The partially signed route passes through
Basingstoke
Basingstoke ( ) is the largest town in the county of Hampshire. It is situated in south-central England and lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon, at the far western edge of The North Downs. It is located north-east of Southa ...
,
Eastleigh
Eastleigh is a town in Hampshire, England, between Southampton and Winchester. It is the largest town and the administrative seat of the Borough of Eastleigh, with a population of 24,011 at the 2011 census.
The town lies on the River Itchen, o ...
and
Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
; once across the
Solent
The Solent ( ) is a strait between the Isle of Wight and Great Britain. It is about long and varies in width between , although the Hurst Spit which projects into the Solent narrows the sea crossing between Hurst Castle and Colwell Bay to ...
, it continues through
Cowes
Cowes () is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina, facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east bank. The two towns are linked by the Cowes Floa ...
and
Newport.
Route
Reading to Basingstoke
Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...
,
Basingstoke
Basingstoke ( ) is the largest town in the county of Hampshire. It is situated in south-central England and lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon, at the far western edge of The North Downs. It is located north-east of Southa ...
map
Basingstoke to Alton/Winchester
Basingstoke
Basingstoke ( ) is the largest town in the county of Hampshire. It is situated in south-central England and lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon, at the far western edge of The North Downs. It is located north-east of Southa ...
,
Alton
Alton may refer to:
People
*Alton (given name)
*Alton (surname)
Places Australia
*Alton National Park, Queensland
* Alton, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Balonne
Canada
* Alton, Ontario
*Alton, Nova Scotia
New Zealand
* Alton, New Zealand, ...
,
Winchester
Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...
map
Winchester to Southampton
Winchester
Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...
,
Eastleigh
Eastleigh is a town in Hampshire, England, between Southampton and Winchester. It is the largest town and the administrative seat of the Borough of Eastleigh, with a population of 24,011 at the 2011 census.
The town lies on the River Itchen, o ...
,
Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
![Hockley Railway Viaduct](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Hockley_Railway_Viaduct.jpg)
From
Winchester City Mill, the route follows the towpath of the
River Itchen through the grounds of
Wolvesey Castle
Wolvesey Castle, also known as the "Old Bishop's Palace", is a ruined building in Winchester, Hampshire, England that was a bishop's palace, and was briefly fortified during the later years of Henry of Blois, the Bishop of Winchester.
Histor ...
before emerging onto College Walk close to the junction with College Street, the location of
Winchester College
Winchester College is a public school (fee-charging independent day and boarding school) in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest of the ...
. The route follows College Walk across the river, turns right onto Domum Road and then continues onto the old track bed of the
Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
The Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway (DN&SR) was a cross-country railway running north–south between Didcot, Newbury and Winchester. Its promoters intended an independent route to Southampton and envisaged heavy traffic from the Mid ...
alongside the
Itchen Navigation
The Itchen Navigation is a disused canal system in Hampshire, England, that provided an important trading route from Winchester to the sea at Southampton for about 150 years. Improvements to the River Itchen were authorised by Act of Parliam ...
, eventually reaching the
Hockley Viaduct. This was the last part of NCR 23 to be opened, following a lengthy restoration programme. It was opened to the public in February 2013 by track cyclist
Dani King
Danielle 'Dani' Rowe MBE (née King; born 21 November 1990) is a British former road and track cyclist. She retired from cycling in December 2018.
A team pursuit gold medallist from the London Olympics in 2012, Rowe also won three consecutive ...
.
South of the viaduct, NCR 23 loops northwards alongside the
South West Main Line
The South West Main Line (SWML) is a 143-mile (230 km) major railway line between Waterloo station in central London and Weymouth on the south coast of England. A predominantly passenger line, it serves many commuter areas including south we ...
, crossing the railway and the Hockley Link road before joining Otterbourne Road. The route follows this road through the villages of
Compton, Shawford and
Otterbourne, then turns left onto Boyatt Lane which takes it into
Boyatt Wood
Boyatt Wood is a small residential area and civil parish north-west of Eastleigh in Hampshire named locally after the wooded area to the south of Boyatt Lane which connects the area to the village of Otterbourne. On 1 April 2021 it became a civil ...
. The route follows a cycle path alongside Woodside Avenue through the suburb, crossing into Passfield Avenue in
Eastleigh
Eastleigh is a town in Hampshire, England, between Southampton and Winchester. It is the largest town and the administrative seat of the Borough of Eastleigh, with a population of 24,011 at the 2011 census.
The town lies on the River Itchen, o ...
. Towards the end of Passfield Avenue, NCR 23 turns right onto Nightingale Avenue where it meets
National Cycle Route 24
National Cycle Route 24, otherwise known as the ''Colliers Way'' currently runs from Dundas Aqueduct to Frome via Radstock, although it is intended to provide a continuous cycle route from Bristol and South Wales to Southampton and Portsmouth.
...
. NCR 24 heads north along Magpie Lane but NCR 23 continues south to Chestnut Avenue where it turns right, then left onto Stoneham Lane.
