homeday rides

Octagon Ride

Updated Feb 15 2006

This is a 38-mile circular ride starting in New Alresford in Hampshire.  Two geographical obstacles (the River Itchen and the M3 motorway) keep traffic to a minimum on the lanes in between them.   The ride explores some lovely wooded valleys, and picturesque villages with thatched cottages; you'll pass the site of the 1644 Battle of Cheriton, and see the workshops and engine sheds of the Bluebell Line (the county's most famous steam preservation project).  But most of all it's the glorious countryside and the absence of cars that appeals.  Plenty of escape options to return you to the start if you need to cut the ride down, and some fine pubs in the villages along the route.

The Octagon Ride

The PDF documents below could be used to explore the route, or alternatively you could download the Tracklogs file, load its waypoints into your GPS, and let it guide you instead.

• Route Map for the ride in PDF format (6,861Kb) - printable version of the image above
• Route Card for the ride in PDF format (96kb) - shows turns, timings, and hill profile
• Octagon.trl - Tracklogs file for the ride

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