My parents have recently moved to marnull and I’m visiting again this weekend. Was tempted to take my bike down but have no idea where is good. Spotted some hills the other side of shaftsbury last time I went down so I’m hoping there might be something worth riding. Just looking for some fun trails (natural/man made). Ideally looking for a 15mile loop I can do from marnull/shaftsbury or tips on what is around. Does anyone have a gxp they’d care to share?

Thanks!

Anyone?

It’s not somewhere I venture, so I can’t give you any inside tips, but I know of a couple of tracks/routes that I have been thinking about for a summer route;

http://www.northdorsettrailway.org/documents/bike-CMBR.pdf

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2259791

Dorset Dirt Route

And a book which might be worthwhile getting;
http://www.bikemaps.co.uk/sw-england-mtb/dorset-mountain-biking.htm

Have a look at Strava to see trails round Shearwater/Longleat. There is riding of the XC slog persuasion up on the downs behind Mere/Shaftesbury etc. but at this time of year I wouldn’t bother unless it is frozen solid/you’re on a ‘cross bike and don’t mind skipping the worst of the sticky stuff on the road. Woods around Alfred’s Tower/Stourhead good for a short blast, too, especially if you have time for a pie from the Stourhead farm shop afterwards.

Thank you both, think that’s made my mind up. I’ll leave it for now as I don’t fancy a slog to potentially find nothing.