July 2021 - Tour number 2 - Keeping it local (Day 1)

It’s a beautiful day. 

It’s been a beautiful (if not a tad hot) week. And I’m stood on Cobden bridge watching the world go by. The cars behind are only slightly spoiling  the ambience of the location. 

A kayak glides under the bridge followed by a group of Paddle boarders. Above, a light aircraft slows as it heads to Eastleigh airport. A chap on a cargo bike skilfully manoeuvres himself and his double base up the slope at the end of the path. (It was only when he passed that I realised it was electric assist.) 

I am watching the horizon for two laden cyclists following the waterway on route 2. If I was less lazy, I would cycle to meet them. But my bike is heavy and that slope is hard at the best of times. I will instead wait here. Playing official photographer, while watching the world glide by. 

The unmistakable forms of Jo and Babs soon came into view, and our journeys merge. We followed NCN2 all the way into town, the boardwork looking particularly pretty with the tide high. We soon reached our first destination. Paid for our tickets and excitedly waited to board Jenny Blue who would be taking us across to Hythe. 

The bikes were expertly lifted aboard by the crew who made this look completely effortless. And we spent the next 15 mins letting the boat take the strain. 

By the time we had disembarked then walked the iconic pier into Hythe, we all agreed that we deserved a cuppa. The girls had already covered over 20 miles from Winchester and I, well I hadn’t gone quite that far. So a coffee stop was found. 


Once back on our bikes we continued following the handy NCN signs and shared use paths to Applemore and once negotiated our first, of many, cattle grids, we were in the New Forest. 

Riding through the infamous Ipley cross, we talked about the plans for a new junction and remembered those who didn’t get to ride away from it in past cycles. 

Onward into Beaulieu, where we stopped for lunch. 

The Bakehouse tea rooms has changed hands, but I was pleased to find that the overall feel has been retained as has the quality of the food. It remains one of my favourite coffee stops. 

Some locals felt the same and joined us for lunch. 

Time to leave so after another trip to the loo and a  smothering of suntan lotion, we made our way out of the town, heading this time for Brockenhurst. 

The sun beat down as we turned into the open moorland of the ‘forest’ punctuated by small clumps of trees which were often inhabited by the locals. The nicest thing about travelling by bike is the ease at which you can drop everything and join in with what’s going on around you. 

Next stop Rhinefeld arboretum and the long slow climb to Bolderwood. 

Having rewarded ourselves with a sneaky ice cream, we consulted the maps to see how far away camp was. 

Just 10 miles later, we reached our stop for the night - Ocknell Camping in the Forest site. 

We found some fairly flat land away from other campers and set up camp. 

A sign at the toilets filled both Babs and I with dread and all thoughts of wild wee’s during the night were dashed. 

Dinner was a leisurely affair and was punctuated by locals who obviously use this as a thoroughfair. Let’s hope they remember where the tents are. 

We sat, till dark, planning future adventures, then after a final stroll to the loos, and a refill of water bottles, we batten down the hatches for the night ahead. 



And so now I find myself in a field of Adders watching the lightning flashes and counting the gaps till the thunder with nothing more than a piece of material between me and my fears. How far I have come in the last 20 years! 

Night all. 

Edit - It’s just after 4. Jo is currently bailing out her tent - a peg pulled out in the wind/rain allowing the end to partially collapse. Babs now has a large water feature to the left of hers. And me?  I’m not looking.