Dorset ideas

[Al]

Hello good people - I'm off to Dorset for the first time mid-october for family holiday.

Hoping to sneak my bike in and get away for a couple of day rides or preferably an over night.

Never ridden or indeed been to this part of the world before - any 'must dos' / suggestions / gpx files gratefully received as I'll have limited chances to ride with 3 young kids in tow and still want to try and see the best of it.

(The place were staying is Burton Bradstock, Bridport - all looks exciting on the OS map TBH!)

[mountainbaker]

A lot of the bridleways inland can be very loose, washed out and overgrown, but there are some good ones too. Really it's luck of the draw. Chesil Beach is a no-biking zone according to their website, but I've ridden my fatty at Burton Bradstock.

If you head west up to Eype, Downhouse farm, follow the bridleway to Seatown, then Pettycrate Lane to Langdon Woods, bridleway from there down to St Gabriels up to Stonebarrow, that's a nice route, spectacular views. Then you could head back inland via Charmouth, Catherson Leweston and take NCN route 2 back down the Marshwood vale. Or via Ryall down Butt Lane into North Chideok, then up Hell Lane and down into Symondsbury is probably the finest example of an ancient holloway you'll ever see.



Going east up the Bride Valley there's nothing that exciting, but some great views if you get high up above Abbotsbury.

Generally avoid riding the A35 at all costs, it's a super dangerous road, not helped by the abundance of coffin-dodgers in the area.

[Al]

That hollow way looks amazing - definitely one to check out.

Thanks for the ideas!

[Si]

Check in with Charlie the Bikemonger if you visit Swanage he is always full of ideas for what to do and where to go

[Mike]

@Mountainbaker. Have u got any gpxs of your routes for Dorset I could have I like the area and could do with extending the area away from swanage ta

[Al]

+1 on the gpx files if you've got some and are happy to share.

[mountainbaker]

I'll have a dig. I'm also working on a pretty massive route that covers the entire Jurassic Coast from Exmouth to Swanage and back, about 250 miles total.

[Al]

Sounds epic - don't think I've got enough babysitting credits in the bank for that this time though!

[mountainbaker]

It wont be ready this year, I need to recce a few more sections and there's a few nasty bits of road I want to get around. Hoping to get a site up for it next spring.

[Mariner]

mountainbaker

I have Sidmouth to Exmouth covered if you want the .gpx files?
Lovely climb out of Sidmouth round the back road/track not main road up Peak Hill.

[mountainbaker]

mountainbaker

I have Sidmouth to Exmouth covered if you want the .gpx files?
Lovely climb out of Sidmouth round the back road/track not main road up Peak Hill.

Think I've got most of that covered already. Out of Sidmouth I'm going up to the golf course, across Mutter's Moor, down into Otterton, sustrans to Budleigh and sustrans to Exmouth. That's the last few miles of the route. Leaving Exmouth at the start, it's going up the Estuary a bit, then across Woodbury, then in Tipton pick up the Harpford Disused railway, up onto East Hill. Nothing's final though. I'll PM you a route when it's a bit more complete.

[ctznsmith]

It wont be ready this year, I need to recce a few more sections and there's a few nasty bits of road I want to get around. Hoping to get a site up for it next spring.

Might be able to help with the nasty roads depending on where they are. Technically a Dorset local although my off road knowledge gets patchy past Dorchester.

[Jurassic pusher]

A lot of the bridleways inland can be very loose, washed out and overgrown, but there are some good ones too. Really it's luck of the draw. Chesil Beach is a no-biking zone according to their website, but I've ridden my fatty at Burton Bradstock.

If you head west up to Eype, Downhouse farm, follow the bridleway to Seatown, then Pettycrate Lane to Langdon Woods, bridleway from there down to St Gabriels up to Stonebarrow, that's a nice route, spectacular views. Then you could head back inland via Charmouth, Catherson Leweston and take NCN route 2 back down the Marshwood vale. Or via Ryall down Butt Lane into North Chideok, then up Hell Lane and down into Symondsbury is probably the finest example of an ancient holloway you'll ever see.



Going east up the Bride Valley there's nothing that exciting, but some great views if you get high up above Abbotsbury.

Generally avoid riding the A35 at all costs, it's a super dangerous road, not helped by the abundance of coffin-dodgers in the area.

Hell lane is not called Hell lane for nothing! you want mud?? Then ride (push) up Hell lane. I live a mile from Symondsbury and can confirm that Shutes lane (into Symondsbury from top of Hell lane) is a great green lane to belt down.

[Al]

Am I right the south west coastal path from Lyme Regis to Seaton is mostly bridleway? Have you ridden it?

[mountainbaker]

Am I right the south west coastal path from Lyme Regis to Seaton is mostly bridleway? Have you ridden it?

No, none of the coast path there is bridleway. I've ridden along the beach.

[Al]

Bugger, that's a shame.
It was hard to tell as its green dashes on top of black ones on the map (could just be my crappy eyesight).