Hampshire's Glorious Countryside Jane Austen Style - 27 Miles

This year is 250th anniversary of Jane Austen who lived in Chawton, near Alton, in Hampshire. Jane Austen died the year a two-wheeled bicycle called the running machine was invented in 1817. Some people think that she would never have mentioned such a marvelous invention as the velocipede in her novels but in an edit of Pride & Prejudice she clearly wrote 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a mountain bike'. Indeed I have it on good authority that Mark Darcy actually owned one.

This is the background to our lovely circular ride in the glorious Hampshire countryside so beloved of Jane Austen. In tribute to her 250th anniversary I have amended the route slightly so we can view both her cottage in Chawton and her brother Edward's bank in Alton. After a brief sight seeing session we turn onto rural tracks and experience some great off-road riding. Here's a link to Jane Austen's house website in case you are interested in the history:

https://janeaustens.house

The Ride:
We start and end in Alton to where direct trains arrive every half hour from either Waterloo or Surbiton from around £12 on a Cheap Day Return ticket. Aim for the 9.37 train arrival at Alton Station for a 10.00 start. There is an excellent cafe adjacent to the car park should you wish to start your ride with a coffee. Cheap parking at £4.60 a day is also available at Alton Station car park for those wishing to take their cars: GPS address is 1 Station Road Alton GU34 2PZ

The circular ride takes us to Hawkley where we have a lunchstop at a lovely country pub. The Hawkley Inn is a real ale pub located in the picturesque village of Hawkley which is in an area of outstanding natural beauty. There is a beer garden where our bikes can be safe as we take our alfresco lunch.

We should be back at Alton at around 4.30pm.

MTB or GRAVEL BIKES WOULD BE BEST FOR THE OFF-ROAD TERRAIN

CYCLING CAN BE DANGEROUS SO YOU CYCLE AT YOUR OWN RISK

THE PRICE FOR THIS RIDE IS £4 PAYABLE ON THE DAY