CTC Sticky Bun Run

CTC Sticky Bun Run

Sticky Bun Tea Rooms

Off on another Sunday morning club run starting from home to meet at Wimborne and then on to the 'Sticky Bun' the tea rooms at Wolvercroft World of Plants at Alderholt.

From Wimborne we head out on an undulating ride towards Broom Hill and out via the Holt Road to Three Legged Cross. From here we climb steadily to Cripplestyle and then a gentle descent into Alderholt were we roll along to the Sticky Bun for - you guessed it a sticky bun and coffee. 

Cranborne Chase

Rockbourne

After a break chatting we are back on the bikes and heading north towards Rockbourne followed by the steady climb to Whitsbury turning south and heading back in the general direction of home. We cycle back following a fairly lumpy route that takes us through Cranborne, Edmondsham, Woodlands, Horton and Gaunts Common. Back at Broom Hill the group splits with some heading back to Wimborne and the rest of us back towards Bournemouth. 

We finish the ride at a leisurely pace coming home via Uddens, Stapehill and Longham. Quite a hilly route for the Sunday group but no tandems today so we soloists made the most of the opportunity! 

Clean Bikes!!

A nice ride in what felt like tropical conditions after the recent cold so the 55 miles didn't feel as bad as previous weeks. A real pleasure to be out on the velo. There was also the added bonus that cycling on cleanish and dry roads made the bike cleaning job afterwards a lot less arduous!!

First challenge - Dorset Coastlet

First Challenge - The Dorset Coastlet

So off to Wareham in time for a 0900 start for the first of our cycling challenges the 100k Dorset Coastlet. Officially sanctioned as a 'Brevet Populaire' and described as a small Purbeck tour tackling a sometimes hilly route. More on those hills shortly.

Advance warning at Creech

We started at Wareham Quay where we meet with some cyclists from the local club at Christchurch and one of our friends from Wessex CTC and enjoy a coffee and a chat before setting off. We're not long out of Wareham before we hit our first challenge the 20% climb up Creech Hill which tested our not yet warm legs and had many walking their bikes to the summit. We were rewarded with great views out to sea across Kimmeridge Bay and of course a really fast descent  reaching 37 miles per hour and the first check point at 17km at Lulworth Cove.

Solar Farm

After a quick snack and toilet break we start the  tough climb up Daggers Gate and then roll our way on undulating roads through Winfrith Newburgh north into rural Dorset enjoying a chat and the scenery en route. Our next check point is at a new solar farm at 30km. We continue on exploring the Dorset lanes   passing yet another solar farm under construction. After a couple more climbs and a sweeping descent we cycle along the sea front in Weymouth to the next checkpoint at 48km at the Criterion restaurant .

Lunch stop

Here we get a free drink and join the other cyclists taking over the basement room and take a well earned rest. Back outside we load up with fuel in the form of Jam butties and bananas and get ourselves ready for the ride out to Abbotsbury. A couple of minor hills but a fairly gentle ride  to allow lunch to digest before we tackle our nightmares the other side of Abbotsbury.

View from hell

We cycle past the Swannery and into Abbotsbury which is a really beautiful village. However, what lies in wait cannot in all honesty be described as beautiful certainly not after 70km! The hill out of the village up to Hardy's monument steep, long and strength sapping. Not many riders around us rode to the top, there is a really steep ramp at about three quarters of the way up that defeated many of us. It was difficult

Abbotsbury

enough to walk let alone ride. You had to get off your bike before lack of speed and gravity did their stuff and dumped  you unceremoniously on the tarmac. It has to be said at this point that all this pain is rewarded with the most stunning of views back down the coast towards  Chesil Bank. After a slight downhill respite its onward ever onward to Hardy's monument still climbing. We take a breather at the monument but not for long as it is too cold and there is no shelter from a biting easterly wind.

We sweep downhill and ride towards Dorchester and  stop for drinks and the final checkpoint at 81km. Not many are that keen to hang around at the 'Top of the Town Cafe' as tired legs and cold bodies are wanting to get back to Wareham and the finish. So on with the final push, we leave Dorchester, pass Clouds Cottage home of Lawrence of Arabia and then pass Bovington Tank Museum on our way back to our starting point at Wareham Quay.  Finally 102km later, a lot colder and certainly very tired its time for another hot coffee, a final chat with our fellow adventurers before heading home for a well earned hot bath.

Our trusty steeds

So on reflection did it meet its billing as a challenge? It's not the longest ride we have completed but almost. It had us climbing over twice the height of previous hilly rides two of which were classified at 20% and 17%. We had checkpoints and time limits to meet and it was very cold with an easterly wind that took your breath away. It left us with bodies that knew they had worked hard and bikes that will probably need new brake blocks after the fast and sometimes hairy descents. So yes, it was a challenge and at times it hurt. However, we were rewarded with great views, a fantastic day out in beautiful Dorset countryside and we did it all under our own steam. 

Very satisfying and right now we are feeling more than a little smug.