CTC Kimmeridge

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CTC Kimmeridge

Meeting at Merley Bridge

Kathy setting the pace .....

We meet again at Merley Bridge but today the sun is out and the shorts are on. The first part of the ride takes us on our usual route out to Wareham where we stop at Bobs house for coffee and toasted tea cakes. It's great to be able to take the chairs into the garden and enjoy the sunshine but we can't escape the sound of the smoke alarm going off as the tea cakes are toasted. After refreshments we set off for our planned lunch stop at East Creech heading through Wareham and Stoborough under an expanse of blue skies and by now even the arm warmers have gone - it's proper summer cycling at last!

We head on past the Blue Pool which started life early in the 17th century as a chalk pit. Purbeck Ball Clay was dug from the pit from the mid 17th century to the early 20th century. The Ball Clay was used to make fine ceramic products, such as smoking pipes, plates, cups and tea pots. The pit became disused before the first world war, but Purbeck Ball Clay is still extracted from other pits in the area.

Kev catches up after
stopping for photos

Testing hills

Rape seed adds a splash of colour

Air Ambulance arrives

 We arrive at East Creech ahead of time so decide to cycle on to Kimmeridge and have lunch there. The cycle to Kimmeridge takes in a couple of decent climbs that reward us with wonderful views across the Dorset countryside and coastline. After a wrong turn (Bob we thought you knew where you were going.................!) we arrive at Kimmeridge which is a haven for divers, surfers, walkers and today it appears cyclists. We are stopped from going down to the old coastguard hut at the slipway as there has been a serious accident on the rocks and the coastguard are clearing the area. So we head for the cliff top to have lunch and enjoy the views across the bay and out to Portland. We soon discover why we were not allowed down to the slipway as the air ambulance arrives and lands right where we would have been sitting for lunch.

Derek in the lead

After lunch we leave Kimmeridge and start the inevitable climb out and head back to Wareham via Church Knowle and Corfe Castle. We take the back road to Wareham via Ridge to avoid the bank holiday traffic on the main route, there's no point in dodging cars and breathing exhaust fumes if you don't have to. We regroup at Wareham Quay and then head to Bobs for the second time for a cup of tea before going our separate ways and heading for home. We ride back to Bournemouth in company with Dave, Doreen and Graham having enjoyed a fantastic days cycling, great company and all under blue skies and the accompanying sunshine. Kathy even has the first sunburn of the year and on a bank holiday weekend!!

Corfe Castle

Wareham Quay

CTC North Dorset Trailway Opening

CTC North Dorset Trailway Opening

Wimborne Minster

We meet at Wimborne Recreation Ground expecting to be cycling to Cranbourne and Tollard Royal. However, it appears we are now going to the opening of the new section of the North Dorset Trailway at Blandford. As you can imagine this garners a mixed response as some had turned up because it was the advertised run.
However, we set off for Blandford under the cover of grey sky's and a forecast of rain. It's bound to rain as in my experience it always does at 'Civic Grand Openings'!

Charles Bennett

As always we take to back roads and lanes following the River Stour valley through its pretty villages along the way to Blandford. There is Olympic history en route at Shapwick,  which was the birthplace of Charles Bennett who won Gold at the 1900 Paris summer Olympics in the 1500m.

Start of the trailway

By the time we arrive at Blandford the sun is trying to come out and the pre-opening festivities are in full swing with some impressive looking chains of office on display on the local mayors. There are some stalls giving away free water, always handy and a mobile cycle workshop - thankfully not needed today!

The trailway like many in the UK follows the route of an old railway line. It now stretches from Stalbridge to Spetisbury following the route of the old Somerset and Dorset railway taking in some of the picturesque villages of the Blackmore Vale.

The mobile repair shop

Cafe 65

We decide to go to Cafe 65 for a coffee until the actual grand opening and take over the long table at the back of the cafe having filled the side alley with our bikes. There is much discussion about the trailway but the main topic is that many who rode it recently picked up numerous punctures due to the grit it has been surfaced with. Obviously built with walkers and mountain bikes in mind not our skinny tyred road bikes.

Where's the repair shop
 when you need it!

John, Mike Kathy and I decide that, one - we do not need puncture repair practice (later to come back to haunt us) and two - we have seen enough civic openings before, so decide to avoid the trailway and head for home. On the ride to Blandford we had been chatting about rides past and local landmarks that need to be seen/cycled. One of these is at Tarrant Rawston and on the Ordnance Survey map is clearly marked as 'The Cliff'. How do I let myself get talked into these things but John and Mike say its on the way home! Thankfully I don't think Kathy was party to this conversation as it would have spoiled the surprise!!

John at the summit of 'The Cliff'

Once out of Blandford the quiet country lanes are a pleasure to cycle and we bowl along enjoying what is to be the last of the sunshine stopping briefly to fix a puncture on Mikes rear wheel. A new tube is put in as the old one is clearly more patch than original tube.  I think it was at this point that Kathy and I appear to have signed up for Mike's annual cycle pilgrimage to Paris, you see once again we are easily talked into things. However, it gives us another adventure to plan for and has also set us down the route of planning some cycle touring, so any advice re panniers, etc. gratefully received.

.......  Mike closely follows on.

Off to 'The Cliff' which does not disappoint. It is a classic short sharp climb with an average gradient of about 6% that rewards with great views at the top. Shortly after the climb another enforced stop as the promised rain arrives and its time to put on our rain capes. It's now a gentle ride home along quiet roads taking extra care on the now greasy roads on the descents.

... and Kathy takes
 a rest at the top!

