ENJOY this spring time cycle, on quiet roads and off road cyclepaths, to see the beautiful countryside. We take in a garden centre to buy your summer bulbs, so take panniers – and they just happen to have a café!

Refer to : OS Landranger Map 196 The Solent & Isle of Wight (1:50 000)

Start at Hawthorns Urban Wildlife Centre on Southampton Common (try their bacon butty and hot drink to get you going).

Exit right to Northlands Rd and cross The Avenue on Toucan, taking Alma Road down to Portswood Road.

Turn right and first left into Spring Crescent going through cycleplug at end, turning left and then right to traffic lights over Thomas Lewis Way. Use the Advance Stop Line box only if lights red and you can get into box safely before they go green and don’t hug the left curb.

Go straight across TLWay and follow over Horseshoe Bridge (deadend to motors) on NCN23 route but don’t take The Boardwalk.

Pass through the barrier planters and turn right along Priory Road to its junction with St Denys Road and turn right over Cobden Bridge.

Drop down left and take cyclepath along Riverside Park segregated to start with but then shared, so beware dogs. Follow it to Woodmill Lane and then follow NCN23 signs right and left into River Walk.

Turn left back into the park avoiding the nasty barrier and along the river front to Mans Bridge the oldest crossing of River Itchen, but don’t go across it today.

Take the sloped path right onto cyclepath alongside A27, climbing or walking up Gaters Hill (beware – not nice but short) and reward yourself at the top with a visit to Haskins Garden Centre and its café.

Those needing more before imbibing, continue past Haskins taking cyclepath up Cutbush Lane on right and immediately left through yet more barriers coming out on roundabout. Cross with care onto cyclepath and continue along left side up Allington Lane to visit Itchen Valley Country Park and its off road course – map available in Visitors Centre with toilets and another café.

Retrace your revolutions or explore the alternative Cutbush Lane route back down to Forest Hills Drive to rejoin Woodmill Lane.

A small part of ancient Cutbush Lane still doesn’t permit cycling so join us in campaigning for this safe haven to be fully cyclable as the ideal alternative to Meggeson Ave and Townhill Way.

Dilys Gartside. media spokesman, Southampton Cycling Campaign southamptoncyclingcampaign.org.uk