Basingstoke Byways - The Harrow Way

[DollyRocket]

I thought I would continue the excellent work by Clive with photo documenting local byways, This thread is my 'after work' trail run which takes approximately 45 mins, with the return journey by road a further 15 if you don't want to retrace the steps (or running low on fuel!)

Todays route would be suitable for all bikes, including GS's, probably OK on tourances too. Ground was mainly hard/dry mud with a few muddy/mucky puddles - ideal route for novices (or just a relaxing pootle).

All grid references are on the OS map 144 (Basingstoke & Alton)
Start @ 588548

 

[DollyRocket]

heading west @ 589539

Junction of 3 Byways, the trail heading east from this point is quite rutted but passable (Shown in picture below)

 

[DollyRocket]

576539

575539

General surface was good, some parts were a little rutted / washed away on hard packed chalk/mud. Fine in the dry possibly a bit slippy in the wet.

 

[DollyRocket]

568544

565545

short & sweet, ideal novice track.

 

[JohnnyOldBoy]

Could I join you to do this one evening ? I live near Alton and have caught the bug from doing a couple of rides with Clive.

John

 

[DollyRocket]

550527

545524

This part of the trail is popular with cyclists & horse riders, go slow around the blind corners! - especially in the woods.

 

[DollyRocket]

The start of the Harrow Way, this looks like the flytippers have been there recently, there is a small mound to go over - probably to stop the 4x4's from going through. This area is popular with other off-roaders/bikers since there are a number of sub-trails / feeders to this track with small jumps/dips etc.

527518

516517

Nice proper greenlane into the back of the DeLaRue car park, flat but overgrown.

 

[DollyRocket]

Starting to get a bit narrower .

514516 (above) @ Road junction / layby

505515 - Not very muddy, occasional puddles - no fun in bogs today

494505 - average speed about 15-20mph along this last mile. Hardpacked surface with occasional soakaways. Loads of midges on this bit (definately visor down ).

486501 - Last two photos at this location looking in each direction.

 

[DollyRocket]

Johnny, Feel free to come out to play . The wife lets me go a few times a week and i am trying to build up a nice long round trip to hopefully run a half day trail ride followed by a pint and a pasty somewhere.

There are some nice trails around Alton, I just haven't photographed them (I think Clive has posted some pics around Rushmoor pond etc) There are some really muddy tracks around Ellisfield which are quite good fun (except to the clutch!) Are you GS'ing or pogoing?

 

[millard]

Is there any chance of getting your route on Mapsource?

 

[Slowdown]

Is there any chance of getting your route on Mapsource?

Can't you put OSGB into Google Earth and export it into Mapsource ???

 

[millard]

Can't you put OSGB into Google Earth and export it into Mapsource ???

Maybe, if someone could tell me how to do it ????

 

[stonetown]

Ha - I knew there was a long way round between Basingstoke and Andover, I could do this a few times on my way home from work! Looks like it would be OK on the GSA with Trail Attacks and in the dry(ish). Any idea what the Wayfarers is like just West of the A34 ? Last time I did it, it was rutted to hell in some parts.

Nice one Dolly Rocket

 

[Clive]

Is there any chance of getting your route on Mapsource?

This file should help

 

[Clive]

Any idea what the Wayfarers is like just West of the A34 ? Last time I did it, it was rutted to hell in some parts.

Still was back in February - see this thread

 

[millard]

Thanks DR for those pics and Clive for the mapsource file.
Looks like I can get me knobblies on and go exploring.

 

[DollyRocket]

Just to prove that the big bikes can do it - Here's Millard somewhere near Ibworth with no brakes!

 

[DollyRocket]

Just past Cheesedown farm. (548497). Hardpacked surface when past the gravel.

Opens out to a proper greenlane through the centre of a field down to the railway bridge(554492). There is a muddy patch under the bridge with a hidden obstacle (probably a brick or railway detritus).

This trail ends in quite a well maintained track, it looks like someone has been here filling in ruts with hardcore (gravel not magazines) (567489)

 

[DollyRocket]

I tried to get down the byways near Dummer but they were badly rutted and overgrown so you couldn't see where / or what you were riding through . (593437)

Wouldn't recommend it yet

Turned around @ 591433

 

[DollyRocket]

On the way home I found a real hidden gem of a trail, Winslade Lane (646462). Mainly downhill and generally well surfaced (except - keep out the rutted soakaways in some places they are deceptively deep!)

There are a number of signs warning users not to ride on the side trails, these are bridleways - perhaps there has been a number of trail riders causing grief to horse riders down here

Reproduced from Ordnance Survey map data by permission of Ordnance Survey, © Crown copyright.