The Isle of Wight is a place that feels made for cycling — easily accessible from London, with quiet roads, stunning coastal views, and just enough climbing to warrant a proper lunch and earn a cold beer at the finish. A short FastCat from Portsmouth Harbour landed us in Ryde in under half an hour, and from there, with all the introductions and small talk done and dusted on the ferry, the peloton rolled out along the iconic Ryde pier.
For 2025, 14 riders joined the BDOVELO Tour, ably supported by Sarah and Gavin from Ford Search Partners, whose local knowledge kept everything running smoothly (and the snacks and much needed water flowing). This year marked Richard Smith’s first outing as Ride Leader. Fresh from leading the Army cycling teams, he approached the tour with admirable calm and no small degree of military precision.
Glorious sunshine and a friendly breeze set the tone early as we rolled out clockwise from Ryde, taking in the quiet lanes through St Helens, Bembridge, and the stunning coast past Shanklin and Ventnor. The route was reliably lumpy — the Isle of Wight is rarely flat — but everyone enjoyed the challenges that were balanced by some sweeping descents. The scenery certainly didn't disappoint and the whole experience was enhanced by the local drivers, who were impressively courteous.
Lunch at The Wight Mouse Inn at Chale hit the spot, before riders remounted and continued back along the Military Road and the scenic coast. It was all going to plan until we “just” missed the chain-ferry at Cowes and with a few riders eyeing the 17:45 FastCat back to Portsmouth, the pace lifted considerably over the final hour. We made it to the pier as the FastCat was boarding — but with only six bike spaces left, four of us were left on the dock to enjoy a cold beer in the sunshine before boarding the 18:45. A shame, particularly as the ferry was half-empty, but “rules are rules” (or so we were told).
Spirits stayed high throughout the day, certainly helped by some fantastic weather but also due to the excellent support from Gavin and Sarah — capped off by their impressive beer-handling skills as they threw cold cans to riders sprinting for the early ferry. No sticky bottles, but some very appreciative cyclists.
Another unforgettable BDOVELO day out: brilliant weather, strong riding, plenty of laughs, and a fine debut for Richard at the helm who got us all round in one piece, even if not quite in military fashion. Roll on the next one.
Photos available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/iconiccycling/albums/72177720327528937