![Monks Brook at Doncaster Drove](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Monks_Brook_at_Doncaster_Drove.jpg)
NCR 23 follows a cycle path alongside Stoneham Lane until it reaches
North Stoneham House
North Stoneham Park, also known as Stoneham Park, was a landscaped parkland and country house of the same name, north of Southampton at North Stoneham, Hampshire. It was the seat of the Fleming (subsequently Willis Fleming) family. The park was ...
having passed the
Concorde Club. At this point NCR 23 swings left, crossing Stoneham Lane and through a
ford
Ford commonly refers to:
* Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford
* Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river
Ford may also refer to:
Ford Motor Company
* Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company
* Ford F ...
of
Monks Brook
Monks Brook is a river in the English county of Hampshire. It is a tributary of the River Itchen, which it joins at a medieval salmon pool in Swaythling. The brook is formed from seven streams that rise in the chalky South Downs, with the offi ...
on Doncaster Drove. The route follows the lane between
Lakeside Country Park
Lakeside Country Park is a country park just south of the town of Eastleigh in Hampshire. The park covers 60 acres[University of Southampton
, mottoeng = The Heights Yield to Endeavour
, type = Public research university
, established = 1862 – Hartley Institution1902 – Hartley University College1913 – Southampton University Coll ...]( ...<br></span></div> to the north and the <div class=)
sports ground to the south, emerging at Wide Lane to follow a shared use path alongside the road. The route continues to follow Wide Lane southwards, past
Southampton Airport (Parkway) railway station and the site of the former
Ford Transit factory, reaching the
A27 road
The A27 is a major road in England. It runs from its junction with the A36 at Whiteparish (near Salisbury) in the county of Wiltshire, follows the south coast of Hampshire and West Sussex, and terminates at Pevensey (near Eastbourne and Bexhi ...
at a roundabout.
NCR 23 crosses the A27 and heads south through Monksbrook Greenway, an area of woodland that once formed the grounds of The Grange, a country house that was located near the road. NCR 23 then makes its way through the Southampton suburb of
Mansbridge
Mansbridge is a suburb on the northern perimeter of Southampton, England. The area is named after the Mans Bridge which spans the River Itchen. For a considerable time, this was the southernmost crossing point of the river, before the constru ...
, travelling along several residential streets before emerging onto Mans Bridge itself, which the route crosses and turns right into Riverside Park. The route follows the towpath through the park, crossing the road at Woodmill and continuing the other side, eventually reaching the
Cobden Bridge
Cobden Bridge is a major road bridge in Southampton, UK. It crosses the River Itchen joining the suburbs of St Denys and Bitterne Park. It forms part of the A3035. The present bridge dates from 1928, but there has been a bridge on this site s ...
at the southern extremity of Riverside Park. The route follows the road across the bridge from
Bitterne Park
Bitterne Park is a suburb and Electoral Ward of Southampton, England, on the Eastern bank of the River Itchen, built on sloping parkland which once formed part of Bitterne Manor.
Bitterne Park Ward includes the suburbs of Bitterne Park, Bittern ...
to
St Denys
St Denys is a partially riverside district of Southampton, England, centred north north-east of the city centre facing variously Bitterne Park and quay across the River Itchen estuary. The river is here spanned in the mid-east extreme of t ...
, taking the first turning left into Priory Road and passing through the site of
St Denys Priory
St. Denys Priory was a priory of Austin canons in the St Denys area of Southampton, Hampshire, England.
Foundation
The priory was founded by Henry I of England, Henry I in 1124. The foundation charter granted
to God and the church of St. Deni ...
, now a residential area. Towards the end of Priory Road the route turns left onto Horseshoe Bridge, leaving the road just before the bridge crosses the railway line.
From here, NCR 23 travels along a shared use
boardwalk
A boardwalk (alternatively board walk, boarded path, or promenade) is an elevated footpath, walkway, or causeway built with wooden planks that enables pedestrians to cross wet, fragile, or marshy land. They are also in effect a low type of bridge ...
alongside the tidal section of the River Itchen, then leaves the boardwalk to pass through a small industrial area to reach Radcliffe Road, which it follows until it reaches the
A3024 road in
Northam. The cycle route crosses the dual carriageway A3024 and crosses the railway near the site of
Northam railway station within view of
St Mary's Stadium
St Mary's Stadium is an all-seater football stadium in Southampton, England, which has been the home stadium of Premier League club Southampton F.C. since 2001. The stadium has a capacity of 32,384 and is currently the largest football stadium ...
. The route heads through the suburb of
St Mary's and westwards into
Southampton City Centre
Southampton City Centre is the commercial and organisational centre of the City of Southampton, and the transport hub of the city. Because Southampton is on the South Coast of England, the city centre is not at the geometric centre of the city, ...
, reaching Above Bar Street where the route turns south into the pedestrianised shopping area and on to the
Bargate
The Bargate is a Grade I listed medieval gatehouse in the city centre of Southampton, England. Constructed in Norman times as part of the Southampton town walls, it was the main gateway to the city. The building is a scheduled monument, whic ...
.
