Sherborne/Yeovil

jizzleb

Just moved to the North Dorset area and wondered if any one knew of any good MTB routes around these parts?

Been out a bit exploring and found some great stuff but if any one knows any please let me know!

quattrojames

Have you looked out UKbikepark?

http://www.ukbikepark.com/

I've not been, but hope to get there sometime in the Autumn.

I'm a bit more central/south Dorset probably (midway between Poole and Dorchester, so have Wareham Forest and the Purbecks nearby. There's some great tracks off Win Green along the Ridgeway too.

jizzleb

Nice, not heard of that place. Have you ridden down the Quantocks as well? That looks pretty good riding.

alan_sherman

The Blackdowns should be good for riding and pretty close for you. I used to road ride round there as a kid with Chard Wheelers and Wellington Wheelers so don't know trails but there must be loads of bridleways. tried asking in the local shops for suggestions?

Billbear

There's an outstanding bike shop in Blandford Forum - Offcamber, who do organised rides around the area. MTB group RIdes tend to be Tuesdays, Road group rides on Thursdays. they are a great bunch and support all levels of rider, including a few MTB racers on the Southern XC series. Highly recommended to get you right across N Dorset and into the Cranborne Chase!
www.offcamber.co.uk
Good Luck

quattrojames

I've been into Offcamber a few times and they're always helpful, I should sort myself out and join them for a ride soon.

jizzleb wrote:

Nice, not heard of that place. Have you ridden down the Quantocks as well? That looks pretty good riding.

No I haven't, there's an article on it in this months MBUK I think.

spodomodo

Right on your doorstep there's a bunch of bridleways and trails which you can use for a circuit of Sherborne - look on an OS map - trails particularly concentrated around Trent, Sandford Orcas/ Corton Denham area. Not technical but a few good climbs - v. muddy Autumn onwards and pretty un-ridable then.

Cranborne Chase around Tollard Royal is quite a good loop - featured in MBR in April? I think.

The circuit of the Isle of Purbeck starting at Corfe Castle's worth a go - scenic with St Adhelms Head and Old Harry's Rocks etc - stop at the Bankes Arms on the way round.

The Qs are definitely the best bet though for all year round fun - just go there explore/get lost a few times you'll soon find the trails.

Vertebrate Graphics do a good guide to MTBing in SWest - routes in the Qs, Exmoor and Dartmoor - all within reach.

Remember South Wales not too far away - Brecon Beacons with some of the best natural trails anywhere and Cwmcarn just over the bridge and Afan is doable in a day.


All in all there are plenty of worse places to be.

kja

I'm in Sherborne, quite a lot of bridleways and UCRs round here. Sounds like you've discovered some of it already. Would be happy to meet up sometime for a ride out, with the caveat that I'm unfit, unskilled and un-brave!

jizzleb

KJA wrote:

I'm in Sherborne, quite a lot of bridleways and UCRs round here. Sounds like you've discovered some of it already. Would be happy to meet up sometime for a ride out, with the caveat that I'm unfit, unskilled and un-brave!

KJA - PM'd you mate

kja

Sent you an email dood.

Plod

I grew up around Sherborne. I remember going to Ham Hill west of Yeovil for some off roading. Lots of drops and jumps that I wasn't brave enough to tackle. I did roll down a six foot slope and bend my forks on one ocassion though.

Could also try a bridle path decent from the Bradford Abbas road down to the shops at the bottom of babylon hill (where dual carriageway from Sherborne enters Yeovil). Really only a two minute thing if you were out on a short blast. Only problem is it bypasses quite a good road decent through Bradford hollow.

Also, try going south from Chetnole and up Batcombe hill. Okay so it's a road route but it's the sort of lane that has grass in the middle and it'd bloody steep.

kja

Hmm, that 'Bridle path' is actually an Unclassified County Road and has been thouroughly abused by 4x4s, I did consider riding down it but decided I would probably have killed myself!

Not tried Ham Hill, but the Yeovil bike shops seem to recommend it.

I think JizzleB and I are going to try and meet up for a night ride in the next week or so. There's a superb section of single track bridleway that starts in the village he lives in. There's plenty of UCRs, Byways and Bridleways to explore round here. Unfortunelty as we head into winter some of them become too muddy to ride. Haven't got the guts/skill to try UKbikepark, although it is only half an hour or so away.

DrLex

KJA wrote:

[...]
Not tried Ham Hill, but the Yeovil bike shops seem to recommend it.
[...]

Rock and Road, a great LBS in Yeovil, do some Thursday evening runs in the area. There are some great trails on and around the Hill.

jizzleb

Sounds like I have moved to quite a good place really!!! :-)

Cheers for the input peeps.