During the various stages of Covid restrictions, I set myself a project to cycle Cycling UK's new King Alfred's Way off-road cycle route as a series of day-rides. I did 11 rides in all, with associated blogs. They were done in a rather random order over the period September 2020 to October 2021. Below is a map showing the sections of the route: click one of these and it opens a popup with a link to the relevant blog. Then the blogs are listed in the recommended clockwise order, with an explanation of how I achieved each ride and the distances involved. Each blog gives a detailed route map, description and photos.
Winchester to Old Sarum, train to Winchester, train back from Salisbury; 25.5 miles, plus 2.5 miles to Salisbury station = 28 miles total
Old Sarum to Stonehenge: parked at Old Sarum; outward on main route via Larkhill 11.25 miles; cycle back on alt route to Lake and then down Avon Valley 9 miles, = 20.25 total
Stonehenge to Avebury: parked at Stonehenge Visitor Centre (free to NT and EH members); 32 miles plus 2 miles from Stonehenge Visitor Centre to main route near Larkhill = 34 miles total; I treated myself to a taxi back from Avebury to the Visitor Centre (Aldbourne Taxis)
Avebury to A346 crossing near Ogbourne St George: parked at Avebury NT car park; 10 miles, plus 11.5 miles return via Marlborough = 21.5 miles total
A346 crossing near Ogbourne St George to East Hendred Down on the Ridgeway above Didcot: Parked at Coate Water Country Park in Swindon (£2 for 24 hours); cycled 7 miles to KAW, 23.6 miles on KAW (Ridgeway), then 7.5 mile descent to Didcot Parkway station, train back to Swindon (book a bike reservation in advance either on line or at the ticket office); cycle back 3 miles to Coate = 41 miles total (there must be a simpler way!)
East Hendred Down to Reading: Train from Reading to Didcot Parkway (no bike reservation required); cycle 7.5 miles up to the Ridgeway, 19 miles on the KAW = total 26.5 miles
Reading to Farnham: 36 miles. This is best done with train to Reading and back from Farnham, but due to reluctance to use trains during lock-down, I split it into two circuits over two separate days, adding a total of 43 miles of return trips (eg via Silchester Roman Town), ie 79 miles in total
Farnham to Gibbet Hill at the Devil's Punchbowl: train to Farnham, 18.6 miles plus 2 miles descent to Haslemere station- 20.6 miles total
Gibbet Hill at the Devil's Punchbowl to Liss: Parked at Devils Punchbowl NT car park: 14 miles, plus 11 miles return via Liss Ranges = 25 miles total
Liss to South Downs way where it crosses Kiln Lane above Buriton at the back entrance to the Queen Elizabeth Country Park: Park at Liss Ranges, 11 miles plus 9 miles return via Petersfield including the Shipwrights Way = 20 miles total
Kiln Lane to Winchester: Train to Petersfield, 3 miles climb to Kiln Lane, 30 miles on KAW to Winchester station = 33 miles total
This comes to approximately:
- 230 miles on the KAW (ie 370km, slightly more than the official Cycling UK figure of 350km, but there is plenty of scope for differences in gps mileages, getting lost etc).
- 75 miles additional cycling (excluding the 43 miles for the Reading-Farnham return routes which were necessitated by lock down)
I am sure there are many other ways to do it, this is what worked for me given the circumstances of lock down, where I live, time constraints, train limitations, weather etc, plus the fact that I get pretty tired after cycling more than 30 miles these days especially on a tough route like this. I enjoyed it hugely, I hope you do too, however you do it!
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