Botley & Fareham

This ride is an 80km(50m) out and back loop starting from the green outside of the White Hart, Denmead. A mix of roads, none that busy apart from one short stretch at Lower Swanwick, with a pace to suit all attending.

The outward journey is via Soberton Heath and Waltham Chase on some pleasant lanes above Curdridge before our coffee stop at Botley (22km/14m). Heading South through Manor Farm, there is a very short stretch of gravel before we’re on the long undulating metalled road through the country park.

Leaving the park heading over the M27 through Bursledon and Lower Swanwick, through the urban roads of Sarisbury and Warsash before the relatively quiet lanes which lead to Titchfield. Then down to the shoreline and along Lee-on-the-Solent sea front.

Instead of heading for the Gosport ferry we’ll take the Eclipse Busway to Fareham, but that comes after the lunch stop at Camber Light Cafe in the Explosion Museum (34km/21m). We reach this by taking the cycle route over Stoke Lake, through the old Royal Clarence Yard and over the Millenium Bridge.

Post lunch, a short ride along Heritage Way in Elson, before the Busway takes us to the route around the north of Fareham for a change and through Wallington village where we pass under the M27, taking Nine Elms Lane to Boarhunt and returning to Denmead via the back lanes of Southwick.

Bookings for this ride/event

Booking is required for this ride. Please let the ride leader know if you want to join. Please do not turn up for the ride unless you've had your booking confirmed or your name appears below.

There are 8 spaces available for the leader and riders. Of these, 3 are left.

Bookings recorded for this ride (Log in to see rider names):

• A PCTC member
• A PCTC member
• A PCTC member
• A PCTC member

To ask to join this ride, please use the 'Contact us about this ride' link above to send an email to the ride leader.

About faster rides

Our other rides go at the pace of the slowest rider or we will split the ride to accommodate a slower rider. 'Faster rides' go faster than other rides and people joining are expected to keep up.

We're not talking about professional or even 'club' riding speeds, but trying to ride at any speed faster than you can manage is an unpleasant experience.

If you want to join a faster ride, but uncertain whether you can keep up:

• Consider trying one or two of our other rides classed as A (Demanding) or B (Hilly) first. If you're able to keep up without difficulty that's a good indication you're ready for a faster ride. The chances are you'll be riding with other members familiar with faster rides that can help you with your assessment.
• In any case, contact the ride leader and discuss your experience to date with them. Bear in mind, however, that subjective assessments of average speed and cruising speed are notoriously unreliable even for those that routinely use cycle computers.

Before you join a faster ride, please review the route and prepare to make your own way back if you're struggling to keep up - and we all have bad days. We will not, however, intentionally drop slower riders; nor will we leave riders without first checking they are confident with getting back.