Once home it's time to wash off the bikes before a hot shower and hot soup for lunch. Once again a great ride, we can now say we have done 'The Cliff' and it looks like we will be cycling to Paris in 2014.

CTC Thursday ride to West Holme

CTC ride to West Holme

East Morden 

A rare occasion when we are not working and can join the Thursday ride and we meet up with everyone at Merley Bridge. Once again a largish group made up of those now permanently on holiday so the usual questions about why we are not at work paying taxes to support the others! So with the jokes and leg pulling put to one side at least until coffee we head off for Orchard Tea Rooms at West Holme. West Holme is to the west of Wareham on the back roads to Wool so in the time honoured tradition of avoiding the main roads we set of on the back roads via Corfe Mullen and Lytchett Matravers.

After crossing the A35 we cycle towards Wareham on a road I love to cycle, probably because I am slightly masochistic, but in places the road it is arrow straight and gently undulates so if you like to add a very small personal time trial into your rides this is perfect. The road in question is the B3705, at the beginning known as Chitten Hill and overall as the Morden Road and runs between the A35 and the A351 Sandborne Road.

On the road to Corfe Castle

Kathy at the ferry

At the end of this stretch we wait and regroup and cycle on through Wareham and Stoborough and on to coffee at West Holme. Another garden centre cafe (as most seem to be cycle friendly) where we enjoy a chat and the usual banter as we have coffee and take on fuel in the form of homemade cake! As Kathy and I have things to do we decide to head for home after coffee in the company of John and we leave the others to head further into the wilds of Dorset.

View across to Sandbanks

We decide to head home via Corfe and onto the chain ferry at Sandbanks. With just the three of us we now set a good pace to Corfe and here John shows us a new flat route to the ferry that follows the trails and bridleways  alongside the heath thus avoiding the climb past the Golf Course. It's OK on road bikes but personally I like the climb and the reward of the view over Poole Harbour.

Chain Ferry

We wait for the ferry in beautiful sunshine and grab some lunch while I investigate an alarming rattle from my rear wheel. It is as I feared, the wheel bearings are shot and my wheel is wobbling horribly. It's going to be new bearings or a new wheel but not so bad that I can't cycle home.

Across on the ferry and on to home accompanied by Kathy, John and my increasingly noisy rear wheel! Another lovely ride, great company and for a
change sunshine too.

Home again

CTC ride back To Compton Abbas

Waiting at the start

Well we are back to Compton Abbas on this ride but unlike last time the sun is out the temperature in double figures and shorts and short sleeved jerseys are 'de rigueur'.  OK that will be just for me, not everyone is so easily fooled into believing it is summer!

We put the bikes on the car and meet Dave, Doreen and Jill at Wimborne and then cycled to the meeting point of High Lea Farm at Witchampton Crossroads. There amasses a reasonable size group of around 15 of us and the main topic of conversation is the difference in weather from our last outing to Compton Abbas. After waiting for the 'fashionably late' we set off down what are now becoming familiar Dorset lanes through Witchampton, Moor Crichel, Long Crichel, a short spurt on the A354 and then to Chettle. A quick stop here to regroup and take a drink before heading off over the undulations of Cranborne Chase mirroring the route of the old Roman road. If you look at the ordnance survey map you can see lots of evidence of Roman occupation as well as the barrows and hill forts that pre-date the Roman occupation. Of course other more recent notable residents include Madonna and Guy Ritchie. We pass Larmer Tree Gardens which each year hosts a variety of outdoor events including the Larmer Tree music festival which now appears to provide a 'residency' for Jools Holland.

Waiting for stragglers

Tiger Moth

At the turn off for Ashmore we wait for the slower riders to catch us up before the final sprint to the airfield at Compton Abbas and the promise of coffee and cakes at its cafe.  The sun is still out - hoorah! So we can sit out side and soak up its rays while watching vintage Tiger Moths take people up for flights. The airfield is situated on one of the highest points in Dorset so the views even without going up in an aircraft are superb and make the steady climb we have undertaken since the start of the ride worthwhile. After too brief a stop, I could have lazed in the sunshine watching the aircraft for much longer we set off in the general direction of Alvediston and lunch.

Compton Abbas Airfield

Alvediston

From the airfield we swoop down hill now most certainly on the arrow straight Roman road before turning off for Berwick St John and finally Alvediston home of and final resting place of Anthony Eden,  Prime Minister 1955 -57. In fact we have our lunch at the church yard where he is buried and share is glorious view across the valley. A word of caution the rough track up to the church has some very sharp flints in it as I found out when I punctured!!

From Alvediston we set off for our return to Wimborne once again heading south towards Sixpenny Handley but first we must negotiate the climb over Barrow Hill and Wood House before briefly cycling along the ridge and the old Ox Drove before heading downhill to

Kathy Barrow Hill

Dave and Dennis

Sixpenny Handley. From here we head back to Horton Crossroads via Monkton Up Wimborne, Wimborne St Giles and Amen Corner. Some of our number stop for tea at the village hall but we in the company of Dave, Doreen, Jill and Robert strike out for Wimborne.

On one of the climbs we loose Robert and I shout to let everyone know and look back to check on Robert. I turn round and realise everyone has stopped! I do an emergency stop and at this point prove Albert Einstein correct in his famous comment on cycling 'Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving'. At least I landed in the verge so a fairly soft landing apart from the thorn in my knee. Kathy has teased me relentlessly about this mishap, I feel it is one I shall not be allowed to forget!

Bikes loaded

We manage to get back to Wimborne without further mishap, load the bikes onto the car, say goodbye to our cycling companions and head home for something cold and alcoholic.

Sorry no map or Strava info this time as some Muppet, who shall remain nameless, left his mobile in the car!!