Roads You Must Ride In The South East
Along the A32 from Wickham to Alton in Hampshire
From the Hampshire coast to Alton and back on a Yamaha TRX850, Terry “The Poisoner” Dunn takes us through his favourite blast along one of the area’s finest roads. (And no, we don’t know where the nickname came from, ask Terry when you see him at Alton station!)
Wickham can be found just north of the M27 off junction 10 near Fareham. The A32 links it to Alton via a long series of fast A road straights linked together by clusters of sweepers, interspersed with the odd roundabout.
The first section swoops along the Meon Valley between rising fields with the river on the right. Watch out for the tight turn in approach to the Corehampton roundabout and tiptoe through the village itself before the run to Warnford past Old Winchester Hill.
This road is fast but not quite as straight as it appears. A friend who is a fireman says they’ve pulled the odd biker out of the bushes over the years but agrees it is a fast section, claims he’s had 85 out of the fire engine along there!
Zigzag through the villages of Warnford and West Meon then crest the hill before a fast dive down to the Meon Hut. Drop in at Loomies for a brew at the crossroads with the A272 (This road is an absolute blinder to ride too). There are always a few bikes in the Little Chef car park.
Stop for a chat or fag break, then straight across the only set of lights on the run and up Filmore Hill. From here on the 9 mile stretch to Alton, the road sweeps between copse and field. Slow down to pass through Farringdon, this is not to steal a glance in the BMW bike shop window but to keep an eye out for the speed camera occasionally seen here. Where the A32 joins the A31 is a good roundabout to take as fast as you dare. Watch out for a short string of pot holes just inside the central white lines at 12 o’clock though. A brief blast of A31 leads to the Alton turnoff.
Take it steady through the town and make your way to the car park by the train station. Bikers gather there en masse on Wednesday evenings. Sometimes 100+ machines will have pitched up, guaranteeing a queue for a brew from the café there, which gives plenty of time to chat with mates and make new ones before saddling up and doing the entire 20 mile run again in reverse.
Whiteways Café is situated on the roundabout at Bury Hill, three miles north of Arundel on the A29. The spot has been a favourite meeting place and watering hole for bikers for many years.
Ideally situated in the middle of some of the south’s finest riding, the large car park is the ideal place to pitch up with the better weather and longer evenings arriving. The Café has recently been refurbished with plenty of outdoor furniture to sit with friends and admire the bikes in comfort.
The food and beverage menu has also been upgraded, but still offers freshly cooked products at affordable prices. It’s well worth planning your meet or ride-out around this popular venue. Long opening hours mean you don’t have to rush if you’re on your way back from a decent ride or want an unhurried evening blat.