Saturday, August 15, 2009

New Forest (Beaulie)

Tonight Dad is camping in the New Forest at a place called Beaulie http://www.beaulieu.co.uk/beaulieu/index He was lucky to get on the site as it was turning away caravans and cars but as Dad had turned up on his bike they let him pitch his tent! The weather today has been dull and a bit chilly and has tried to rain several times.

Today's route took him back into Ryde for the ferry. As he had just missed a ferry he nipped off for a coffee but just as he got his coffee the ferry turned up! At £1.95 a cup he wasn't going to waste it so off he headed pushing his bike and carrying his coffee. Thankfully it was easier to get the bike on the ferry in Ryde than it was in Portsmouth because either coffee or bike could have ended up in the water! When he arrived back in Portsmouth there was a ferry waiting to Gosport http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gosport_Ferry but at £3.10 for a five minute crossing Dad thought it was a bit pricey! They did tell Dad it was a return ticket and it was valid for some months (Dad will have to give it to Mike Carter to use as he is going round the coast in the opposite direction!). The guy on the ferry gave Dad some useful tips on how to get to Southampton which took him through Stokes Bay, Lee-on-the-Solent, Titchfield, Park Gate, Bursledon, Woolston and then onto the Hitching Toll bridge (free for bikes) and onto the busy A33 to Southampton http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southampton. He then cycled through the docks looking at the massive cruise liners. Lunch was in a Subway in Totton. After lunch it was on through Marchwood, Dibden, Hythe and into Beaulie. Dad had a look around the village but didn't have time for the Castle or the Car Museum. It was then a leisurely cycle through the new forest. Dad saw lots of ponies and their foals which just wander across the roads - Dad ought to have a bell on that bike!!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Forest_pony

There is no shop at the campsite so he is on emergency rations of noodles, cup-a-soup, flapjack and an apple. However he can smell someone's BBQ. I've told him go and be-friend them and he might get a sausage or a burger!

Tomorrow he is heading off to Wareham/Corfe Castle area.

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