CTC ride Ringwood and Fordingbridge

Todays ride starts from Hurn Stores but my mind starts working well before we get there as we cycle through Kinson past one of the old thatched cottages. These old cottages now sit amongst the ex council houses that make up the various estates that surround the old village of Kinson. Kinson and the surrounding hamlets all pre date the town which they are now part of - Bournemouth. Kinson's church, St Andrews sits on the site of the original Saxon church and the present day church has its own stories to tell. 

St Andrews Kinson

The area was historically used by the smuggler Isaac Gulliver whose men would carry the contraband up from The Chines in Poole Bay and take it across Cranborne Chase to be distributed to patrons all over Southern England. Gulliver had several properties in the Kinson area; however, the contraband was stored in the tower of St Andrew's Church (the marks of the ropes used to haul it up can still be seen in the soft sandstone walls of the tower) and in several stone graves in the churchyard which were constructed for this purpose and never saw a coffin. A tunnel was also reputed to exist to allow smugglers to escape to the local river under cover (this has never been proved, however).

Also in the churchyard is the grave of one Robert Trotman, who was killed when trying to land contraband on the shore near Poole. Smugglers at the time were regarded by some as folk heroes, as they circumvented high government taxes on goods such as alcohol, tobacco, etc. The presence of his grave on open display in the churchyard, with its rhyming elegy to the deceased, is an interesting comment on the social status at the time of people who were technically criminals.

We meet up with everyone at Hurn Stores and take the direct route up Matchams Lane to Ringwood. It's only a relatively short cycle to coffee and I have just about warmed up when it is time to stop but Derek promises a jaunt across the forest before lunch. The cafe is very busy for a Sunday morning but I think it was full of people meeting prior to going Christmas shopping.

Outside the cafe is a life size bronze of a New Forest pony mare and foal by artist Priscilla Hann.

We leave the cafe and head off into the New Forest out through Linwood and past Red Shoot Wood and on to what we know as the 'airfield road'. 

It is in fact the site of Stoney Cross Airfield which Opened in November 1942. 

The airfields three runways operated R.A.F. Hurricanes and Mustangs of the Army Cooperation Command, then Stirlings, Whitleys and Albermares training Horsa glider pilots.After this D-day support given by U.S.A.A.F. P-38 and B-26s was superseded by R.A.F. Transport Command York and Dakota duties, the airfield closing in 1946. The road we cycle today follows the path of one of the runways but unfortunately no other evidence exists to show that the airfield was ever here.

From here we head out to the Roger Penny Way (rather unromantically named after a Hampshire County highways engineer) and cycle back towards Fordingbridge where we have lunch alongside the River Avon. We don't linger as it is getting colder and no-one seems keen to hang around.

So its back onto the lanes and a brisk cycle back through the edges of the forest to Ringwood. One thing I did notice today were a lot of donkeys out and about. Now we are used to seeing them but there seemed to be a lot of them out and about today, is it just me or was anyone else concerned about what they may be up to? 

View from lunch the bridge
 at Fordingbridge

Donkey's lurking in the hedgerows

From Ringwood it is a brisk cycle home and in for a hot mug of tea and put the heating on!! Thanks everyone for another great ride - see you all next time.