Cycle Rides Around Alton.

For independent cyclists or those who can't always make the regular Saturday or Sunday rides, here are directions for three rides starting and finishing in Alton. They are of 13, 16 and 36 miles resepecively. The os maps mentioned are not necessary, just follow the instructions but you can use the maps to make variations on the basic routes.

Hartley Mauditt 13 miles (os map 186)

Start at Alton Tourist Information Office, Cross and Pillory Lane
Turn left out of the office, cross Market Square.
Proceed down opposite street (Amery Street) and follow the one way system past a car park on your right to a mini roundabout at the top of a short hill. At the mini roundabout turn left and take the next right turn opposite St Lawrence church. Follow this road and ignore all left and right turns until you reach a T junction (Nursery Road). Turn right to meet the main road. Turn left.

Continue until you pass a park and school on your left. Take the slip road on the left sign posted Holybourne and Binsted. Pass through Holybourne Village and at the other end pass under the road and rail bridge to cross over the River Wey Bridge. Immediately bear left and climb the hill. Go straight on at the first cross roads and on reaching Binsted cross roads, turn right and pass church (grave of Lord Montgomery). Continue down narrow lane ignoring left turn until you reach the B3004 on the outskirts of Kingsley. Turn left and immediately right (take care) sign posted Oakhanger and Selborne. Ride on past Shortheath Common and at Public House (Red Lion) in Oakhanger turn right and climb hill (steep in places). Continue past the church and pond at Hartley Mauditt. At T junction in West Worldham bear left and on meeting B3006 at Roundhouse cross roads (Selborne Road), turn right.

Continue on this road and in about 1 mile (careful not to miss it) turn right (take great care) into a small lane marked Private Road. Continue along the road known as Truncheaunts to meet the B3004. Turn left and go under a bridge and ignore the next little left and the following cross roads. Pass under the railway bridge (Alton Station). At T junction with High Street, turn left and across two roundabouts, past banks and turn right into Market Street arriving back at the start point on your left.

Chawton and Froyle 16 miles (os map 186)

Start at Alton Tourist Information Office, Cross and Pillory Lane
Turn left out of the office, cross Market Square.
Turn left into Market Street then take the 2nd left, Ackender Road. Immediately after, take first right (Queen's Road) and then 2nd right into Kings Road. Proceed and at T junction turn left and descend to Whitedown lane. Turn left into Whitedown Lane and continue under the railway bridge, then take 3rd exit off the roundabout (take care) signed No Thru Road and sign posted Pedestrian Route to Jane Austen's House.

Continue to an underpass and walk through the tunnel. Continue straight ahead through Chawton Village. At fork by Greyfriars public house and Jane Austen's House, take left signed No Thru Road past St Nicolas Church on left. Where the road comes to an end climb the footpath steps and join the A32. Turn left here and continue with care for 1 mile into Farringdon. Turn left at the village cross roads. Proceed up hill and take next left. Pass the Folly on your right and All Saints church on your left and continue straight on through the village. In just under 2 miles you meet the B3006 at Roundhouse cross roads. Cross over (take care) and continue half a mile to West Worldham.

At fork continue left to East Worldham. At staggered cross roads (Three Horseshoes public house) on B3004 turn right and (ignoring the No Thru Road on left), take the next left sign posted Wyck and Binsted. Continue through Wyck to the next cross roads. Go straight over (take care) sign posted Mill Court and Froyle. Continue on and ignoring turning on right go over the river at Mill Court then climb over railway bridge to meet the A31 dual carriageway.

Cross over (take care) and turn right then just past the Hen and Chicken public house on your left, turn left sign posted Upper Froyle 1/2 to Upper Froyle. Follow the road around to the right past the College and opposite the church on your right, turn left and climb hill (nice view behind you). At the next cross roads turn left and then take 2nd left (don't miss it) just before the Golden Pot public house sign posted Old Odiham Road. (If you reach this pub you have missed the turn!) Continue straight on to Alton passing St Lawrence Church on your right. At T junction with the High Street, turn right (mini roundabout). Continue past banks and turn right up Market Street to start point on left.

Ropley 36 miles (os maps 186 & 185)

Start at Alton Tourist Information Office, Cross and Pillory Lane
Turn left out of the office, cross Market Square.
Turn left into Market Street. Continue through mini roundabout. Next right by Post Office box Will Hall Farm and climb Brick Kiln Lane - steep and a bit rough in places. Join road at top and continue on following signpost Shalden 1 mile. At T junction in village turn right and continue to T junction (Avenue Road). Turn left and after a sharp bend, take next left sign posted Lasham and Bentworth to Lasham village. Go straight on at next cross roads and then, ignoring road coming in from left, with care on bend turn right into small lane sign posted Lasham Hill 3/4. Continue to T junction with A339. Turn left and in 150 yards turn right with great care on bend. At T junction at top of rise turn right sign posted Burkham, etc. and proceed to and take the next left (turns back on itself), sign posted Burkham, to Bentworth.

Proceed and at the next crossroad turn right sign posted Lower and Upper Wield. At the next junction turn left (sign posted Upper Wield & Medstead) and in 1/2 mile take next right past the Yew Tree public house. Ignoring other roads keep straight on to Preston Candover (Purefoy Arms). Join the B3046 where turn left and in 1/2 mile turn left again, sign posted Alresford 6. Proceed past Bugmore Hill straight on to rejoin the B3046 in approximately 4 miles. There turn left to Old Alresford. Climb hill and just before church on left, turn left and (ignoring Kiln Lane on left) continue on until a road joins from right. Keep left and proceed to Bighton village. At cross roads at bottom of hill continue straight over (take care), up hill sing posted Gundleton 1 and Bishop's Sutton 2.

At next cross roads (Gundleton) slow so as not to miss it, turn first left (Goscombe Lane). On reaching road coming in from the left, bear right sign posted Ropley 1⁄4. Pass over Watercress Steam Railway line to meet A31. Go straight over (take care) to Ropley sign posted Church and School. In village continue past Village Hall and Church, ignoring turnings to right and left. Past pond on left, climb uphill out of village. In approximately 1 mile (no sign post) take next left passing Lyway Farm and at next T junction turn right and immediately right again (Kitwood Lane). At bottom of hill (T junction) turn left and then right in 200 yards - Willis Lane.

At next cross roads (Brightstone Lane), straight on to Lower Farringdon. Cross straight over A32 (take care) and proceed to Upper Farringdon. Take first left sign posted West and East Worldham and follow the road past church on left and (ignoring lane on right) keep on to Roundhouse cross roads on B3066. Turn left to Alton and at roundabout turn right and proceed past Butts Green on your left. At fork by Somerfield supermarket take left, Continue through High Street and on reaching Cross and Pillory Lane, turn left to arrive back at start point

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