Two forests and an Island

[Nate]

Well it was the morning of the 19th... the bike was packed and the sun was shining...

All I had to do was say cheerio to the cat, drop some accounts off to the accountants and hit the road...

After riding along the north coast of Cornwall and Devon, I headed for the old Severn Bridge and the road from Chepstowe to Monmouth...

Along the way was the Tintern Abbey (seen slightly better days)

But perhaps rather than God, Harley riders go here to pray to the God of Chromey bits and things not dropping off the bike

After playing in Wales for a few hours, I thought i should head to my chosen field and put my house up... Along the way was Kerne Bridge (a famous battle site I think) and you can just see Goodbridge Castle in the background (nowt to do with brakes though)

The Forest of Dean was found

But they obviously heard I was coming and shut all the fun roads

One very very busy camp site later

My house was built and I settled down to some nosh (Thanks Rom, the stove performed briiliantly )

 

[Nate]

Day 2

The bimble 'down Sarf'...

So up early and a quick shower in the centrally heated shower block... Gosh camp sites have changed... They even provide loo roll these days (Camp site was Greenway Farm in Drybrook, really nice, really friendly and only a fiver Highly reccomended)

http://www.greenwayfarm.org/


Well packed and wound my way south west... ended up pootling along some lanes near the A46

Stopped for lunch at a place called Bodkin House which does lovely food (recipe to follow) and spotted a fellow Tosser on a yellow 1150 heading south...

Nipped through Bath, with the idea of heading for Warminster, but the road was shut, so got lost, failed to find Frome.. and then saw this sign, which was news to me... so I thought I had better investigate

But it turned out to be a pub, so a late lunch was had and very nice it was too

Some good roads were found to take me to Corff... Lots of fire engines and police passed me...

and got to another campsite Tom's field. Another excellent site... really picturesque scenery and rather quiet when I arrived...

Picture from the front door

And the birds were really friendly here too rather partial to cheese and onion crisps

 

[Nate]

Day 3

Two ferries

Headed to the tip for Studland for the ferry over to Poole

On the way, the reason the fire Brigagde were in heavy attendance, a big fire on the heathland had happened the day before

Once over the ferry, took the scenic route along the coast to Lymington and missed the ferry to the IoW by 30 seconds

But got the next one and spent the day bimbling around the Island

I don't know how you locals cope... it was nice but very touristy... reminded me of Cornwall in the summer... so left pretty early but will return one day out of silly season...

More views from the ferry

Managed to survive the Bournemouth Poole rush hour... only one woman in a BMW tried to kill me but is now the proud owner of a big dent

Studland ferry back over to Swanage

And it was back home to my trusty tent... and treated myself to dinner down the pub

 

[Nate]

Day 4

trip to CW's of Dorchester

Well something had to go wrong... my headlight bulb popped on the way back from IoW

So, after phoning around, CW's was the prefered choice.... Nice ride there...

One bulb purchased and fitted Really nice people, free coffee and good atmosphere

Then a chat with a nice bloke called Ian who is an ex rozzer and a chromehead and let me sit on his bike

On the way back, spotted this in a garage... its a replica, but very nice to... with a 4.8 Jaguar engine in it...

Got a better piccy of Corfe Castle on the way

And stopped of in Worth Matravers at a little pub that does a great choice of Cider and possibly the worst 'pasty' I have ever had the misfortune to eat... small, tasteless and soggy

 

[Nate]

Day 5

Up to Bath...

Friday night I had to nip back upto Bath to see some friends who have just moved house...

So with all day to play with, a trip to the New Forest was had... very nice... but the roads were getting busy... so I tried to stick to the lanes...

Then back west to Dorset and up towards Bath

The B3081 was reccommended to me and a fun road it was too...

I think this is a bridge over the River Stour

Then I bimbled northish... came across a very nice log where I had a snooze for an hour... I think the pace of life was just too much

Lunch was had at The Strodes Arms which was excellent... a really nice Chowder, literally a whole loaf of bread and a bottomless mug of coffee ... which was useful as it rained, thundered and lightning'd for about 2 hours... All for a fiver

Cos the weather was looking dicey, I decided to zoom up to Bath, visit a few old haunts and some of the houses I lived in... nothing much has changed... so got to my mates house, met my new god daughter and had a few beers...

Rode home Saturday afternoon... traffic wasn't too busy...

All in all a really nice few days... something I will definately do again... Good people met, great roads ridden and the tent didn't leak

 

[Devon]

Looks like you had a good few days Nate. Thank's for sharing