Life In The Saddle

The Isle of Wight is an amazing place to explore by bicycle; with stunning views, great coastlines, quiet roads, and superb café stops. In this Explore blog post I consider some of my 'Essential Ingredients' to make the most of what the Isle of Wight offers to cyclists. 1 – Coastal Views There is nothing better than riding a bike along a coastal road; looking out over the distant horizon and feeling the refreshing breeze on your face. The Isle of Wight offers coastal paths and roads in abundance, but the classic is most definitely the Military Road — ranked as one of the best driving roads in the world, it is also one of the best cycling roads to experience; best ridden in the late summer when the traffic levels are lower and you can enjoy the serenity of the English Channel views. 2 – Historical Highlights From dinosaurs to royal castles and palaces; the Isle of Wight has a diverse and interesting selection of historical highlights to entertain and excite any age group....

Those that have ridden a road bike on the Isle of Wight will know that it is an incredible landscape to explore. The unique geology of the island has created a topographic profile that is undeniably tough, but unquestionably beautiful; from towering cliffs to wild wind-swept flats. In this post, I have selected five of my favourite road cycling routes on the Isle of Wight—an insider's choice for the best road cycling on offer, as well as my personal recommendations for café stops and highlights. Wight Road Route #1 – Panoramas and Pottery Difficulty – Medium Distance – 50 kilometres (31 miles) Elevation Profile – Moderate (400 metres elevation gain) We start with a fairly easy route in the West Wight—starting and finishing at the wonderful Caffe Isola in the centre of Newport, the ideal place for a pre-ride breakfast and coffee. The route then heads out of town through the rolling hills of Bowcombe and down to Chale Green—a picturesque village at the southern point of th...

In this blog post, I have picked out my favourite cycling cafes on the Isle of Wight. These venues are spread across the Island, but all serve up great homemade cakes, freshly ground coffee, and light lunches. They are welcoming to all riders—whether you are a muddy mountain biker or road cyclist. For route ideas to link up these great cafe stops, check out: Best Gravel Cycling Routes on the Isle of Wight Best Road Cycling Routes on the Isle of Wight Best Mountain Bike Routes on the Isle of Wight Best Family Leisure Cycling Routes on the Isle of Wight Caffe Isola – Newport (Central Wight) Located in the heart of the town, Caffe Isola is set in a converted and beautifully refurbished church. The Italian themed café is famed for its great coffee, freshly made cakes, and splendid lunches. You can see the Island Roasted Coffee being freshly roasted in the atrium above the main café and browse the superb range of local produce on sale. The Garlic Farm Café – Newchurch (Central Wig...

The Lonely Planet rated the Isle of Wight as one of the best places in the world to explore by mountain bike; it might not have mountains, but it has hundreds of miles of fantastic natural trails with a wide variety of terrain, and spectacular views. I have been riding a mountain bike on the Isle of Wight trails for as long as I have been walking, and I can safely say I have explored every bridleway and bike path the Island has to offer. These five routes link up my personal favourite sections and paths; with a range of lengths and intensities to cater to different rider abilities. For routes for Gravel Bikes and Road Cycling, check out my other Explore-IOW posts. Wight Mountain Bike Route #1 — Red Squirrel Trail Difficulty – Easy Distance – 22.5 kilometres (14 miles) Elevation Profile – Flat (170 metres elevation gain) The Red Squirrel Trail is a signposted family friendly mountain biking route on the Isle of Wight. The below selection of the route is a circular loop sta...

Fancy joining me for a weekend getaway of the best gravel riding the Isle of Wight has to offer? Fancy tasting the best gourmet food on the Island and experiencing a weekend stay in a beautiful yurt on the grounds of the famous Garlic Farm? Welcome to the Wight Prestige... 24th to 26th September 2021 The Garlic Farm on the Isle of Wight This September, make an Island escape. I have set up an incredible all-inclusive* weekend of riding, relaxing, and fantastic food with The Garlic Farm. Here's what is on offer… Groups of four will be welcomed to a cosy yurt at the Garlic Farm. Fuelled by fully-catered (garlicky as you wish) meals, we then head out on two days of fully guided and supported rides on the trails and country lanes of the Isle of Wight. Accommodation, mouth-watering restaurant meals, luggage transfers and support from local experts are all provided within the package. Gravel n Garlic... Let's Ride! What is Included? Accommodation  Accommodation in luxury yurts at The ...

I ride a gravel bike on the Isle of Wight more than I ride any other; it is the perfect way to explore the vast network of quiet roads and exciting open trails. In this post, I have tailor-made a selection of the best gravel cycling routes on the Isle of Wight, with suggested pit-stops and highlights. The Isle of Wight roads, trails, and tracks are my home. I have toured all over the world, but whenever I come back to this small island off the South Coast of the UK I am amazed at how diverse and beautiful the riding is here. 'The Island' is very easy to get to with a bike—use one of the three car ferry routes from Portsmouth, Lymington or Southampton; or come as a foot passenger and bring your bike for free on the Wightlink FastCat  from Portsmouth Harbour train station. You can get to the Island from Central London in just a little over three hours. Once you are here, there is a plethora of bike-friendly accommodation: from hotels and B&B's to campsites and Eco-l...

Last year I published a post on ' 7 Essential Ingredients for an Isle of Wight Bike Ride ' — they included highlights such as historical landmarks, beaches, café stops, and quiet country lanes. In this post, I have put together the 'Tour de Wight' — a custom made route that links together elements of all these highlights, and creates a road cycling tour that will show you the best of the Isle of Wight. The route is 100 miles long, starting and finishing at the Wightlink car ferry terminal at Fishbourne. This is a convenient starting point, but you could also begin from East Cowes, Cowes, Yarmouth, or Ryde Esplanade without needing to ride too much extra distance to join the route. From Fishbourne, the route heads south over the Downs towards Newchurch. Here you turn onto the Sustrans bike path towards Newport and continue through to the crossing at Horringford — a great piece of bike path that demonstrates the efforts made to reuse old railway line routes as bike p...