Bike to Bestival route, day two: Mellow Farm to Southampton

Righty-ho, then, here it is… the route directions for the second day of Bike to Bestival. The eagle-eyed amongst you may notice that our route to the campsite on the Isle of Wight isn’t included here – but it really isn’t very far from the ferry port, so I’ll probably just point you in the right direction on the day.

An important note here: whereas on day one, we won’t be coming across anything you could reasonably call a hill until the very last part of the ride, on the second day we hit the rolling hills of Hampshire. It’s a shorter ride (it took me about four hours, including frequent stops to check on directions/make notes etc), but you may find it, at times, a little tiring on the legs…

But keep your peckers up, your legs pumping and your eyes on each other – happy in the knowledge that one mother of a party awaits just over the Solent..!

Bike to Bestival route, day two: Mellow Farm to Southampton

(Google maps route here: http://goo.gl/maps/sSAvi )

Section 1: Mellow Farm to East Tisted

1.     Turn right out of Mellow Farm. Follow the road to a T-Junction. Turn right. Follow the road to another T-Junction. Turn right again.

2.     Follow this road for about two miles, passing Headley Park on your left, until you reach the junction with the A325. Turn left and follow the road into Bordon.

3.     Carry straight on through Bordon, through several sets of traffic lights. Pass a Tesco, then come to a roundabout. Go straight over.

4. At the next roundabout, turn right down Firgrove Road, signposted Blackmoor/Selborne. Then, very soon, turn left down Drift Road.
5. Follow this road for approximately four miles, through Blackmoor (ignoring signs to Selborne) until you hit a T-Junction with the B3006. Turn right towards Selborne.
6. Just after coming in to Selborne, take the (very sharp!) turning on the left, signposted Newton Valance. Follow this road all the way to East Tisted.

Section 2: East Tisted to Botley

1. In East Tisted, you’ll hit a T-Junction with the A32. Turn left. B2B HOTSPOT! Well, not really a HOTSPOT, more of a NOTE. We’ll be following the A32 for approximately 10 miles. It can be a little dispiriting – long stretches with slight climbs on a road where cars can whizz past a bit. So keep safe – and keep your peckers up; once we’re in Botley, we’re edging very close to the finish line.
2. Stay on the A32 through West Meon and Warnford and then Corhampton. At the roundabout in Corhampton, turn right, taking the B3035 all the way to Bishop’s Waltham.
3. Follow the B3035 through Bishop’s Waltham until you reach a roundabout. Turn left, following the brown signs to Bishop’s Waltham Palace. Soon after, there’s another roundabout. Turn right on to the B3035, signposted Botley.

Section 3: Botley to Southampton, Red Funnel Terminus (yippee!)

1. After a few miles, the B3035 meets the A334. Turn right, signposted Botley.
2. Follow the A334 through Botley, until you reach a roundabout. Take the second exit on to the B3036. After approximately a mile, after some traffic lights, turn left on to St John’s Road (the B3033).
3. Follow the B3033 over the M27 and then straight across the A27. This next bit (Botley Road) is not much more than a cycle track. But keep going until the junction (with traffic lights) with the A3024. Again, go straight over.
4. The B3033 will then hit a mini-roundabout. Turn right on to Portsmouth Road.
5. This road will lead you (after a mile or two) to the Toll Bridge. Bear left at the toll booths into the cycle lane and cross the bridge.
6. At the end of the bridge is a roundabout. Go straight over. The road then veers to the left. Follow signs to the Waterfront/West Quay. Then, you’ll start to notice signs to the ferry and the Isle of Wight. Follow these, until you reach the harbour, and the Red Funnel terminus on your left.