The route continues past the Bargate, heading directly south along the High Street and on to Town Quay, where the
Red Funnel
Red Funnel, the trading name of the Southampton Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company Limited,[Solent
The Solent ( ) is a strait between the Isle of Wight and Great Britain. It is about long and varies in width between , although the Hurst Spit which projects into the Solent narrows the sea crossing between Hurst Castle and Colwell Bay to ...]
..
Cowes to Sandown
East Cowes
East Cowes is a town and civil parish in the north of the Isle of Wight, on the east bank of the River Medina, next to its west bank neighbour Cowes.
The two towns are connected by the Cowes Floating Bridge, a chain ferry operated by the Isle ...
,
Cowes
Cowes () is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina, facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east bank. The two towns are linked by the Cowes Floa ...
,
Newport ,
Sandown
Sandown is a seaside resort and civil parishes in England, civil parish on the south-east coast of the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom with the resort of Shanklin to the south and the settlement of Lake, Isle of Wight, Lake in between. Together ...
Upon arrival at East Cowes, one must continue ahead around the one-way system in order to reach the
Cowes Floating Bridge
The Cowes Floating Bridge is a vehicular chain ferry which crosses the River Medina on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England. The ferry crosses the tidal river from East Cowes to Cowes. The first floating bridge between the two towns ...
, which allows the route to cross the
River Medina
The River Medina is the main river of the Isle of Wight, England, rising at St Catherine's Down near Chale, and flowing northwards through the county town Newport, towards the Solent at Cowes. The river is a navigable tidal estuary from Newpor ...
. There is a £1 return toll for cyclists,
and a 2-3 minute crossing brings you to
Cowes
Cowes () is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina, facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east bank. The two towns are linked by the Cowes Floa ...
. The Floating Bridge does not operate a 24-hour service, so this section of the route is not available during late night.
A short distance along the Ferry Road takes you to the junction with Arctic Road, where the cycle route turns to the left, away from the coast. At the end of Arctic Road, past the industrial estate, the route leaves road for the first time on the Island. A short ascent takes you onto the first cyclepath built on the Island, the Cowes to Newport Cyclepath. This route was constructed on the old railway trackbed of the
Southern Railway's Cowes to Newport section. Towards Newport, the route crosses an inlet of the River Medina, which the route follows all the way to Newport.
The Cyclepath turns to the left at the edge of the Riverway Industrial Estate, near Newport town centre. From there, there are signs that direct the cyclist towards the Town Quay and along cycle lanes on the pavement of Coppins Bridge roundabout. After more signs, the cyclist finds a freshly tarmacked shared foot/cycle path which leads the route to
Shide.
In Shide, the route joins the Sandown to Newport Cyclepath - this again follows the route of a disused railway line (with minor deviations) all the way to Sandown. The route initially follows the River Medina, now a small stream, across the main road at
Blackwater. There is no traffic control at this flat crossing, but it is within a speed limited area. Beyond here, the route leaves the railway trackbed for about one mile, skirting neighbouring farmland, then returning to the old route in good time for
Merstone
Merstone is a hamlet on the Isle of Wight. It is home to Merston Manor, built in 1605 in the Jacobean style by Edward Cheeke, and rebuilt in the Victorian era. Merston Manor was first mentioned in the Domesday Book, and the present structure is a ...
.
The former station at Merstone consisted of a single island platform, which still stands. Past this is Merstone Lane, a narrow but heavily used road, which should be crossed with care. Shortly after this, the route passes under a road bridge and converges with the
Sunshine Trail. The route then slopes significantly downhill, until it is parallel with the course of a different river, the
Eastern Yar
The River Yar on the Isle of Wight, England, rises in a chalk coomb in St. Catherine's Down near Niton, close to the southern tip of the island. It flows across the Lower Cretaceous rocks of the eastern side of the island, through the gap ...
. Shortly after this, the route again leaves the railway trackbed for a short detour, caused by limited development along the route ahead. At this point, the surface changes from tarmac to planked duckboards, until reaching Horringford. At this point, the route crosses the main
A3056 road
List of A roads in zone 3 in Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island ...
, where a
toucan crossing
A toucan crossing is the British term for a type of pedestrian crossing that also allows bicycles to be ridden across. Since ''“two can”'' cross together (both pedestrians and cyclists) the name “toucan” was chosen. In the United Kingd ...
is provided.
The route then follows the old railway line across the Yar's floodplain until Langbridge, at the edge of
Newchurch, where a slight deviation to the north is required, again due to development on the old route. Beyond Newchurch lies the village of
Alverstone
Alverstone is a village 2 miles from the east coast of the Isle of Wight, near Sandown. When Richard Webster became Chief Justice of England in 1900, he chose the title Lord Alverstone because it was the title he was permitted to choose which ...
, with a final flat crossing with the minor road there before the route arrives at Sandown, on the edge of town between two holiday camp sites. The railway station and town centre can be reached by turning right onto the through road there then following the Sunshine Trail.
map
References
{{Reflist
Transport in Hampshire
Transport on the Isle of Wight
Transport in Berkshire