April Adventures

 Easter in Hampshire

The kind April weather has proved to be a "Brucey" bonus for the fair weather cyclists amongst us and so some of us spent the Easter weekend exploring or in some cases, re examining the backroads of Hampshire.  Maundy Thursday saw the Liphook Loafer & The Grange Gardener head north of Liphook to the infamous Devil's Punchbowl, a big hole in the ground that the old A3 used to run through until they built the Hindhead tunnel. Just exactly what caused this cavenous crater remains a mystery, suffice to say it is an impressive landscape well suited to off road biking, the sort that Richard and his woodland chums so enjoy. 

 We came across a monument on our route which bore testament to a gruesome murder in the 18th Century.  A poor unsuspecting sailor was en route from London to Portsmouth docks when he was befriended by three men in a pub.  The sailor bought drinks and food for the three men who then followed him, stripped him naked and  murdered him on the path and  then rolled his body down the hill into the undergrowth.  The men were later arrested trying to sell his clothes!  The trio were found guilty and sentences to death and their bodies were preserved in tar and hung from Hindhead Gibbet as a lesson to others.  Ah! The good old days!

By the time Good Friday dawned, we had been joined by the Highgate Viking and decided to explore a circular route to the south west of Liphook. After an early start and a few miles hurtling down the cycle track beside the A3 towards Portsmouth, the rumbling of our stomachs got the better of us so we headed for a great little cafe in Liss where vast quantities of healthy food were consumed  Suitably refreshed and sated we continued, and shortly came across a bridge that crossed the railway lines - bridges with steep steps are not designed for heavy e bikes ! 

Thankfully pity was taken on the eldest member of the group and The Loafer and The Viking gave valuable and much appreciated assistance. We continued onwards through picturesque villages skirting to the east of Petersfield before stopping for more liquid refreshment in South Harting. Heading north to return to Liphook we made it as far as Milland before the killer climb of the day.  It seemed sensible to refuel outside the Sun Inn - mistake - 2 pints of Peroni before a Class 1 climb is not a good idea - after all they don't do it in the Le Tour?

For Saturday's ride we decided on a route that took us south and west from Liphook towards Midhurst. A pleasant ride that meandered through the village of Lurgashall, home apparently to a vineyard and then  onward to the Cowdray Park where the vast green swathe of the Polo park is particularly impressive as are the views to the South Downs. The return to Liphook via Milland meant we had to negotiate that damn hill again, only this time The Highgate Viking had learned his lesson and restricted himself to just the one pint of Peroni.

Steak on the BBQ, lashings of Ginger Beer and talk of future cycling trips ended our Easter Saturday.  The following day The Viking returned to Valhalla and the Loafer and I headed off on our bikes for Day 4.  This time heading to the north and east.  Another sunny day with an easterly wind made for another great ride and took in the village of Selborne and the town of Alton and the garrison town of Bordon before arriving back in Liphook.

So the stats were - 5 rides (4 and a pub crawl) - 8 pubs visited - 211km ridden - 12hrs in the saddle - and a lorra, lorra laughs!

The Taff Trail

I've been meaning to cycle The Taff Trail for some time so with the fine weather continuing I booked myself and my bike on the train from Bridgend to Abergavenny and headed for the Brecon Beacons.

 The Taff Trail runs from Brecon to Cardiff and is 88km in length, so easily rideable in a day.  I chose to travel up one day, stay overnight in a Youth Hostel and ride back the following day.  Friends and family found great amusement in my desire to stay in a Youth Hostel.....sharing a dorm ? .... cleaning the toilets ?.... Youth Hostels have, I am pleased to say , moved on .... I had my own room and bathroom & toilet, a cooked breakfast, wifi and a fully stocked bar!  The last time I was in a Youth Hostel I was in the Lake District aged 16 and got caught in a pub in Hawkshead drinking under age!  

The ride itself was fantastic - downhill (apart from the first 5 km where the track rises gently but steadily through the forests alongside the Talybont Reservoir).  

Down through Merthyr Tydfil and past the haunting white crosses of the graveyard in Aberfan, a reminder of the awful colliery spoil tip collapse in October 1966 which left 116 children and 28 adults dead.  The descent continues through Pontypridd and beneath the iconic Castell Coch before flattening out to follow the River Taff through Bute Park and into Cardiff Bay.

So now into May....next plan ?