A band of Lewes Wanderers hit the road again last week, heading west to the New Forest for what was supposed to be the New Forest Sportive. The trip extended our (now two-year-strong!) tradition of entering a Sportive a bit further afield—last year it was Somerset, this year the forested lanes and wild ponies of Hampshire.
We’d all been keeping one eye on the weather in the run-up, as forecasts warned of strong winds and an approaching storm. Sure enough, just hours after we arrived on Friday afternoon, the dreaded email landed: event cancelled. The amber weather warning had forced the organisers’ hand.
Saturday: Sunshine and Ponies
Of course, Saturday dawned calm and dry. The wind? A breeze. Rain? Nowhere to be seen.
With a good weather window promised until early afternoon, five of us—Neil, Barry, Graham, Darren and Paget—hatched a plan. We quickly plotted a 75km route through Beaulieu, down to the Lepe coast, and back via Brockenhurst and Lyndhurst. Along the way, we were treated to classic New Forest scenes: grazing ponies, playful foals, and wide, open roads. We rolled back to the hotel with 75km on the clock at a healthy 28.75km/h average. Though, let’s be honest, there were a few efforts along the way.
As if scripted, the rain arrived bang on cue at 2pm and didn’t let up for the rest of the afternoon. The New Forest Sportive’s cancellation didn’t feel like such a disappointment after all.
Sunday: Crafting Our Own Mini-Sportive
Sunday brought better fortunes again—bright skies, barely a breeze, and another glorious route to explore.
This time we headed south through Lymington and New Milton (with donkeys joining the pony parade), then northwest towards Ringwood. A farm shop outside North Gorley provided the perfect break before climbing to Fordingbridge and skimming east along the Roger Penny Way. Naturally, that stretch begged for a full-gas effort… and we obliged. We rolled back via Ashurst, 95km in the bag and no shame in skipping the extra five in favour of lunch.
A Winning Weekend
Despite the official event being pulled, the weekend was anything but a washout. Great company, solid rides, and a good dose of club banter made for another memorable outing. We’re already plotting the 2026 destination—so if you haven’t joined one of these weekends yet, now’s your chance. Trust us, they’re well worth the trip.