June 14th 2009 – Isle of Wight workout!

Route and height profile (link)

While almost everyone and his dog was at the Isle of Wight festival having their
eardrums perforated, four of us took the Lymington ferry across to Yarmouth for a
day in the saddle.

We had an ambitious route of around 45 miles planned, mostly off-road. So after a blast along the cycle track that follows and old rail line from Yarmouth to Freshwater, we changed down and started the climb that would take us over the first three 'downs' of the seven that form the spine of the island. Why are they called 'Downs' when they are actually 'Ups'?

The first part up Compton Down actually runs up the middle of a golf-course and as I stopped to snap Andy with the Freshwater cliffs and Tennyson Down as a backdrop some golfing geezer started shouting at us – for stopping I guess.

Leaving the irate golfers to play on we headed east along tracks that were close to the crests of the hills. Compton Down becomes Brook Down just in time for a fast descent to the road.

The next climb ahead; Westover and Brighstone Downs and in the distance, the headland at right is St. Catherine's Point. We would be climbing that from the far side on our return.

Looking back from Westover Down at the fast chalky descent we had used to flee from the irate golfers.
Behind, the cliffs of Freshwater Bay.

We continued eastward for a few miles before dropping off Brightstone Down through the trees, to the northeast, then along the east edge of the wood. Unfortunately we had to curtail our speed as we constantly disturbed sheep as they dozed in the shade – on the path ahead! An easy track led us down to the Shorwell road which we followed up a few hundred yards before turning offfor the climb up to the base of Chillerton Mast.

The easy ride north along Newbarn Down was followed by a descent around Garstons Down alongside fields laden with crops finishing in a steep drop down the rim of an old quarry. A little later, ahead we saw a swarm of big black flies massed over the track – there seemed to be thousands of them. It was almost impossible to go round, so I put my head down, accelerated and shot through. One or two got caught in my open necked jersey, and once on the other side, I opened the jersey out to release them – BEES!!!
Luckily non of us got stung.

The next section of the ride was easy and fast as we dropped down onto the lane opposite Whitecroft, passed it and headed east to Blackwater. There we picked up the Newport - Sandown cycle track along a disused railway line. We followed this for a couple of miles then turned off southwards towards Godshill. Just east of the village we crossed the road and picked up the 'Sunshine Trail' heading to Wroxall where we stopped for a welcome pint.

It may not look steep, but this tarmac climb, southwest out of Wroxall seems to go on forever and has a kickup at the end just to be mean, we all had a job keeping our front wheels on the deck, though none had to get off and push.

Dropping straight off the other side of Stenbury Down, we quickly lost most of the hard gained altitude we had sweated for. You can
just see one of the others on the track under the tree. Ahead lay St Catherine's Down.

A couple of linked bridleways took us through Whitwell and down to Niton on the southery tip of the island. I had promised a tricky climb from there up a rainwater gouged gully, but when we got there we discovered it had all been re-surfaced, making the climb almost tame.

On St. Catherine's Down we passed below the Oratory and summit (236m – the highest point on the island) then slewed
northwards towards the Hoy monument.

The lads inspect the Hoy Monument on St. Catherine's Down.

From near the monument looking inland towards the Chillerton Mast, just visible on the skyline right of centre. We'd passed right under it on the way out and were going to get close again before dropping down to Shorwell for a late afternoon lunch. Our route there comprised the rocky track off the Down to the road near Chale Green, then a mix of lane and sandy track took us up onto the hill just east of Shorwell. Then a long descent down the crest into the village and a welcome stop at the Crown Inn.

By now it was about 4pm but the pub serves food all afternoon and evening. We ate and drank in the pub garden and afterwards fed our leftover bread to the trout, ducks, doves and moorhens that crowded the banks and stream running through the garden.

After our satisfying and tasty late 'lunch' came the hard part, a long climb on the road out of Shorewell then up onto Brightstone Down. Two more big climbs ahead. By now the wind had picked up, makingit just that little bit harder. (note the full windsock to the left).

As we head back, retracing our earlier outward route the sun started its long descent and the light dimmed just a little.

Ahead lay the chalky trail we had sped down some six hours earlier, only now we had to get back up it, then, a little further over the crest, we would turn right and drop steeply down the north side of the ridge taking the bridleway to Wellow. Then it was a stretch of road back to Yarmouth and the ferry. We had booked the 6.30pm but time was getting tight.

Last pic of the day. After I had stopped the take the pics, my riding buddies missed the turn and continued past. Try as I might to shout, whistle, scream and curse, all my efforts just whisped away on the wind, so I had to catch them up. We doubled back some 200 yards for the missed turn and dropped off the ridge. After another mile or so of track it was a mad dash down the road to Yarmouth and the ferry. We made it with just a minute to spare, for no sooner were we aboard than they raised the ramp and we headed back for the mainland.

In all, we had covered about 45 miles and climbed around 1,070 metres (3,500 ft).