CTC ride to Corfe Railway station

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CTC Ride to Corfe Railway Station

Thankfully not a climb for us

We meet once again at Merley Bridge and enjoy a bit of banter with Derek about 0900 start times and that we are not meeting at Wimborne. Now an in joke after the discussion the previous week at coffee. We head off in the general direction of Wareham making for Bob's for coffee and toasted tea cakes and crumpets. We arrive at Bob's having taken our normal route and continue with the time honoured traditions as we set Bob's smoke alarm off while toasting buns!

Top of the climb
 - Derek and Kathy

After refuelling we set off for Corfe Station but by a more scenic and less direct route which takes in an interesting little climb at East Creech which rewards with great views out towards Kimmeridge. After getting our breath and making the most of the photo opportunity on another gloriously sunny day we head downhill to Church Knowle and onto Corfe Castle.

Kevin's bike and the view

Corfe Railway Station our lunch stop is a step back in time as it is on the Swanage Railway which is a heritage steam and diesel train service that really captures the spirit of times gone by. It's a real treat to eat lunch on the platform and watch the steam trains come and go.

Station Master

Lunch

Period luggage

Platform and signal box

not Thomas!

After lunch, trains and much reminiscing we head off back to Wareham via the Arne nature reserve where we stop at one of the hides to observe the wildfowl. I still really do think that was a penguin and I know I definitely saw an Eagle!

walkway up to the hide

View from the hide - the eagle has just flown out of shot
 and the penguin has dived for a fish ..................

At Wareham we head home in the company of Derek as far as Creekmoor before saying our goodbyes having enjoyed another great ride in good company and with steam trains too ................

Keyhaven and presentation ride

Keyhaven and presentations ride

Todays ride starts from Hurn Stores and takes us to Bashley for coffee, onto Keyhaven for lunch and back to Ferndown for club presentations - very mysterious! The ride today is being led by Dave  as Derek has other commitments but does manage to join us at coffee in civvies. You get used to the coffee stops as there are comparatively few places we actually go to. However, todays stop was enlivened by a passionate debate about start times for rides and start venues. I think Derek will forever regret asking for peoples opinions!

Lunch at Keyhaven

After coffee a small group of us head off for Keyhaven for lunch going via Downton (not the one on the TV!) and Milford on Sea. Keyhaven our destination for lunch is now a popular tourist and sailing venue but  was once a thriving fishing port. Its name means 'harbour where cows are shipped' as cattle and sheep were transported from the Isle of Wight to the water meadows of the Avon around Christchurch. We enjoy lunch looking out towards Hurst Castle and the Isle of Wight while watching the ducks and swans swimming past the harbour wall.

Hurst Castle and IoW

Family outing

After a fairly brief lunch stop it is time to get back on our bikes and head for Ferndown where a presentation is being held for some of the clubs notables. The plan is for us to get there before the people who are due to get the presentations, this is a tall order as it involves not only our group  but also the Inters and the Rouleurs. We make good time so stop for an ice cream at Barton on Sea before continuing on and arriving in plenty of time.

The presentations are made and all recognise service to the club and Certificates of Merit are awarded by CTC in appreciation of the service given. Awards are made to Terry Walsh, Bob and Joan Courtney and Peter Loakes.

Bob & Joan

Terry

..... and Peter (centre)

Six go mad in Dorset

CTC six go mad in Dorset

It's a ride out to Compton Abbas again and once again the sun is shining and the skies are blue, so it's a bit of a surprise that there are only six of us heading out on the ride. We meet at Wimborne recreation ground and head off along the back roads to Witchampton where we pause at the junction to admire the beautiful bench that circles the trunk of the tree. It would be a wonderful place to sit in the shade and while away an hour or two but we have lanes to cycle and places to be. We continue on our usual route and the steady climb up to Compton Abbas airfield. There is one unscheduled stop on the way for a puncture that is quickly fixed with the usual help, support and banter from the group.

Tiger Moth

At the airfield the Tiger Moths are flying taking people up for joy rides over Dorset in the full 'Biggles' flying kit. We are also here for the airfields annual microlight fly in day so as we sit  outside with coffee and cake we get to enjoy lots of microlight activity. The cafe is certainly very busy but on lovely days like this it is possibly one of the best places to come and enjoy a coffee in this part of Dorset.

Start of the descent

Once coffee is over we drag ourselves away from the airfield and head off in the general direction of Margaret Marsh for our lunch stop. We negotiate a short stretch of the main road before turning right and the fabulous decent off the escarpment down into Sutton Waldron. From here we pedal on through East and West Orchard in our search for Margaret Marsh. The search takes us initially down the wrong road quite literally as we have to climb back up it once we realise our mistake! Eventually we find the churchyard and stop for lunch under the shade of the trees.

Dorset lanes

A shady spot for lunch

After a restful lunch we continue on our ride now slowly working our way back home via Sturminster Newton, home to the Dorset Cheese festival,  to join the North Dorset trailway and a stop at the old station at Shillingstone for ice cream and a cold drink. We also take a look at the weather forecasting stone and decide that it is probably ................. sunny!













After the stop its on to  Blandford where we leave the trailway and use the back roads to Wimborne. At Wimborne we bid farewell to the rest of the group and continue home looking forward to a cold refreshing drink and a shower after 70 miles in 24 degrees heat.

cycling the trailway.

re-hydrating?

