The Shipwright’s Way is a new 60-mile leisure path starting at Alice Holt Forest near Farnham and ending at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, home of the Mary Rose, HMS Warrior and HMS Victory. The name reflects the journey of oak grown at Alice Holt to dockyards such as Portsmouth for medieval shipbuilding.

The route enters the City of Portsmouth via the Ferry from Hayling Island at Eastney. From there it follows the Ferry Road, Fort Cumberland Road and Melville Road to the seafront cycle route, ending at South Parade Pier.

Portsmouth City Council is consulting on the  section of the route linking South Parade Pier with Pembroke Road in Old Portsmouth; most of this is already in place as a walking/cycling route.

Portsmouth Cycle Forum welcomes this initiative and supports the proposals although it is with regret that the designers have not been able to route  it along Clarence Esplanade, the seafront road.

Please take a look at the plans which are available to view at the PCC Web Site. There will be a drop-in meeting the Civic Offices, Guildhall Square, PO1 2NE on Thursday 2 August between 2pm and 7pm (Meeting room A on the second floor). The consultation runs until 7 September.

For information about the complete route see the Hampshire County Council web site.