This is a ride which it took me a long time to complete. Unfortunately, when I first tried it I hit a patch of wet mud going down a hill, somewhere near Beaminster, and crashed. I managed to drag myself to Lyme Regis, where we stayed the night, then next morning, with damaged bits stiffening up and protesting vigorously, we rode the five miles to Axminster station to get a train home. It was four years by the time I got back to finish off the ride.
It deserved a return visit – the Dorset coast is beautiful. However, I did so much sightseeing on the second attempt that I ran out of time at Corfe Castle, but on the third attempt I completed the round trip back to Salisbury through Bournemouth and the edge of the New Forest. This could be a three day bank holiday outing, or a five day tour if you wanted to link it into my Cycling to Salisbury ride from Woking.
The route takes a minor road out of Salisbury, avoiding all but half a mile of the busy A36 on its way to Wilton. From there it follows the valley of the River Nadder via another minor road to Barford St Martin, then through Dinton, beyond which we joined part of the National Byway, to Tisbury, with its Grade I listed tithe barn (possibly the largest in England) and farm buildings at Place Farm.
Small lanes then took us on to Semley, where I'd planned that we'd climb Semley Hill to Shaftesbury, but Keith, who is normally not averse to a bit of hill climbing, objected to climbing a hill simply to come back down it again. So we continued on the National Byway route to Motcombe, and then turned off, bypassing Gillingham, and continuing through Buckhorn Weston, Templecombe, and Milborne Port to the lovely town of Sherborne.
From Sherborne we headed south west through some delightful villages such as the intriguingly-named Ryme Intrinsica, before heading down the very steep White Sheet Hill into Beaminster. From there we passed through the lovely village of Stoke Abbott and then down into the Marshwood Vale, where the thatched inn at Shave Cross looked too inviting to miss. From there a climb up out of the vale brought us to the B3165 at Marshwood which we followed for a few miles, before turning off onto narrow lanes which brought us out into Uplyme, for the final brief run down into Lyme Regis.
The journey back begins with a very long climb back out of Lyme Regis, an unwelcome start for muscles which have yet to warm up. A diversion through Charmouth avoids a couple of miles of the busy A35, but from there to Bridport it's a case of either using at least a stretch of the main road, which is frequently narrow and hilly,
as well as invariably busy, or set off on one of a number of diversions round the country lanes.
From Bridport I took the B-road through pretty Burton Bradstock and along the coastal hills to Abbotsbury, with its famous Swannery. Sadly, aspects of this charming village have become rather commercialised, the Swannery now charging almost £6 for entry, but the historic buildings once associated with the large Abbey can be seen (from the outside, at least) for free.
From Abbotsbury the route heads inland to Portesham and then up Portesham Hill,
climbing nearly 400 feet in about a mile, then a further 100 or so feet to the summit of Black Down and Hardy's Monument, built in honour of the sailor, not the author and poet. On weekends you can climb to the top of the 70 foot tower, now owned by the National Trust, to enjoy views which can extend to 60 miles on a good day.
From Black Down it's all downhill to Martinstown, from where I'd picked a deserted lane past the massive Iron Age hillfort of Maiden Castle and through Winterborne Monkton, to approach Dorchester from the south.
This is the heart of Thomas Hardy country. The route out of Dorchester passes Max Gate, his home for the final years of his life, and the cottage in which he lived
before that is only a short way off the route at Higher Bockhampton. Many of the towns and villages through which we pass feature in his books, though under different names. West Stafford (picture left), a couple of miles outside Dorchester, is one. Angel and Tess were supposed to have married in the church there in Tess of the d'Urbervilles.
From West Stafford the route follows the valley of the River Frome, a welcome stretch of level countryside after seemingly endless climbing from Lyme Regis. Woodsford is notable for its castle, which lost its battlements and its turrets in 1660 and acquired one of Britain's largest thatched roofs instead. At Moreton there is a welcome Tea Rooms before we head past Winfrith, once a research centre for the nuclear industry, but now being decommissioned and turned into a science and technology park. It is set in one of the few remaining expanses of Dorset heathland, a remnant of Thomas Hardy's once-vast Egdon Heath.
From Winfrith the route climbs steadily to the top of the coastal ridge, then down more swiftly into West Lulworth. The renowned Lulworth Cove is a short diversion off the route. Another climb past Lulworth Camp is followed by a run down to East Lulworth along a road where signs warn of sudden gunfire. Much of the land around here is used by the army for tank training, and our route onwards from East Lulworth to Corfe Castle is only open most weekends and during occasional weekday periods. Check before you set out – the Lulworth Estate website gives details of the opening dates or telephone 01929 462721 extn 4819.
From East Lulworth there is yet another steep climb up Whiteway Hill, which gives a panoramic view of the tank training area. The proximity of the targets to the road indicates why it is closed while firing takes place! From the viewpoint on the top of the hill you can see down to the 'lost village' of Tyneham, taken over by the army during World War II and never given back to the residents. From there it's downhill through Steeple and Church Knowle to Corfe Castle, the view of the castle being particularly splendid from this approach.
From Corfe a climb over the hills avoids the traffic on the main road, with a possible detour to the delightful village of Worth Matravers, with its well known pub, the Square and Compasses. Then its into the popular holiday resort of Swanage and out to Studland to catch the Sandbanks ferry across to Sandbanks, for the few miles ride into Bournemouth.
From Bournemouth the ride heads out along the seafront to Hengistbury Head and onto the Mudeford Sandbank, from where another small ferry (see route instructions for operating times) crosses the entrance to Christchurch Harbour to Mudeford Quay. The ride then bypasses Christchurch town centre and heads through quiet country lanes to Ringwood.
Between Ringwood and Fordingbridge the route runs just inside the boundary of the New Forest and you're sure to find ponies and cattle wandering about the lanes.
From Fordingbridge the route heads up over the downs before entering Salisbury over an ancient bridge and through the peaceful grounds of the town's famous cathedral to the end of this 186-mile trip.
Updated: 20 August 2003
You can also display the Microsoft Autoroute maps and route details by clicking on the map opposite. (As Autoroute does not allow the Mudeford Ferry to be included in the route, this map has been created by setting the start point at Mudeford and the end point at Hengistbury Head, rather than at Salisbury. Of course, being a circular route, you can start the ride from any convenient location.)
