CTC ride to Martin

The group meets today at Wimborne Recreation Ground ready for our ride out to Martin via Cranborne for coffee. Derek has rung the cafe and warned them to expect 12 for coffee, there are 17 of us already!

We head out under overcast skies but we are not worried there is no forecast for rain and it might be a bit chilly now but it will brighten up later. We British and our eternal optimism with regard to the weather.

Remedy Oak - sadly could
not fix a broken spoke

We head off through Gaunts and up to Horton where we turn to go via Woodlands and Edmondsham on an undulating route that passes the Remedy Oak Golf Club and the Remedy Oak itself. The golf club is one of the UK's premier clubs and annually holds qualifying tournaments for the Open. The Remedy Oak, the tree the course takes its name from is and ancient oak said to have healing powers. Unfortunately its powers did not stretch to fixing a broken spoke that happened just as we got to it. Fortunately Derek does not carry his golf clubs while cycling as we would have lost our leader to the golf course. He would probably have had to sell his hand built carbon bike to pay the green fees and I don't think lycra is 'de rigeuer' for the course either!




From here it is onto coffee at Cranborne Manor which is the home of Viscount Cranborne, the eldest son of the 7th Marquess of Salisbury. Cranborne Manor has a long history the original Manor house was built as a royal hunting lodge for King John in the 12th century. Cranborne Chase was a royal hunting ground from at least the time of William the Conqueror until the 17th century. In 1604 the Manor and its surrounding land was acquired by Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury and Chief Minister to Queen Elizabeth I and James II. 

We however are not invited for tea with the viscount and must make do with the garden centre tea room. As soon as we get  our bikes parked and are in the cafe the heavens open. Now what was I saying earlier about it brightening up - now trust me it's just a clearing up shower! While on the subject of best laid plans we now find our numbers swelled to 27, so Derek was it 12 you told the cafe. I doubt they are complaining as 27 hungry and thirsty cyclists are good for business if not a logistical nightmare.

After coffee our numbers are seriously depleted, probably due to the rain, which has now stopped,  and we are down to 10 for the ride onto Matin. We take the slightly damp road to Damerham which rolls its way through some beautiful Dorset countryside passing through the hamlets of Crendell and Bull hill en route to our lunch stop in the church yard at Martin. Martin itself is a picture postcard perfect village that looks like it hasn't changed in years.

Church at Martin 

clock ...

..and explanation.

Please don't fee the animals!

While some of us stayed outside and ate our lunch others took shelter in the porch, it was so tempting to snap that pad lock shut!! (see photo)

Pigs on the hillside

Top of the climb

After lunch and the mention of a climb our numbers were down to 5 as the group split again. So Derek, Dave, Doreen, Kathy and I set off in search of the hill. I think that somewhere in the CTC rulebook it must  say 'lunch must be immediately followed by a climb'. We find our climb and it does not disappoint - 18% in places so can be classified as steep. The climb leads us via Boveridge back to Cranborne where we take the main road back to Wimborne and onto home having had a great day out, only having to don the rain capes twice and finish the day once south of Wimborne in beautiful sunshine!!