Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve designed a new route (do you like our name for it?) for Iona and me to test out this summer as our bikepacking tour together.
It will take us from Brighton to Bournemouth with a trip across the water to cycle the Red Squirrel Trail on the Isle of Wight. We’ve designed it to be family friendly with no big days in the saddle, allowing plenty of time for cafes, playgrounds and appreciating the views.
The start and finish are at train stations, allowing easy access from London and the Midlands and making it a low carbon adventure.
So Iona and I are now heading out to test it, on Tuesday 18 August, we’ll be catching trains to take us from Coventry to London and then on to Brighton to start the adventure. Not only will I be filming it for our YouTube channel, but my plan is to also put together a guide book to allow other families to give it a go.
Here’s our planned itineary for the Wessex Wander, if you’re around come and want to join us for a bit or have any recommendations on things to see, routes to use or places to stop.
Day One: Brighton to Angmering
- Travel down: Train to Euston – cycle across to Blackfriars – train to Brighton
- 17 mile cycle to Ecclesden Farm Campsite
Day Two: Angmering to Ryde
- 37 miles to Hover Ferry port
- Catch Hover Ferry to Isle of Wight with our bikes
- 2.5miles cycle to Whitefield campsite
Day Three: Red Squirrel Trail – Isle of Wight
- Cycle 23 miles on the Red Squirrel Trail
- Finish at Waverley Park campsite
Day Four: Portsmouth to Beckley
- Red Funnel Ferry back to mainland
- Cycle 23 miles to In Nature Camping
Day Five: Beckley to Bournemouth
- 3 mile cycle to parkrun
- Highcliffe Beach parkrun
- Explore Bournemouth and cycle to station to head home
- Train home
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