Winchester to Phoenix Green - including Hockley Viaduct and roads on and around NCN Route 23

30th March 2013    Distance 39.92 miles

Time - 3hrs 8 minutes


Plan: Train to Winchester and, after checking out the newly restored Hockley Viaduct,  a ride back on and around Route 23 following the River Itchen for the first few miles.

Bad oversight: almost the entire ride was in a north to north easterly direction........into that unforgiving wind that just doesn't want to go away!

Got talking to another guy with a bike on the train. I asked ''how far are you going today?''  ''Lands End to John O'Groats'' was his reply! Well, I did ask. Brave man doing it into that North Easterly which may well be in his face for at least another week.......ouch.

St Thomas - Winchester

Cathedral Gate

River Itchen - near St Cross

Newly restored Hockley Viaduct with the lovely NCN r23

The signals are good....

Sound advice - still saw dog crap left on the Viaduct though!

Fast Flowing through the City.

.....and some much needed sunshine

Ovington Park

Crystal clear Itchen River at Itchen Abbas

Itchen Stoke 

After a long slow ascent into that cruel wind over the open hills, it was nice to a get flatter roads from Totford on the B3046 Alresford - Basingstoke road. Fro there it was a familiar territory back through the Candovers, Herriard and on to Odiham and home in time for a huge lunch!

Open road, open landscape - Near Totford

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