Riding from Romesy.

 We always tend to ride with friends John and Nicky at our place on Cannock Chase and do kiddy things down in Romsey (near Southampton) where they live, swimming, beaches or The New Forest.

I had brought a road bike down with me to do a few hill sessions but John persuaded me to borrow Nicky’s Cannondale so he could come out as well and show me the area. As I wanted some hills, John said he would shout when one started, I’d put a rep in and then come down again to scoop him up. We started out through the lovely village of Braishfield climbing all the way until eventually I crested the hill on a steeper gravel track in a forest. Picking up John we turned left down through Parnholt Wood before 180ing back up the same track from the bottom giving me another good 100m effort.

Looking at the time, we decided there wasn’t time for another hill but there was time for a view! We rode along the ridge to the top of Beacon Hill to spectacular views North before turning to Farley Mount and panoramic views in all directions, The Isle of White clearly visible to the South..

A prickly stingy decent down a narrow bridleway brought us back to Braishfield and in to Romsey.

The area was much better than I realised for off road riding, nothing technical but lots of great views along pleasant tracks. The fairly dense bridleway and lanes would make a good MTB Orienteering score area in fact……….