There are many different levels of a bike ride; from those clothed in Lycra, adhering to all aerodynamics, to others who like to pootle with a basket. This small collection sits about midway between the two. They range from 5 miles up to about 15 with the mission to avoid as many roads as possible. Sticking to bridleways is the focus, so suitable for horses too. However, they are not always guaranteed to be easily accessible. Thick mud and rough terrain can also be a challenge, so be prepared to fight, dismount, wobble and push frequently, with the odd scratch from a bramble and sing by a nettle! Nevertheless, they all include beautiful views, the odd speedy downhill run and, as usual, discoveries to make along the way.
Some of the rides double up as walks and therefore require a slightly different route – see individual walks for information.
Hurn – Explroing Hurn Forest under the fight path of Bournemouth Airport
The Crown, Blandford – From the town of Blandford to the old railway and back through Inside Park.
Osmington Mills to Lulworth Cove – Travelling east. Following an old smugglers route between two coastal pubs.
Lulworth Cove to Osmington – Travelling west. Along the Jurassic Coastline.
Tarrant Keyneston to Buzbury Rings – From the Tarrant Valley up to the hill fort of Buzbury and the old turnpike road.
Wimborne St Giles to Knowlton – A large country estate and the famous ruins of Knowlton Church set in an ancient monument.
Sixpenny Handley and Ackling Dyke – From a village in the heart of Cranborne Chase, through Iron Age settlement to the prominent Roman Road.
Wareham Forest – Exploring the heath and woodland of Wareham Forest.
Puddletown Forest – Exploring Thomas Hardy’s landscape of Puddletown Forest.
The Crown Inn, Marnhull – Deep in The Blackmore Vale.
The Wessex Ridgeway part one – Across the high ridges of East Dorset.
The Wessex Ridgeway part two – Over Bulbarrow and Rawlsbury hill fort to the Frome tributaries.
The North Dorset Trailway – The old Somerset and Dorset dismantled railway.
Badbury Rings – The haunting hill fort of Badbury Rings, Roman roads and the WW2 airfield of Tarrant Rushton.
Symmondsbury and the Holloways – The deep Holloways of Hell and Shute Lane deep in West Dorset.
Folke – Medieval roads lost in the landscape.
Woodbury Hillfort – From the valley of the River Piddle, up to the Hillfort of Woodbury and through the ancient woodland of Beer wood.
Cheselbourne – The chalk downlands in the heart of Dorset
Bradford Peverell -The Roman aqueduct and a lost estate.
Compton Valence – Dry, deep chalk valleys used by the Romans and the Frampton estate.
Winterborne Stickland & Milton Abbas – from the chalk valley to the ancient estate of Milton Abbas.
Winterborne Kingston – Up into the hills carved by the Roman Road of Ackling Dyke.
Powerstock Forest – Explore the nature reserve and the route of the old Bridport railway.
Long Crichel and the Dorset Cursus – Deep in Cranborne Chase discover the remains of one of the country’s most ancient mysteries – the Dorset Cursus
Up Sydling – A hidden part of Dorset where soldiers from the war were nursed and champions of the world were trained.
Gore Heath and Mordon Bog – The heath and woodland in Wareham Forest and a secret waterfall.
Ferndown Forest – Around the heath of Holt under aeroplanes from Bournemouth
Canford Heath – A pocket of peace amongst the growing towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Wimborne.
Piddletrenthide – From the River Piddle to the hilltop settlements of the Iron Age.
