Dorset.

Independent Workshop In Devon.
Tommy Gunn

Tommy Gunn

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We have a week's leave booked in early May & my wife would like to spend it in & around Dorset.

She's not big on going on the bike but has agreed to give it another go in May so I really want this to be as enjoyable for her as possible. I'm keen for her to enjoy riding pillion as I'd love to do bigger European & American trips with her on the bike.

We had a weekend in Dorchester a few years ago & that's what whetted her appetite but that apart I know nothing about Dorset at all.

I don't want to be doing big miles every day & her preference is 'olde worlde' charming villages, 'tea shoppes' etc & Old Coaching Inn style hotels/pubs. I don't want to be riding on busy A roads or duel carriageways & would prefer to poddle around sedately making the most of the countryside. Castle Combe (?) has been mentioned.

We have a week to fill & I'm happy to spend 2 nights in each place & would really appreciate recommendations of places to stay/visit & scenic roads to take please chaps.

I'm very much at your mercy here comrades....... :thumb2

Edit: Is Salisbury worth a look?
 
Corfe Castle is a must, the village it sits in is nice with a few decent pubs. There is also a steam railway that runs between there and Swanage.
If you fancy a trip to the seaside I'd recommend Sandbanks, if you park in the main open air car park Motorcycle parking is free and you can sit in (or outside) the relatively new beach side cafe, there are toilets etc there as well.
Cerne Abbas is worth a ride - the place with the Giant and his giant cock chalk carving

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/corfe-castle/
http://corfe-castle.co.uk
http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk
http://www.pooleview.co.uk/Eatout/sandbanks beach cafe.html
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cerne-giant/
 
Salisbury is worth a look, the centre in good for a mooch around. The tank museum's also a good day out and the riding around Bovington is good if you're looking for easy countryside to pootle around in.

http://www.tankmuseum.org/home

The New Forest is great if the weather's nice, but many of the minor roads become very mucky and slippery if it's wet due to muck from 4x4's and horses all over the place but it's great when dry.

http://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/info/20001/visiting
 
Drop down from Dorchester towards Hardy's Monument and then along the coast to Abbotsbury, the Swanery and Chesil Beach and explore that area - very lovely and sleepy.

The barn below Abbotsbury Chapel is Medieval and was used in the original Far from the Madding Crowd film and is part of my Gran's old farm :)

Andres
 
Corfe Castle

Sets you up for a run around the Purbecks The coastal views from up there on a clear day are superb.

You can get a cracking view over Poole Bay and over to the Needles on the Isle of Wight.

Tony Robinsons Historic Walk on the area is superb and available on channel 4.

There is also the Sandbanks Ferry linking over to Millionaires row and Poole.

On a Tuesday on a fine day off I recharge the batteries by a mooch around the Purbecks then over the Chainferry to Poole Quay for the evening bike meet.
Dorset has plenty of superb b and c roads to discover.
 
Outtomunch said:
Drop down from Dorchester towards Hardy's Monument and then along the coast to Abbotsbury, the Swanery and Chesil Beach and explore that area - very lovely and sleepy.

The barn below Abbotsbury Chapel is Medieval and was used in the original Far from the Madding Crowd film and is part of my Gran's old farm :)

Andres
Click to expand...

yes, possibly the best road in dorset is from abbotsbury to west bay. undulating with lovely sweeping bends, fantastic views and a 40mph speed limit these days :(

the other road you mention from abbotsbury to martinstown via hardy's monument is a narrow hilly cracker too :)
 
Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door are also worth a visit. It's a lovely walk from one to the other.

Lulworth-cove-aerial-2.jpg


Dorset-Durdle-Door.jpg
 
Castle Coombe. :blast

That's the subconcious kicking in. :augie

This is exactly what I'm looking for chaps. thank you so much everyone I really appreciate it.

So I'm thinking
Day 1) Lincoln to Salisbury, 209 miles.
Day 2) Free day in Salisbury
Day 3 ) Salisbury to Cerne Abbas
Day 4) Cerne Abbas to Abbotsbury
Day 5 ) Abbotsbury to Corfe Castle
Day 6) Free day in Corfe Castle
Day 7) Homeward bound, 250 miles.

The does make the ride home longer than I'd like. 209 miles on day 1 is do-able though.

Thanx again for your input. Spot on.


Edit: More replies to look at & some lovely photos too. Plenty to be going on with. Thanx chaps.
 
Blackal said:
Ride Magazine has some recommended routes in Dorset - one of which is here:

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...z=12&via=3,4,5&t=m&z=11&output=classic&dg=brw


Complete list is here: http://www.ride.co.uk/Routes/


Al
Click to expand...

there's one that starts at dorchester and goes up to yeovelton (fleet air arm museum and cafe) and back via sherborne way that's rather good. might have been in MSL though.



.and if you're going anywhere near shaftsbury, and you should, the roads are fantastic around there, you should stop in at the very scenic compton abbas airfield cafe too. usually something interesting going on there ;)
 
cookie said:
there's one that starts at dorchester and goes up to yeovelton (fleet air arm museum and cafe) and back via sherborne way that's rather good. might have been in MSL though.



.and if you're going anywhere near shaftsbury, and you should, the roads are fantastic around there, you should stop in at the very scenic compton abbas airfield cafe too. usually something interesting going on there ;)
Click to expand...

Zig Zag Hill from Shaftesbury up to the Airfield :thumby: Airfield Cafe too popular at weekends mega queues. The Workmans cafe in the upper car park at Dorchester a gem for bikers
 
Old Codger said:
Zig Zag Hill from Shaftesbury up to the Airfield :thumby: Airfield Cafe too popular at weekends mega queues. The Workmans cafe in the upper car park at Dorchester a gem for bikers
Click to expand...

the very fast sweeping road from tollard royal to the top of zig zag hill should not be missed. like most bits of decent road in the south, it's miles too short though :(
 
If you are in the Salisbury / Sixpenny Handley area call in here for a quick look around www.bugad.com :thumb2
 
Outtomunch said:
But that's what most people do, missing out on some very special and lovely parts of Dorset meaning it tends to be quieter and less spoilt :)

Andres
Click to expand...

Nail on the head. I've been to Cornwall countless times and my sister lives in Tiverton so I know that area reasonably well.
Dorset, however, remains a mythtery to me (as a famous short tongued chanteuse once screeched).
 
lulworth trip to the castle, tyneham village, monkey world even the tank museum if its wet, chesil beach and purbeck
 
You are of course planning a visit HERE?
.
.
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Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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