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An Easy Ride And A Woodland Sprite
Rest Date 7, Ride Date 8 July 2025
By Ren Withnell
I'll gloss over our rest day at dad's place. There's little to report - in a good way ie. no disasters. Dad drives us all to Littlehampton where we take a walk, Sharon and I take a stroll to the millionaire's mansions along the coast down the road from dad's place, and there's much talking. I'm secretly devouring dad's chocolate biscuits, trying to hide my addiction to the tasty treats. I have a biscuit problem, I know I do.
Littlehampton is always agreeable.
Sharon feels at home among the millionaires.
Now it is Tuesday morning. We have - are you ready for this - the staggering, overwhelming and ass numbing distance of - get this - 90 miles to ride today! We are really pushing the adventure motorcycling envelope now. Only having 90 miles to cover makes me all calm and chilled. Once again though Sharon is all packed and organised far quicker than I expect. I am beginning to wonder if this really is Sharon any more.
With a hug and a wave we depart Ferring and fill up at Asda just around the corner. Back through Arundel which still has traffic, and back to Midhurst. Oh yeah, Cowdray ruins, we have time to kill. I pull into the car park, faff around trying to work out if we need to pay for parking or not - we do - then we take a walk. It's not far to the shell of a Tudor mansion. We enjoy the glorious sunshine, take a few snaps, and get on our way once more.
Cowdray ruins. Couple of planks of wood and some paint, ready to move in.
Well... not for long. To be honest I'm intentionally dragging this out, so sat-nav is programmed with Durleighmarsh Farm Shop that Google reckons has a cafe. It does, it also has a steep gravel car park that causes Sharon to break a sweat. I'm not really assisting, I'm beside her "just in case". She sorts herself out just fine although she still believes the 500 is 20 times taller, heavier and more top heavy than the 400. It's not.
Brew time already? Well we have time on our side.
The A272 drifts it's way through the countryside, back past Loomies and up to the edge of Winchester. There's much more dual carriageway and main road after that, it's fine and moving well but not as admirable as the smaller lanes. Andover Aldi gives us a chance to stretch our legs and acquire sustenance for this evening. After this the road returns to single carriageway and becomes enjoyable once more.
There is an awful lot of countryside in the UK. Down here in the daaan saaaf it would be fair to say to the untrained eye such as mine - it looks much the same. It's a bit like northern France - you get to the tree lined roads with the vast open fields and sleepy villages with cute tabacs, and you think how beautiful and bucolic it is. Then after 6 hours of riding you're still passing through tree lined roads with the vast open fields and sleepy villages with cute tabacs.
As if to ease the repetitive beauty of British arable farmland we're coming into a forest now. We'll not be having any of your managed neatly rowed commercial pine trees here either, this is old, thick, scruffy, and gnarly forest the likes of which Robin Hood would recognise. I'm sure he'd have been startled by the tarmac A346 but otherwise... We must be getting close.
I'd mentioned to Bogger the other day we were going to Postern Hill campsite. Turns out he's been here himself and he said it was lovely. I can't argue with him. We are something like 100-200 metres from the main A346, but save for the distant road noise you really wouldn't know. There's a narrow loop of tarmac and a few clearings with grass, otherwise it feels as though we're deep in the forest.
Trees! Everywhere!!
Sharon - the tree hugging flower girl elven hippy - is quite literally in her element. The sun is shining, the air is warm, the trees are, errr, being trees, and Sharon is annoyingly happy. "Oh it's beautiful, it's lovely, it's wonderful, it's it's it's..." When you've worked as hard as I have at being grumpy this is terribly frustrating.
We pitch up, I have to persuade her we need to be in the shade of a tree otherwise we'll boil. Sharon floats off to have a look around and visit the loo while I brew up. I manage to pull her back to reality and get her to set up her sleeping arrangements.
The shade may bring some relief from the heat.
A note to potential visitors to Postern Hill campsite. It was made perfectly clear to us there are no showers on site. The toilet and washing up facilities are fine and clean but they are dated, don't be expecting shiny and swish, think well used but always clean. This is reflected in the acceptable pricing in an otherwise lovely location. Being in forest think about bugs, rain and mud too.
It is also worth noting there's a path from the campsite to the edge of Marlborough. But this path is steep, narrow and if the weather is poor I'd expect it to be slippery. There's no path beside the busy main road either so if the weather is wet you'd likely need to make the short ride on your bike into town for supplies. Luckily for us today the sun is out and the path is dry, even so take your time with the path. Oh and don't wear shorts, there's a few nettles. Itchy.
