Michael G. Ormerod
“Would you like to join me for an Audax in Dorset?” By saying yes, I committed myself to the longest (in time at least) cycle ride of my life.
On Saturday night, I lay in bed in our small B & B, listening to the wind howling and the rain beating against the window, wondering how I was going to cycle 200 km with 2800 m climbing the following morning.
Morning came, there was no rain and the wind had dropped. At 7:45 a.m., we set off from a small village called Lychett Matravers, any thought of opting out was banished (fool that I was). After about 5 miles, it started raining. It continued to rain, on and off, light and hard, for the rest of the day.
We crossed from Sandbanks (at 20 km) to Studland on the chain ferry and headed for Corfe, where we encountered the first climb of the day, the next bringing us to the top of the Purbeck Hills. Down through East and West Lulworth and up onto the cliffs, where we turned inland. A fairly flat run with only a couple of minor hills brought us into Weymouth (at 72 km) in the pouring rain.
The control was in the Dorothy Inn, a large pub with a wooden floor and a tolerant staff. Both were needed as about 100 very wet cyclists crammed in. After a cup of tea and a bite to eat (rock cake for Graham, bananas for me), we set off again in the rain.
A couple of small hills later, we arrived in Abbotsbury, famous for its swannery and its old abbey. We then faced a long grind up a very steep hill. At one point, I realised that I could walk as fast as I was cycling; if I had a little more sense and a little less pride, I should have walked the steepest part and saved my legs and energy for later in the ride. But foolishly I stayed on the bike. The rain had eased up briefly and at the top we stopped and looked back at Chesil Beach, the famous shingle bank, laid out before us.
On Saturday night, I lay in bed in our small B & B, listening to the wind howling and the rain beating against the window, wondering how I was going to cycle 200 km with 2800 m climbing the following morning.
Morning came, there was no rain and the wind had dropped. At 7:45 a.m., we set off from a small village called Lychett Matravers, any thought of opting out was banished (fool that I was). After about 5 miles, it started raining. It continued to rain, on and off, light and hard, for the rest of the day.
We crossed from Sandbanks (at 20 km) to Studland on the chain ferry and headed for Corfe, where we encountered the first climb of the day, the next bringing us to the top of the Purbeck Hills. Down through East and West Lulworth and up onto the cliffs, where we turned inland. A fairly flat run with only a couple of minor hills brought us into Weymouth (at 72 km) in the pouring rain.
The control was in the Dorothy Inn, a large pub with a wooden floor and a tolerant staff. Both were needed as about 100 very wet cyclists crammed in. After a cup of tea and a bite to eat (rock cake for Graham, bananas for me), we set off again in the rain.
A couple of small hills later, we arrived in Abbotsbury, famous for its swannery and its old abbey. We then faced a long grind up a very steep hill. At one point, I realised that I could walk as fast as I was cycling; if I had a little more sense and a little less pride, I should have walked the steepest part and saved my legs and energy for later in the ride. But foolishly I stayed on the bike. The rain had eased up briefly and at the top we stopped and looked back at Chesil Beach, the famous shingle bank, laid out before us.
200 km in the Dorset Hills
Corfe Castle
Dorothy Inn, Weymouth
Chesil Beach
