Ride Round Exmoor the other way – September 2007

[Stingo]

Originally Posted by Mogs

Theres a significant view for a start/end at Tiverton, is that close enough? Stingo maybe pursuaded to join us. Chances are that the route won't be Porlock again (thats Pollocks to you - Hovis ) . Personally I would like to stay south of the M5 maybe Sidmouth and the Lyme Regis area, but I dont know the roads so I'll take the advice of the locals.

Non SV's are of course welcome.

I might you know - I just might. I was going to come on the Porlocks but ended up having to do stuff of a domestic nature - it's the way of things I suppose.....alas - options 3 & 4 do look good.

Originally Posted by Mogs

Theres a significant view for a start/end at Tiverton, is that close enough? Stingo maybe pursuaded to join us. Chances are that the route won't be Porlock again (thats Pollocks to you - Hovis ) . Personally I would like to stay south of the M5 maybe Sidmouth and the Lyme Regis area, but I dont know the roads so I'll take the advice of the locals.

Non SV's are of course welcome.

Tiverton is a bit far west for me, I'd prefer Fizz's sugestion for a ride in Dorset / Somerset.


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[fizzwheel]

At the moment, the consensus is for a new route on Sat 15th September... Any dissenters say aye now.

TBH I dont really care, but there are some beautiful parts of the country around my neck of the woods. Seems a shame not to ride them.

15th sounds cool, should still be sunny!

Route 1, 2 or 4 look fine to me as I've not been on one before but as many seem to want to change the route then 4 would be best for me!

Don't wanna ride too far up country as my baby may get scared and home sick (my bike can be quite sensitive!).

Regards

[fizzwheel]

Nice day, been out for a bimble and worked out a route for Option 3 that I posted about before.

Covers, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire.

Start and Finish at Podimore Services, where the A37 & A303 meet, Has a little chef, and fuel and plenty of room for bikes to park.

A quick hop down the A303, and then take the A356 to Crewkerne, stay on the A356 and head to Dorchester. ( this is a mix of twisty technical B roads and A roads with wide sweeping bends and straights )

This comes out on the A37, head for Dorchester after a few miles take a left for Charminster, and Follow the A352 through Sydling St Nicholas and Cerne Abbas, ( more twisty B road fun, Theres a car park and an Ice Cream van by the Cerne Giant at Cerne Abbas, so could stop here for a leg stretch )

Keep Following the A352, Just before Sherborne take the A3030 towards Sturminster Newton. ( nice fast road, some twisties and open sweeping corners, good road surface )

Then Pick up A357 towards Blandford, Looks like a good pub in a village called Fiddleford, had a tarmac carpark and seating outside and was open all day for food, This is reached after about 60 miles so is probably a good time for a lunch stop.

Again mixture of twisties and wide sweeping bends, good fun and surface, theres a weird optical illusion / blind summit just before Durweston you'll think your going into Orbit but you wont.

After Durweston at the traffic lights for the bridge over the River Stour, take a left Follow A350 towards Stourpaine, then stay on that road all the way to Shaftesbury, its nice this bit, good surface and some really tight hairpin corners seperated by longish straights, a chance to test your braking and cornering skills very enjoyable.

At Shaftesbury, follow the A30 towards Sailsbury for a couple of hundred metres and then take the B3081, this will take you up the Infamous "Zig Zag Hill" its not as steep as Porlock, but it has more bends and they are tighter, on the GSXR this is a 1st gear clutch slip set of bends right on maximum steering lock. Good fun.

Then out across Cranborne Chase towards Sixpenny Handly, then take the A354 towards Sailsbury.

I peeled off before Sailsbury following Signs fo Sailsbury race course, then once I had passed that, I continued on towards Wilton. ( This was good as it means we dont have to navigate our way through Sailsbury on a Saturday afternoon, trust me you dont want to do this )

At the traffic lights in Wilton take a left ( you have to ) and the follow the A30 back towards Shaftesbury again, then at Shaftesbury ( about 120 miles covered by this point, theres a Tescos in Shaftesbury that would make a good fuel stop at this point ) Then take the A30 towards Sherborne.

This is 40 odd miles of sharp bends, agian with Long sweepers and straights I really opened the bike up along here. Good fun.

Then at Sherborne take the B3148 towards Marston Magna, follow a few back roads back to Podimore Services.

All in all a good ride I thought, a nice mixture of corners and straights, some technical some not, plenty of over taking oppportunities and apart from the A30 b*gger all traffic even on a Saturday afternoon.

All in all approx 140 miles.

How's that sound ? Interested ?

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

All in all a good ride I thought, a nice mixture of corners and straights, some technical some not, plenty of over taking oppportunities and apart from the A30 b*gger all traffic even on a Saturday afternoon.

All in all approx 140 miles.

How's that sound ? Interested ?

Excellent, count me in for the 15th.




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