The Tesco on the edge of town is only 10-15 minutes of steep gravel downhill walking. To the centre of Marlborough though is quite a bit more, at least a good mile. Meh, well we've come this far so I make the extra effort and walk into town.
The centre is your typical English market town layout. A wide road where the market once was, now used for parking. A town hall at one end, a church at the other end of said wide road. Either side of the road are shops and pubs and estate agents. It's all quite normal and rather nice. I'm going to add a proviso... it is nice, it feels safe, but it's not the cutest sweetest little market town. It's lived in, functional, purposeful. It feels on the cusp of becoming a big town.
Marlborough's typical market town layout.
We do contemplate dining at one of the pubs. For reasons unknown to me Sharon does not jump on this savoury notion as I expect, she seems perfectly content with a few items from the "One Stop" shop. I deliberately neglect to mention Bogger telling me about the Rick Stein restaurant, although I'm sure we have just walked past it. Nope, I too am happy with a few snacks, so is my wallet.
It's not all pretty in Marlborough although there's nothing I'd call rough. This little modern estate we're strolling back through has a charming brook running through it and I could imagine myself living hereabouts. With the clement weather and likeable surroundings I'm quite happy. I'd be hard pushed to say Marlborough is amazing though, we both agree we're satisfied but we're not giving it large with the "oh we really really must return".
Very charming I'm sure. Makes me wanna pee.
It's another hike up the hill and by the time we're back at the tent my feet are sore and I'm more than ready for a brew. I despatch Sharon to retrieve water while I crank up the stove. I appear to have made temporary friends myself this time, a couple in a motorhome close by. Of course they're motorcyclists themselves although their touring days are mostly behind them. They're recently retired and enjoying their best life between travelling in the motorhome and fun with their burgeoning family.
As the summer sun gets low the air cools a little, it'll be time for bed soon enough. What a contrast to Sunday's biblical deluge, the UK's weather is a law unto itself. I'm sat here in shorts and a t-shirt, dry and warm, a light breeze, and the sun just fading between the trees. Sharon is still annoyingly happy, flouncing around thinking she's a pixie or something. You know things are going OK when all you have to concern yourself with is - where should we go tomorrow?
Eee by 'eck, it's an 'ard life innit.
ADDENDUM
Unfortunately it seems Postern Hill Campsite is now closed! This is a shame as I thought it was fine and Sharon won't get to be a forest fairy again.
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Dad's And A Detour Prologue
So come on Ren, what's the excuse this time? A few notes on the where's and why-fors of a lightweight tour south of The Ship Canal.
A Good Start To Heading Saaaf
It's an easy and chill ride today as The Dynamic Muppets make their way southbound. A lucky cafe find, a lovely village and fun in a pub? This can't be Bikes And Travels, surely?!
It Was Going OK, Until It Wasn't
With only 150 miles to cover the threat of rain is only a minor inconvenience really. Sharon makes some new friends en route and they both enjoy the countryside riding. It's the last few miles that are a problem.
An Easy Ride And A Woodland Sprite
It's a short ride today for the Dynamic Muppets and the accommodation transforms Sharon into an ethereal being. Ren is happy because he gets to be grumpy. Business as usual.
Reader's Comments
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Is she tall enough to be classified as a pixie? Just sayin.
Short days, kickin ya heels, twiddlin ya wot sits. Glad it turned out well, in my experience they rarely do.
Upt.
29/09/2025 16:28:31 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I'm not sure if the legal definition of a pixie includes a specification of height. I know she's tall enough to give your ankles a good bashing if you're rude to her!
It was good to take our time and take it easy. At the other end of the spectrum my high mileage friend Andy is in Spain and I'm hoping to bring his latest rambling to this here website. My ass hurts just reading his Facebook posts.
01/10/2025 07:43:45 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Point taken, I'll shut up.
Pffffffftttttt.
But......I can't imagine a 6'4" pixie.
When the rain stops I'll go woodland crazy and let you know. Do I have to take all me clothes off. Not a pretty sight. Do you want pictures?
01/10/2025 09:07:27 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Woodland crazy does require you to be without clothing. Pictures are not required. Nor wanted. Definitely not. Certainly not. No.
01/10/2025 17:45:18 UTC
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Travel StoriesDad's And A Detour