Isle of Wight Coastline Ride

Was thinking of taking a few days off work to cycle round the island, and wondered if anyone here had done this before. I found a few threads about the Randonee, but was thinking of doing the whole coastline and nipping in to see any points of interest.

Having a google as I type, but just thought I'd ask if anyone has any routes/experience of this and if it's worth doing/how many days you can make of it.

I've done right around the coastline a couple of times, it is pretty hilly on the eastern side. I plotted a route for it on Bikely which a) looks to be down at the mo, and b) I don't use any more. Basically I just stuck to the closest road to the sea I could all the way round. Works out at around 65 miles, including a trip down to the Needles lighthouse, and using the chain ferry in Cowes.

I rode the randonee last year and the view out over an empty cloud-mottled sea from the road along the hill-top above Ventnor is a memory that sticks with me. You'd probably get some more memorable views from the chalk spine along the middle of the island.

No idea if old fortifications interest you, but it might be fun to explore some of the island's Palmerston forts http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmerston_Forts
and there's Carrisbrooke castle above New Port.

Sorry I don't have any experience of this domain ..

Get ready for some climbing !

Worth getting involved with the randonnee too, a great day out, relatively hilly though......

Thats a great day out, hilly as quoted by others here and prepare to do 80 miles or so.

Sorry I don't have any experience of this domain ..

Piss poor attempt...

This is a fairly good route that takes in the best of the c oastline and also the chalk spine along Arreton down.
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/35144152

Perhaps also worth pointing out that the randonee route is permanently signposted in both directions.

I've been round the East coast from Cowes to Ventnor via Bembridge, then down the military road along the South West and back up through the middle. The South East is very hilly, lots of steep climbing around Shanklin and Ventnor, but the military road is beautiful except for the motorbikes pretenting they're doing the TT.

Perhaps also worth pointing out that the randonee route is permanently signposted in both directions.

Yep, the round the Island route is superbly signposted in both directions. Like this (at every junction):

Take your pick of directions dependent on how strong the wind is (and in which direction). If wind isn't an issue, I would say that clock-wise gives for better views.

This is a fairly good route that takes in the best of the c oastline and also the chalk spine along Arreton down.
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/35144152

^^ Ryde's not big on scenic beauty, but would be a shame to skip the Bembridge-Blackgang stretch - Ventnor's definitely worth a stop.

We did two days touring around the island just before Easter from Ryde around the coast to Yarmouth. The island is a fantastic place to cycle! We got 12 route suggestions off
http://www.sunseaandcycling.com/isle-of-wight-cycle-routes.aspx and sort of pieced them together. It is quite easy as (was mentioned before) there are bike signs everywhere so we followed them a lot. We stuck with the coast from Ryde to Ventnor, but it really doesn't take that long, so went inland from Ventnor to Godshill and back to Ventnor. Next day we stayed up on the top of the ridge from Ventnor to Blackgang/Chale/Brightstone and then down to Freshwater Bay and the Needles.

It is hilly, but not that bad. (I'm not a huge fan of hills) If you've ridden to Brighton you'll be fine. The hills down to Ventnor in the town are quite steep, but otherwise it's fine. The scenery definitely makes up for it!

Our two days were very laxidazical. Maybe 40-50 miles a day (loaded). It was really quite relaxing. If you were gunning it you could do Ryde to Yarmouth via Ventnor in one day, but you wouldn't get to stop to enjoy the scenery.

Definitely check out the Needles, there's a boat trip out to them from the bottom of the theme park, Sandown and Shanklin are very nice coastal views, Godshill is a cute little touristy village (on a hill with a church). There's a castle in Yarmouth, but it was already closed when we got there so no idea if it's good or not.

Enjoy!

Bembridge Windmill is nice. Well, it was when I was 10 years old.

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wtf,?
might do randonee again this year and camp.its such a good day out worth a fourth time.

I'm planning to go for longer ride next week around isle of Wight. Is anybody around there wanting to go for ride. Any recommendations.
Cheers

just resurrecting this thread as I got in a cheeky two day trip to the IoW this weekend gone.

Very different weather as it was warm and sunny on Saturday with people in swimsuits on the beach and like riding in a cloud most of Sunday but at least it stayed dry and the sun came out in the afternoon.

Train to Portsmouth Harbour and go as a foot passenger on the Catamaran for £14 and stayed locally.

I got in two loops of the island, anti-clockwise on Saturday with a mate and then a clockwise loop on Sunday with a bigger group who came over for a day trip.

Here's a few pics to whet your appetite

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I did this for the 1st time last summer, outstanding riding on glass like roads. I didn’t do an research or have any navigation other than my phone but I didn’t need it because it was so well sign posted.

indeed, saw more (and worse) potholes on the half mile trip back from Surbiton station than I did in 200km of weekend riding

I’m off there on Wednesday… single anti-clockwise loop.

Forecast looks great; enjoy.

Anti is the slightly harder option IMO, the climb up past Chale & Blackgang being pretty tough but it's still great.

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indeed, saw more (and worse) potholes on the half mile trip back from Surbiton station than I did in 200km of weekend riding

I will pass that on to my daughter who is responsible to Island roads for some of that.
Other people get sent photos of babies etc. I get sent pictures of road repairs.

in that case, send her my regards and many thanks. Much of the tarmac is beautifully smooth. Military Road is a pleasure to ride on and the generally high standard of road surface makes everything so much more enjoyable.

I did a 2 day mini tour of the IoW last year, but on the MTB. Was absolutely fantastic. Just oodles of bridleways, some huge scenery and amazing views, and some nice singletrack trails too. Reckon we just scratched the surface of what's available off road wise. Would be prime for the #nogravel riders also.

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