CTC Thursday ride to Bashley

CTC Thursday Ride to Bashley

As we are on holiday this week we can join the Thursday ride with CTC and we meet up with everyone at Hurn stores to do the run to Bashley for coffee. As Kathy is still suffering from a bad head cold we have decided to head for home after coffee.

Terry, John, Jim and John

As Hurn Stores is closer to Bashley than the normal leaving points we take a more scenic route to get there which gives us more time to enjoy riding in the beautiful morning sunshine. It's going to be hard when the British weather resumes as we are getting quite used to this more mediterranean weather. Kathy has even invested in a sleeveless cycling jersey!

Our route to the Redcliffe Garden Centre takes us on a detour around Bransgore past Avon Tyrell and through Thorney Hill down to the A35 for a short stretch before turning off for Hinton. Most of us are relieved to get off the A35 which has a fearsome reputation as an accident blackspot. However, a big thank you to the truck driver who stopped to let 20 cyclists turn right in front of him - Chapeau! The route continues up the hill through Beckley, past Sammy Millars Motorcycle Museum and onto coffee.

At coffee we sit with Terry and his Grandson who is down from Scotland and who has been 'press ganged' into riding in true Terry form by his Grandad! As we are two of Terry's roadside converts the discussion turns to Terry's nack of signing up cyclists. Let me explain, Terry is the President of the Wessex branch of CTC and is renowned for always carrying with him copies of the CTC flyer. If he spots lone cyclists he will ride with them for a while to find out if they ride with a club. If you answer no you find yourself with a flyer including runs list in your hand and as with Kathy and I you are hooked! A second Chapeau! of this blog  as every club needs a Terry.

Barton on Sea ....

.....photo opportunity

After coffee we say goodbye to the group as they head off for Brockenhurst and we ride to New Milton and alongside the coast at Barton on Sea where we stop to take some photographs. Its a beautiful day to be alongside the sea as there is a pleasant breeze so we decide to head for Mudeford Quay for lunch. We enjoy our lunch under the shade of a pine tree and people watch - always a fascinating and worthwhile activity!

Sun worshippers at Mudeford

On our way to Mudeford Quay

Our lunchtime view

After lunch we continue to follow the coast and the cliff top as far as Boscombe before regrettably cutting inland and home. It's another wonderful hot day so for me there is only one way to end it and I think I deserve this.............

 .......... my reward!

Yes there are bruises ..........

As predicted Kathy has some bruises to show for her stunt riding yesterday and she is a little stiff.








However, it's all worth it as Andy Murray won Wimbledon









.................. and Chris Froome is still in yellow!!!!

CTC ride to West Holme and Corfe

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CTC Ride to West Holme and Corfe

One swallow does not a summer make?

It's Wimbledon men's finals day with Andy Murray in the final, Chris Froome is in Yellow at the Tour de France and we found the missing lenses for Kathy's cycling glasses. It's going to be a great day.

Upton Country Park

Today we have decided to join up with the Potterer's and ride out to coffee with them before a dash home so we can watch the Wimbledon final. The meeting point is Upton Country Park and after some confusion as to where in the park the meet point is we manage to locate everyone. We set off at a reasonable pace in the general direction of Wareham where Kathy, Bob and I split from the group to drop some maps in at Bob's house that he has borrowed ready for a trip to Sussex.

West Holme - coffee by the pond

We leave Bob's and head for our coffee rendezvous at the garden centre at West Holme getting there just before the rest of the group. Alan and Ann and a couple of the others are already there. We enjoy a lively conversation at the the coffee stop covering le Tour, Andy Murray's chances, british tourists abroad and cycling issues in general. It is soon time to leave and it appears many have the same idea as us and are heading straight for home to watch the tennis; all of us hoping to be celebrating a British champion later in the afternoon.

.......... what a view

Ice lollies ............

...... for two

Kathy and I decide to head for home via Corfe castle and the chain ferry taking in the climb up to the view point above Poole Harbour. Of course by the time we hit the climb it is midday on the hottest day of the year so far - so we suffered, Kathy far more than me especially as she is suffering from blocked sinuses and a summer head cold! We were both very pleased to see the ice cream van at the viewpoint and stopped to enjoy a very refreshing ice lolly and to enjoy the view. What a gorgeous day you could be fooled into believing that what lay before you was a mediterranean resort not the south coast of England. After a brief rest we enjoy the downhill sprint to the chain ferry negotiating cars and people all heading for the beaches every available car space is being taken. We jump the huge queue of cars and onto the ferry enjoying the views and gentle sea breeze as we cross.

one for our diving buddies!
The bell on the chain ferry.

Packed ferry and Haven Hotel

However, what comes next was not at all planned and could have quite easily ruined the day. Kathy while cycling off the ferry somehow conspired to throw herself and the bike at the scenery; in fact from an onlookers viewpoint it was quite a spectacular crash! After disentangling her from her bike and checking that the bike was undamaged I thought I best check she was OK! All joking aside it looked really nasty but Kathy had escaped with nothing more than bruises, grazes and injured pride.
She'll be stiff tomorrow though.

We carry on towards home with Kathy taking strength from Geraint Thomas who is currently cycling the Tour de France with a fractured pelvis - OUCH!

After a couple more climbs we are home and Kathy gingerly gets herself of the bike and off for a shower to rinse the grit out of the grazes and then its ice packs on the bruised bits!

All in all an interesting day and soon to get more interesting - will Andy Murray do it - was Kathy's pain worth it for the dash back to watch?