Flat, compact and ringed by seafront paths, Portsmouth is one of the easiest cities in the country to explore by bike. Here is where to ride, where to hire a bike and what to know before you set off.
A flat, easy city to ride
Because the city sits low and level on an island, you can cross most of it without ever changing out of top gear. That makes it genuinely friendly for casual riders and families, not just commuters in lycra.
“The only real hill is Portsdown, and that is outside the city,” one of our team likes to point out. “Everywhere else, the wind off the sea is the only thing that will slow you down.”
The best routes
The obvious starting point is the Southsea seafront promenade, a flat, largely traffic-free waterfront run past Clarence Pier, Southsea Castle and South Parade Pier toward Eastney, with the Solent beside you the whole way. From there the waymarked Millennium Promenade links the seafront round to Old Portsmouth, Gunwharf Quays and the Historic Dockyard, so you can trace much of the island’s waterfront in one ride.
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For something longer, National Cycle Network Route 2 runs right through the city, linking Havant and Hayling Island in the east, across the Hayling Ferry to Eastney, through Portsmouth, and on across the Gosport Ferry toward the west. Follow the blue NCN signs and it is hard to get lost.
Ferries that carry your bike
Two little ferries are the secret to cycling around here. The Hayling Ferry carries bikes across to Hayling Island, reconnecting Route 2, and the Gosport Ferry takes bikes across the harbour quickly and often. The Hovertravel hovercraft to the Isle of Wight carries a limited number of bikes too, with folding bikes easiest, so check the current allowance before you count on it.
Hiring a bike
A shared bike scheme has operated in Portsmouth as part of a wider Solent project, with app-booked bikes picked up from docking bays around the city. Because these schemes change operator and coverage from time to time, it is worth checking the current app and portsmouth.gov.uk for live availability before relying on one. Private cycle-hire shops are the dependable alternative if a share bike is not running.
Taking bikes on the train
Non-folding bikes travel free on the trains serving Portsmouth, but space is limited and a free cycle reservation is required on many longer-distance services, especially the London routes, so book the bike space when you book your ticket and avoid peak commuter trains. Folding bikes are allowed at any time.
Before you ride
A few practical habits make cycling here easy and safe:
- bring a good D-lock, as cycle parking is plentiful but theft happens anywhere;
- give way to walkers on the shared seafront promenade;
- pack a light layer, since the coast is flat but exposed to the wind;
- follow the blue National Cycle Network signs to navigate.
Do that, and a day exploring Portsmouth by bike is about as stress-free as cycling in an English city gets.
