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A Meander Through the Middle Reaches of the Meon Valley

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A Meander Through the Middle Reaches of the Meon Valley A meander through the middle reaches of the Meon Valley ] FACTS I tr Starting point: Wickham Square. Ordnance survey maps 185 and 196 (Winchester and the Solent), grid reference 573115 . # Distance: 21 miles : I * Refreshments: Pubs in West Meon, Soberton, Soberton Heath and . Wickham, plus cafes and restaurants in Wickham f all the many rivers to Station. follow in Hampshire, It was here that the Meon is hard to Montgomery and Eisenhower beat as it flows through alighted from a train bringing unspoilt countryside from its them to Southwick House to source in the South Downs plan the D-Day landings in near East Meon to the sea at 1944. Hill Head. The remaining four miles to Though the A32 runs West Meon station, now only alongside it between Wickham recognisable by two lengthy and West Meon, it is easy to platforms, takes us through a avoid most of this road. Riding high cutting on the shoulder of north {rom Wickham to our Old Winchester Hill. Unless halfway point at East Meon, you are adept at 'bunny we shouldn't meet anything hopping'on a cycle, you will other than the occasional probably have to dismount to horse rider and fellow cyclists. negotiate high boards placed Leaving Wickham Square in to deter motorcyclists. the direction ol St Nicholas Apart from these, the Church by the crossroads with surface is perfectably rideable the A32, we turn sharp left by all the way on any type of Chesapeake Mill cycles. But keep into Mill Lane, an eye out for the then first right by odd branch lying the fire station on the trail. Trees into Station line both sides ol Close. this trail for most Then we head of its length. right again into Like the old station car Broadhalfpenny park. That's all Down, near there is of Hambledon. Wycombe West Meon holds Station. a place in the demolished soon history of cricket after the closure as the resting missing railway bridges we before freewheeling down to ol the line, and place of Thomas encountered on our outward Big Tree Corner. A right turn now a popular Lord. ride. here keeps us close to the point to join the He established Passing through the gap, Meon Valley railway track and Meon Valley Trail. the world's best known cricket we bear right to ride parallel river. but if we {ollow the Heading north, we pedal ground in London and lies with the railway track srgnposted route we will be through a low cutting and on buried in the churchyard o1 St southwards, continuing confronted by a short but very to an embankment and bridge John the Evangelist Church. A straight on at a crossroads by sharp ascent. I suggest which carry us over the river. pub in the village canies his Meonstoke recreation ground avoiding this by following lhe The second riile takes us name. ior about another half-mile to main road to the left of the war under the A32 to a small Returning by road to our the next junction, where we memorial and turning right into clearing where a height gantry starting point is a little longer turn right and left, crossing the Chapel Road hall-a-mile marks the spot of an old and involves following the A32 railway track in the space of beyond. siding. for two miles through only ten yards. This slightly longer route This is one of the few relics Warnford to Exton, before We repeat that move in brings us to Soberton Heath left which reminds us we are turning sharp Ieft into Stocks reverse - ie left and right - at by a pond at the top of Horne lollowing the track of an old Lane.on approaching the next junction, but look out Hill, where a lelt turn will take railway - others are the two Corhampton. for traffic on the 82150 we are us past the Bold Forester pub old covered wagons now This narrow lane takes us crossing, into Station Road by into the Forest of Bere. serving as garden sheds at up a short climb bordered by the Hurdles pub. With Wickham less than two the end of the platiorms of hedges and down alongside This leads us to Soberton, miles away, the end of the ride what was once Droxford fields to the first oi two passing the White Lion pub is almost in sight. & Chris Davies, 66, is cycling correspondent ol The News and a member of the Cyclists' Touring Club. Since 1 950 he has ridden more than 813,000 miles - believed to bq the highest recorded cycling mileage in the world..
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