- Starts: Saturday 18 January 2020 9:15 am
- Ride leader/Event organiser: John Rosbottom
- Category: Saturday and Wednesday rides
- Route grade: C - Moderate route
- Ride to elevenses grade: C - Moderate route
At: The Spring Centre, Havant
Address: East Street, Havant, P09 1BS
The Spring Arts and Heritage Centre web site is here.
Contact us about this event
Send an email to ride leader/event organiser: John Rosbottom.
Map
Havant to elevenses at Fort Nelson will be around 22 km following back roads around the flanks of Portsdown Hill (see map above).
We swoop down the hill to ride around the top of Portsmouth Harbour, then join off-road cycle tracks through Gosport leading to lunch at Stokes Bay, 16 km on from Fort Nelson.
After lunch there will be a longer ride in the sunshine, following the coast round to the Meon estuary at Titchfield Haven, then swinging inland through Titchfield, Wickham and Denmead to arrive back in Havant having covered a total distance of 84 km (52 miles).
After lunch a much shorter ride home may be possible using the Gosport ferry to return via Portsea island, if a ride leader is available.
Profile (click to enlarge)
The ride profile is relatively flat with no significant climbing after elevenses so should be suitable for riders still carrying some post-Christmas excess baggage.
About Saturday and Wednesday rides
Rides from Havant with stops for elevenses, lunch and sometimes tea. If you're unable to keep up or have a mechanical problem, someone will be available to help you - although we obviously cannot guarantee to solve all problems.
Riders are free to join and leave the ride at various points. Some ride directly to the elevenses stop.
Click either heading below to find out more about Wednesday and Saturday rides:
Wednesday rides
Wednesday rides are the largest of our rides and can provide a range of options to riders. We often split into multiple groups at the start, for example:
- A fast group that takes a longer and/or hillier route to the elevenses stop
- A ride which takes a more direct route to the elevenses stop at a moderate pace
- An elevenses ride comprised of riders going only to elevenses; the elevenses ride will have its own ride leader and might go to a different destination if the route to the main elevenses destination is long and/or hilly
On Wednesdays it is highly likely that there will be several riders coming back to the Havant area from the elevenses stop - although they might not include a PCTC ride leader. If that is what you'd like to do, please consult the ride leader at the start to ensure someone knows and is able to bring you back.
In addition, some rides split after elevenses to go at different paces or to alternate destinations. These are usually announced during the ride briefing. Please ask if you are unsure about the options available.
Saturday rides
Saturday rides are (usually) much smaller than Wednesday rides. As a result they offer fewer options for rides but more flexibility for routes and destinations.
The rides are often shown as 'informal' meaning there is no prescribed ride leader. Unless weather is particularly adverse, however, they always go ahead at the stated time and start point. We try to keep to the suggested elevenses destination to allow for people who want to ride directly there.
The lunch destination does change occasionally but we will always take views of riders into account. In particular, if you join a ride because you think you can manage the distance/hilliness, we would not substitute an alternative if it meant you couldn't join the ride.
If you want to ride with us but only to elevenses and need someone to help you with the route back, please use our general enquiry form to let us know in advance of the ride so we can try to arrange something for you.
This article describes what you should consider bringing with you on one of these rides.