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.

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