What fantastic riding there is around there, we were there for a weekend and based ourselves on a campsite in Swanage. Our first journey out after friday night beers was up to the top of Ballard Down in whose shadow we were camping.
Our chosen route up was a rather sharp steep and totally unrideable set of steps. But once at the top the down opened out in all its short grass covered chalky goodness. nigh on 3 miles of super fast downhill with the odd rutts and cow pats to hop over, only slowing for the sharp left hander that if we hadnt of judged would have sent us plumiting over the chalk cliffes.
The end of the downhill left us in Studland, where there was a handy real ale fesitval being held.
After a swift refresher we continued on accross the chain ferry and on to sandbanks/poole for lunch.
The return trip was made a little more difficult, we retraced our steps, had one too many at the Beer festival and then traversed a path around the edge of Ballard Down, which turned into a vietnam jungle hacking type slog. Nettle stings to the face bramble rips to the arms and a few ropey moments where it looked like vanishing down the steep sided slopes after clipping a tuft of grass on the narrow worn path.
However it opened up into a superb flowing section of single track that brought us back down into Swanage, stopping at the campsite bar for a post ride drink, and a good long smile it struck me that it was the best ride I have had this year. At this point my rear tire finally succombed to the thorns and spikes of the jungle section and went flat, leaving me to walk the last few hundred yards from the bar to the tent, however it didnt shift the smile. Sure the roads of Poole were a little dull but Ballard Down will stick in my memmory for a long time to come.
The next day the sun was out and sodding warm, had a good ride out over the purbecks to Lulworth cove, where I discovered I am the self proclaimed hill climbing champion of my little band of merry cyclists. A great day out but not a patch on saturdays run.
Rather jealous of you chaps living down there!
Our chosen route up was a rather sharp steep and totally unrideable set of steps. But once at the top the down opened out in all its short grass covered chalky goodness. nigh on 3 miles of super fast downhill with the odd rutts and cow pats to hop over, only slowing for the sharp left hander that if we hadnt of judged would have sent us plumiting over the chalk cliffes.
The end of the downhill left us in Studland, where there was a handy real ale fesitval being held.
After a swift refresher we continued on accross the chain ferry and on to sandbanks/poole for lunch.
The return trip was made a little more difficult, we retraced our steps, had one too many at the Beer festival and then traversed a path around the edge of Ballard Down, which turned into a vietnam jungle hacking type slog. Nettle stings to the face bramble rips to the arms and a few ropey moments where it looked like vanishing down the steep sided slopes after clipping a tuft of grass on the narrow worn path.
However it opened up into a superb flowing section of single track that brought us back down into Swanage, stopping at the campsite bar for a post ride drink, and a good long smile it struck me that it was the best ride I have had this year. At this point my rear tire finally succombed to the thorns and spikes of the jungle section and went flat, leaving me to walk the last few hundred yards from the bar to the tent, however it didnt shift the smile. Sure the roads of Poole were a little dull but Ballard Down will stick in my memmory for a long time to come.
The next day the sun was out and sodding warm, had a good ride out over the purbecks to Lulworth cove, where I discovered I am the self proclaimed hill climbing champion of my little band of merry cyclists. A great day out but not a patch on saturdays run.
Rather jealous of you chaps living down there!
