Winchester Hill seemed tricky, so I didn't really take that in. A friendly lady in a layby pointed me in the right direction (a double back), commenting that the first times always stopped there!
At Whitewool farm, the cafe at a fishing lake provided ice cream and top up of water from their (Meon) spring. I also tightened up the GPS bracket which had come loose. I paused to let a couple of big harvesting machines by before carrying on. Then the hills seemed to build up as did the rockiness of the path. The flatter sections were often road with little shade. As it was now gone midday this was tiring.
Down the long grass hill to Queen Elizabeth Country Park, I was just going to go to the toilet and top up water but was temped by cooked food. Which, despite the @WeWantPlates serving on a board with an espresso cup of coleslaw, was nice, and I read another chapter of book to pass some of the hot time. Finding my way out without getting sucked into a mountain bike trail felt tricky and I rode past a lot of organised fun. Then off up the hill. Getting going after a sit-down lunch on a ride rarely works well for me, and going up a dirty great hill straight after wasn't ideal.
A little further on I met a trio of walkers and admired the view, wondered what the rescue helicopter dealing with, took a few pictures and generally enjoyed the shade for ten minutes. The contrast between the wooded path and view was too great, and my lens not wide enough, to really capture the view as seen.
The next bit was, frankly, a bit of a slog. I wondered whether one of the local AAA-ride organisers had a hand in the route, as rather than gently rolling or long rides along a ridge, the road seemed constantly either up or down and rocky, so needing concentration. It was also hot. I started walking up and down the steppest bits, as I wasn't feeling strong enough for the ups or relaxed enough to ride the roughness on the way down. I met a rider pushing up Harting Down as I took it carefully down, and shared commiserations. The route skirted another Beacon Hill, but (thankfully) not up the steep way to the top so didn't see a beacon this time.
Coming up to Cocking the undulations started to even out, and the heat subsided a bit. An apple helped too. Then I, and a couple of walkers, found a farm shop willing to open to sell three ice creams. A sit down for that, and another water top-up, was good. I looked at the map. Three more (notable) hills. I started feeling better, though still walking when it was properly steep.
Up the first hill, riding all the way on a smooth surface. The ground levelled out on the ridge and there was more grass than rock under-weheel again, which together with bigger views improved progress and spirits. The light of the grass started to feel a bit more golden too. I had a female pheasant running in front of me for quite some way, I kept to one side, backed off, but it was determined not to run sideways. Just as I was wondering whether this was a flightless species it took to the sky.
Just past the sign for Gumber bothy there was a nice open field and my first view across a swathe of downs and then to the sea. It was hazy, but there were twinkling points in places - boats I presume. At this point I could have opted for a ride down to one of the small stations near Chichester - and I did consider it. But it wasn't that close and this one view alone made me want to carry on. (It would have been an uninspiring distant-view photo, so I didn't get the camera out.)
Pausing for a bite to eat before a stretch on a tractor track through a soon to be harvested corn I saw a man coming the other way, with a placard proclaiming something about God. We said hello.
Over the A29, which with a "2" at the front felt closer to home. A photographer was taking landscapes of the harvest. Then I saw Amberley and the bridge over the Arun down the hill. That was a very welcome sight!
Before leaving I'd checked what trains would get me home, and noted four likely ones in various directions. I'd made it in time for the last of these. The ticket machine at the station took my money, gave change, but no ticket, which was annoying. Three trains later I was heading for a takeaway and then home. 87km of riding over 11 1/2 hours, not including the trains. 3 1/2 of those hours were on my many little stops along the route. Now back home ... Tired. A bit tender. Glad I did it. Also glad I didn't take the luggage for camping, I wouldn't have got nearly as far or enjoyed as much as I did. With some more miles in my legs and a less lumpy route a rough stuff tour is still an appealing idea.
Winchester to Amberley is pretty much half way along the South Downs Way and I'll be back soon for the rest - to be continued (but not this weekend)...
