Scene of early bath
Sad breakfast
The overnight rain and morning drizzle provided perfect conditions for some slippy slidey action today. An initial slog uphill on the lumpy bumpy Jubilee Trail out from Bere saw Pete. T off first – him trying to get too friendly with a rabbit hole. Then Pete. Mc took an early bath in rain soaked silage grass as a result of evil ruttage.
So, we got to Milborne via some interesting field edge bridleways, having travelled through a somewhat mesmeric atmosphere of low cloud and grey horizons a little damper than when we had started. More track and field bridleways to Dewlish and her beautiful yew tree lined parish church entrance. Stopped for a sad breakfast of crisps and orange made bearable by the great view on offer; from the perfect stone church yard bench a vista East towards Park Hill woods.
Some easy and pretty lanes now to the A354, turning off left on to Burlston Drove after 500m. Managed to do a bit of cyclo-abseilling, (after yours truly led us astray up a near vertical mountain), in order to re-aquaint ourselves with the Tollpuddle bound drove road.
Fifteen minutes later we were sharing a rather tasty Italian tart at cafe’ Bere!
17 miles.
Apr 15
This gallery contains 7 photos.
With the hour shift and a spring in the air, (but sadly missing from Pete T’s front derailieur), we set off from Cafe’ Bere up Black Hill with a vague plan to abandon a visit to the now infamous and elusive, (maybe not non-existent), Obelisk at Weatherby Castle. Duly not visited we continued to Tollpuddle […]
We escaped from Blandford Tesco car park a little later than planned, and in the cold air and bright sunshine powered up Fair Mile Road. Nicely warmed we turned our attention to the need for finding a nice muddy track. Thus amply satisfied all the way as far as the junction with the Wessex Ridgeway atop Oakford Hill, we rewarded our sticky endeavours with a rapid descent down the steep hill to Oakford Fitzpaine and it’s pubs sunlit bench for an appointment with various breakfast items: a sausage roll disguised as Scotch eggs, yum yums that had morphed into Bakewell tarts and Maccy’s as advertised drop scones. All washed down with some grog, we then tackled part two of the mornings mud challenge which I must say Rik seemed to particularly enjoy. After passing Fidleford it was plain sailing along The Trailway all the way back to Blandford – three muddy and knackered boys.
Rik and Maccy made for Moreton today for a sun blessed breakfast appointment at the graveside of Lawrence of Arabia. We got there via the Black Hill ridge, a steep decent to Turnerspuddle, over the Piddle to Briantspuddle, a foray along a pretty previously untried bridleway, along Moreton Drive and the obligatory stop at the church to look at the spectacular engraved windows. Returned along the Jubilee trail to Culpeppers Dish then road to Cecily Bridge and home. Lovely.
Started from the Springfield leisure centre today, the springboard to a bridleway goose chase. Back on track, and in retrospect, we seemed to have embarked on a morning of continuous accent.
Great views from Stonehill Down, (beware of gate that could amputate a finger or two) and Knowle Hill en-route to Kingston and Swye Head where we watched the atlantic breakers rolling in whilst having our breakfast, sat upon a delightful stone bench at the Heads edge.
Then down to the quarry car park announcing our arrival to a bunch of bedraggled D of E’ers by the screaching of Maccy’s discs.
A few more ups to Whiteways and a final rapid descent down Creech Hill took us back to our start point.
After days of meticulous thinking about making a plan for today, Maccy led the trio into the mists of Black Hill and Wareham Forest following a 60 second planning meeting at Shitterton.
We made it up as we went along and it felt strangely liberating to be set free from the constraints of knowing where we were going, although given our previous track records, one would concede that nothing much had changed!
There was an eerie silence surrounding the myriad dew covered cobwebs that lined our route; wherever we looked there was a spectacle of gossamer craft.
So, over Black Hill to Throop and Turnerspuddle, past the chicken farm and down Warren Road took us to the edge of Wareham Forest and the obligatory accent up to Woolsbarrow Hill Fort where we breakfasted on Pete’s sausage roll, Rik’s imaginary yum yums, and Maccy’s cranberry gin.
Exit Hill to Bere Regis.
None of us, (Petes x 2) + Rik = Peleton, had been out much over the past little while so we took an easy, (knackering), short, (27miles off road) outing from Bere to Wareham and back: Out via Bere Heath, Cuckoo Pound and the Golf Club, past Buddens and the quarry and down to Stoborough via Holme Bridge, (a grade II listed building), using a stretch of previously unexplored bridleway. Then onto Wareham quay for breakfast and lovely views of the wildlife.
Back home through the forest, great all weather trails.
We were all a tad weary at the end!!
A fantastic warm summer morning. The big countryside around these parts illuminated by a clear vivid light.
Off road from the Badbury Rings car park along good trails and farm tracks today, (well, apart from a slight brush with some brambles, nettles and dog roses see photo- cycloflagilation!), including an excursion up to and around the abandoned airfield at Tarrant Rushton, took us to the previously unexplored areas of Dean Hill, Chetterwood and Manswood – and what a treat. Shimmering fields of golden barley, a hovering kestrel, and some stinky oil seed rape.
Finds of the day: Rik spotted three double decker buses in various states of renovation in one of the old airfield hangers. Pete T recognised some of Lindsay’s piggy friends and Maccy stopped to scrump some delicious cherrys at Hemsworth farm.
18 glorious miles and a picnic, (sausage roll and drop scones), on the Roman road with views towards Witchampton and the Allen valley – lovely.
Swift change of plan at departure hour to do an on road trip, rather than off road from Bere Regis saw Lindsay, Pete T, and Maccy trundle towards Milton Abbass with a vague but evolving route plan. Past Milborne and at the left turn for Hilton we felt the inevitable draw of Bulbarrow Hill which we arrived at, in the rain, via Bingham’s Melcombe, Aller and Anstey Cross. Great to have Lindsay join us today, his enthusiam spurring us on, just like the old days.
A wet picnic and then a wind rush descent to Houghton to get us nicely chilled! Along the Winterbourne valley we passed Stickland, Clenston and her fine church, Whitchurch and Kingston. A short off road fix to avoid the busy A35 saw us up over Bere Down and back to Bere via Roke.
Incident free 25 miles or so.
Cycle Dorset and Wiltshire 