Basingstoke: Night ride large lap of the town

Note: I am not banning road bikes but it's not all exactly smooth road bike territory. I have ridden this on road bike before it's not ideal but you are welcome if you bear in mind the below...! This is a good one to get a few miles in but in a safe environment and a steady social pace. It is a really good way of getting to know the non-road cycle paths around Basingstoke! Lights are a legal requirement, front and rear. I will have a really bright front light to show the way. Starting from the Portsmouth Arms, head towards town on the cycle path picking up and following the Route 23 signs to War Memorial Park. Take the shared path to and through Crabtree to Old Basing. Head back picking up Route 23 past the Millstone Pub and head into Eastrop Park via Swing Swang Lane. A short main (but quiet at that time of night) road section to pick up the shared path at Glebe Gardens, then under Victory Roundabout to Sinclair Drive and past the allotments on the shared path towards Winklebury Park. A brief section on quiet roads, Winklebury way and Tiverton Road, before picking up the cycle path up old Kempshott Lane and joining the shared path to Beggarwood Park and back to Portsmouth Arms, Hatch Warren. Ideal for hybrids or commuter bikes, fine for mountain bikes, a bit bumpy but do-able for road bikes though there is one very short section at the end of crabtree that can be muddy so you may get muddy feet if you want/need to walk it :-) up to you! Any queries: facebook.com/breezingstoke, twitter @breezingstoke or [email protected] Thanks! (Ruth)