Proposed ride: Ridgeway or Cotswolds spring 2025

[winjohn]

Guilford to Shoreham again has the issue of not being a loop. The SDW is over 100 miles with over 12000ft, it is tough, I've done it twice, once in 2 days (nice} and then again in one (brutal) but again it is not a loop and I don't think anyone is proposing the whole of the SDW in one day for this ride.
There are certainly possibilities to start in Winchester and do about 20 miles on the SDW and then loop back on the road. There is a large park and ride just off the M3 in Winchester £3.50 all day!

25 miles from Winchester gets you to Queen Elizabeth Country Park on the SDW taking in Beacon Hill, Old Winchester Hill and the famous downhill rush of Butser Hill. Then there's a dozen quiet country roads back to Winchester from there.

John

 

[narcotitlan]

Guilford to Shoreham again has the issue of not being a loop. The SDW is over 100 miles with over 12000ft, it is tough, I've done it twice, once in 2 days (nice} and then again in one (brutal) but again it is not a loop and I don't think anyone is proposing the whole of the SDW in one day for this ride.
There are certainly possibilities to start in Winchester and do about 20 miles on the SDW and then loop back on the road. There is a large park and ride just off the M3 in Winchester £3.50 all day!

25 miles from Winchester gets you to Queen Elizabeth Country Park on the SDW taking in Beacon Hill, Old Winchester Hill and the famous downhill rush of Butser Hill. Then there's a dozen quiet country roads back to Winchester from there.

John

That sounds pretty good, some random pics here, certainly looks nice:

 

[Attempted Mustache]

We could probably go round in circles forever debating the merits of various locations. From recent experience of a non-cycling related group this ultimately resulted in stasis and decision paralysis. Some will work better for some than for others.

@narcotitlan - I reckon as proposed organiser you should make a decision, based on your own instinct and convenience. If people feel left out, leave it to them to organise a ride that caters to their needs.

Full disclosure; my bias leans heavily toward the locations mentioned in the original post - being Bath-based and originally from Swindon, the Cotswolds / Ridgeway is basically home turf.

 

[Siish]

There's a loop around the thames (about 10 miles) starting in marlow, to Bournemouth,cookham, hurley and back to marlow, includes pubs, cafes and bike shops, around 80% off road, nothing too strenuous as my kids can manage it quite easily,

 

[narcotitlan]

We could probably go round in circles forever debating the merits of various locations. From recent experience of a non-cycling related group this ultimately resulted in stasis and decision paralysis. Some will work better for some than for others.

@narcotitlan - I reckon as proposed organiser you should make a decision, based on your own instinct and convenience. If people feel left out, leave it to them to organise a ride that caters to their needs.

Full disclosure; my bias leans heavily toward the locations mentioned in the original post - being Bath-based and originally from Swindon, the Cotswolds / Ridgeway is basically home turf.

Ha! Attempted Moustache you have a point. I wasn’t particularly fixed on any route though, and it’s definitely been worthwhile getting some ideas.

There does seem to be more support for the ridgeway/cotwolds however, so let’s stick with that. The SDW can be for another trip.

For a date, I’m thinking the last weekend in March, which is the 29/30th. it’s the last weekend before half term (at least for my daughter’s school) and hopefully it’ll be a touch warmer by then…

I’m leaning more towards Sunday 30th, how does that strike people?