I'm in Dorset with the family for May half-term in a few weeks. Staying just west of Bridport. The OS map shows a good selection of bridleways and byways (and a shed load of contour lines).
Planning on taking the Krampus with me to get out for an hour or two when opportunity arises and ideally get out for an all-dayer. Also likely to get some family rides in with the missus and jr_banditos #1 & 2 on their Islabikes/tagalong.
So, where's good to ride? Whats the attitude to cheeky riding like down there? I'm blessed being near enough to Scotland that on the whole, there's no-one around and when they are, they don't mind bikes.
Any good routes that I don't need to drive to?
Entries still left for the Dorset Gravel Dash on Sunday 29th from Swanage - 100-odd miles of Dorset's finest - or you could at least download the GPX
Cheers Dovebiker. Driving down from Northumberland on 27th after work, wedding on 28th (which is why we're down there) don't fancy the gravel dash the day after!
I've seen the route (last years?) and its at the other end of Dorset.
I have route over isel of perbecks way but that is no good for you.
You should definitely ride "hell's lane" coming out of Bridgeport.
You should definitely ride "hell's lane
Wow, where's that?
Not sure if the link will work, but we will try!
Make sure you are on satellite view, you can see it starts off a road and heads into a track. Might be one to do with the kids as well on a shorter route for a bit of story telling!
https://goo.gl/maps/q5Vc8ayeD352
There are definite possibilities for all day rides around there. Especially now it is dry and not a slippery bog fest! IF you come up with a good route let me know as I've only really done the more eastern part of the county.
RE: Cheeky. I've done cheeky over towards the east with no problems, but as always, early in the day if a w/e (isle of purbeck gets very busy on a nice w/e). It might not be as bad around Bridport for how busy it gets, I can't say.
Getcha
Found it on Geograph
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4815915
Should manage it as I'm staying a few miles away on the other side of Ryall
How about riding on any of the beaches? Is Chesil ok or too pebbly?
charmouth forest is nice especially if the bluebells are out,then lamberts castle and conneys castle follow the road to shaves cross for lunch if the pub is still there, from the shaves back to ryall with beer on board is easy and a nice day has been had.
How about riding on any of the beaches? Is Chesil ok or too pebbly?
Get on near the swan lakes Abbotsbury - I parked in one of the beach car parks, head west to Burton Bradstock or further west. I dont think it is a bridleway, but bikes are tolerated, so long as you give way when required. There is only one section, maybe 100 metres long that is a walk, the rest runs in the coast path which has a reasonable surface (for rough beach paths).
You cnat see the sea, as the pebbles are a lot higher than the coast path. However, there are great distant views, and the beach does get lower.
The way back is mainly on road, take a detour to the Hardy Monument, loads of traffic free roads there,but some hills are killers.
Hell Lane - it's an old track, that is virtually a cave a times, as it is a deep cutting very overgrown. slightly north west of Bridport. Worth trying it if you are in the area.
Lovely area use to go down there a lot to Lyme Regis but the riding is not great few tracks by Golden Cap but best stuff as said above is the Purbecks/Hartland moor/Studland/Corfe Castle/Wareham forest.
I found it trickier than I'd imagined trying to put a nice all-dayer together around Bridport.
I've just done one for myself that's further east - taking in what I always thought were the best bits of the Purbecks and bits of Studland Heath - the westernmost point of that is just outside Lulworth. Might be a bit too far east for you, but can send you the gpx if you want?
dorset knob
any chance you could email me your gpx?
the brick
any chance you could send yours too?
Email in profile.
Just had a night in the van at Burnbake and had a great ride late sat night on the fatty finishing up on the bridleway from the golf course down to burnbake in the dark (luckily with my Toro on the bars) thats a great bit of singletrack to finish on...
(sorry for the hi-jack)
Cheers
Burko
ygm
IMO Chesil is unridable as pebbles too big. Dorset is wonderfully rural (for the South that is) as above many contours so be prepared for lots of up and down and some steeps too. What riding I've done has been more around Purbecks have also done some cheeky on the coastal path with no issues but imo most of that would be better on foot (recommended, take care with kids as it can be quite dangerous in parts)
Just had a fantastic week in Dorset, running and riding between Charmouth and Bridport. Video and pics to follow.
Didn't ride on the beach, but did on sections of the coast path. Got down and up Hell Lane on two separate rides. Got the KOM on the climb....
Do you mean Hell lane between Symondsbury and Charmouth?
[url= http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=343185&Y=93925&A=Y&Z=120 ]Thats the one.[/url]
Only rode the west side off the ridge.
(Heading south down the ridge was ace)