Quarr Abbey Loop

START: Leave the car park and turn left towards Wootton and descend quickly on the road until you turn sharply right into Newnham Lane. Continue along this quiet road until reaching a T-junction where you turn right into Newnham Road. You will pass what was Brickfields Equestrian Centre on your right. You will find yourself accelerating towards a sharp right bend. Slow down and pull over to find a gravel track.

B Follow this track due east and through fields that sometimes have cattle (please close the gates behind you). You will pop out in Play Lane which you follow past Ryde Tennis and Croquet Club. Continue over the road into Partlands Avenue, then cross into Ashey Road. Head south for 400 metres. Look left for Rosemary Lane which will take you down this fast off road track for 100 metres before you come to a gate on the right leading you to the back entrance of Rosemary Vineyard. It’s worth a quick tour to find out what goes into producing British wine.

C Follow the vineyard road down to Smallbrook Lane and turn left. Follow for 500 metres along this busy road until you reach a T-Junction. Turn right and go straight over at the traffic lights into Bullen Road. Continue along Bullen Road until you come to a very sharp left. At this junction take a right and look for bridleway R63 and follow for about 1km until you pop out at a sharp bend on Eddginton Road.

D Go straight (east) following the road until you come to the sign for the famous Priory Hotel. Turn left into the driveway and stay left going past Nodes Point campsite and through a large gate. After about 50 metres you will see a footpath/bridleway sign on your left. Follow this and then after 250 metres follow the R72 bridleway. Turn right after a further 250 metres into Gully Road. This is a fast downhill into the beautiful Seagrove Bay. Take your time here and even dip you toe in the water. To cut off a long uphill, walk through a short and narrow footpath next to the WCs and up into Pier Road. Pier Road has some amazing properties with fabulous sea views. You will then enter Seaview village. At the small shops turn right and descend past the Seaview Hotel. Seaview is the perfect spot for pondering and gazing out to sea.

E From Seaview Yacht Club you might be lucky to see the colourful mermaid fleet and the Sea View One Design (SVOD) dinghy fleet. Head West back towards Ryde following the coastline. You will come to PuckPool Park. Ride through and check out The Old Barracks, which is the former army barracks situated within Puckpool Park. This was once a Victorian fortification battery used to guard the Solent. Continue all the way along the shared use path passing the Gothic style Appley Tower, Swan Lake, Waterside Pool, Ryde harbour and the hovercraft... not bad for a mile stretch. Continue along the road and start climbing steeply into St. Thomas’ Street. After a short sharp climb of 200 metres turn right into Spencer Road. Follow Spencer Road to the end before popping out at Ryde Golf Club.

F Push your bike along the foot path which splits the golf course and then follow the signs that take you to Quarr Abbey. Stop and immerse yourself in the tranquillity of the Abbey grounds and tea shop before returning to your saddle for the last stretch.

G Continue west to the Fishbourne Inn where you turn left on Fishbourne Lane. Either follow the road to the traffic lights and turn right or take the bridleway into Ash Copse Lane. You will end up back on the main Kite Hill road towards Wootton. After 250 metres turn sharply left into Firestone Copse Road, which takes you back to the start of your journey in the heart of Firestone Copse.