VC Venta October Gravel Ride

A crisp morning greeted a peloton of seven as we set of on the third iteration of VC Ventas gravel section. Following the South Downs Way for the first segment of the ride we were treated to stunning views back to Winchester. The low sun, blue skies and still conditions soon had us warmed up as we crested Chesfoot Head.

Our route took us off the South Downs way and down a wide agricultural gravel track into the hamlet of Tichbourne. A short road section to the outskirts of Alresford ensued before we set off along wooded trails towards Old Arlesford and beyond.

From Old Arlesord we followed Ox Drove Way to the outskirts of Wield, a picture post card village of brick and flinted walled homes with plenty of thatched roofs. Ox Drove Way itself is part of an old cross-country route on the Downs to the northeast of Winchester called the Lunway. It was, as its name suggests, a drove for cattle however, we saw no cattle just the odd walker and a few mad spaniels!

Cycling through Bradley we cut back along some great beech wood trails to Preston Candover before dropping into The Yard for a deserved coffee break. The Yard was teeming with cyclists enjoying a well-earned coffee and pastry – a must stop if you haven’t yet enjoyed their take on rural hospitality.

The homeward leg took us along wooded trails that gave way to open countryside as we dropped into Abbotstone through which the Arle chalk stream flows. A short climb back up out of the Arle valley soon had the group heading towards Itchen Abbas before slipping back into Winchester some 60 km later.

A big thanks for joining me on the ride and see you, and hopefully many more members, on the next club gravel ride on Saturday 5th November.

Jorge and Jonnie