Brading Ride 35 Kilometres

There are several unmade car parks to choose from. The best place to park is just East of the 'View Point' car park.

1. Brading Down to Borthwood

Cross the road and head for the B29 Kelly’s Copse in the gap in the hedgerow. It's not easy to spot though.

Go across the field and enter the wood, and take the left diagonal downhill path till it flattens off and meets the wide bridleway. Turn left, and through the five bar gate, keeping to the edge of the field. At the corner of the field, turn left and uphill till you meet another gate. Keep right, and to the edge of the field, until you reach the road. You are in fact heading back to the road you started on. You are now 1 kilometre west of your start point.

Turn left on the road for 85 metres then turn right on to the B43 Alverstone. This is a steep narrow downhill which will require good bike handling skills.

When you meet the road, carry straight on down until the junction. Go straight over the junction and over the River Yar, and the cycle track.

Just after you pass the footpath sign for Alverstone Mead, take a right on to the unmade road, the NC42and keep left and uphill until you join the road, Youngwoods Way.

Go straight across the road on to the NC12 till you meet the road, (Alverstone Road).

Turn left, and after 280 metres, join the Entrance to the National Trust 'Borthwood'.

2. Borthwood to America Woods

Ignoring any signs about riding, (this is a Bridleway). Continue through the wood keeping to the main central track. At the obvious fork, keep left, until you reach the edge of the wood.

Cross directly over the field on to the NC19 through the gate, then around the caravan park then on to the NC35 which takes us to a busy main road.

Turn right and, uphill for 700 metres until you meet the mini roundabout, (there's a shop here). Take the 1st exit left, on to Ventnor Road

Continue for 500 metres and then turn left on to the NC21 to Apse New Barn Farm.

Continue on this track past the farm, alongside the wood, until you Reach the pond near Ninham Farm.

Take a right here on to the SS19 to America Woods alongside the brook.

At the outskirts of the wood, go through the gate and uphill leftwards. Keep to this main path until you reach the stone cottage. Take care here, you need to take a right then a left to pass by the cottage. Do not take the path directly adjacent to the cottage.

Continue through the woods to meet the main Shanklin Road

3. America Woods to Upper Ventnor

Go directly across the road on to the unmade road for 60 metres, where you meet the Cycle Track

Turn right here, and continue for 1 Kilometre to the second bridge. There's a path 100 metres further on along on the right, that takes you on to the bridge.

At the top of the bridge turn right (south), and uphill till it levels off at a confluence of many paths.

Continue upwards on the V46 till you reach a wooden gate

Go straight across the field to the old chalk quarry, and climb upwards along side the quarry, until it levels off.

Climb diagonally left, aiming for the hedgerow in the distance

At the hedgerow, turn right on the obvious bridleway, pass through two gates on to Luccombe down.

Follow the chalk and flint track till it meets the the chalk road at the edge of the Old RADAR Station.

Go right and stick to the tarmac road, which drops steeply downhill, to where Down Lane meets the main road

4. Upper Ventnor to Godshill

Turn left downhill, and take the first right on to Steephill Down Road.

Continue upwards for 500 metres where you bear left on to the V54 until you meet the V55, where you turn right, and sharply uphill, on to the ridge.

Continue on the ridge, through several gates, until you meet a metalled road, where continue straight on towards the aerials in the distance.

After 180 metres past the aerials there is a gate in the hedge on the left, where you turn onto the GL49

This path descends steep downward to meet a five bar gate. Continue straight past the gate, across the field. The path narrows and continues to a set of Deer Gates. Go straight over, continuing on the GL49, until you reach a large stone arch called 'Freemantle Gate'.

You will be following the well sign posted Sunshine Trail

Turn left and downhill for one kilometre, until you reach the main road.

5. Godshill to Brading Down

Turn left, and immediately right, to follow the 'Sunshine Trail' on wide, open fields. Continue past Billingham Manor on to the metalled road until you reach the Railway Bridge.

At the bridge continue on the 'Sunshine Trail' on to the National Cycle Route 23, where you turn right.

After crossing the road at traffic lights, continue on the cycle path until you cross the road at Newchurch.

After 550 metres there is a track flanked by small cultivated conifer trees. Turn left on to the NC53 until the road, where you turn right. You have now left the Sunshine Trail.

The road eventually leads to a sign about the Quarry. Officially the quarry road is private,. Take a left just before the quarry sign, which eventually makes it way to the entrance of the quarry. Continue past the quarry downhill on to the Bembridge Trail B35 heading left towards Kern Farm.

At Kern Farm, go through the gate, then bear right on to the tarmac section for 60 metres, then turn left on to the B33and continue steeply uphill to the main road.

Turn right on the road, and in 2 km you will be back at your destination.