Egg's Lead To The Challenge Weymouth Bike Course

I headed off to deepest Dorset amongst cycling buddy Sarah at the weekend for a outset recce of the Challenge Weymouth wheel course. I get got written a basic guide to the chief parts of the course of report below, but earlier yous embark on a recce of your own, delight Federal Reserve annotation these of import points:

There is only ONE proper tea store en route every bit far every bit nosotros could run into (Pine Lodge Team Rooms, pose out 5) together with the outset fourth dimension nosotros passed it, it was closed. It's a mysterious house without a website or a Facebook page thus the opening hours rest unknown. Sarah has been i time earlier though together with tin vouch for their cream teas. 

Part of the route appears to postulate a mount bike. H5N1 really hardy route cyclist may adventure their prophylactic across the i hundred or thus metres of gravel (3) but nosotros picked upwardly our steeds together with shouldered them over. This was after several navigational misadventures every bit nosotros couldn't believe the route genuinely went that agency despite the GPS telling us it did. Challenge Tri get got assured me it is beingness resurfaced though, phew!

WARNING: The route shown below includes bits of getting lost, brusque cuts together with deviations.

The route starts along the ocean front end together with after a apartment start, leads gently upwardly to the left. Where the route turns away from the ocean at that spot is a nifty spot to halt (yes I know, you've only simply started..) at the Oasis Cafe (1). After nosotros failed to discovery whatever tea stops on the outset loop nosotros came dorsum hither for a mid-route luncheon suspension together with enjoyed massive sandwiches amongst a ocean view. I recommend yous convey a small-scale notepad every bit they also get got loads of hidden cake, yous get got to inquire sneakily for the list.

Back to the course, a gentle climb leads yous to a roundabout where yous get got the outset larn out towards Upwey together with onto the newly named Ketchup Hill (2). If yous create halt for nutrient at the aforementioned cafe, don't become likewise heavy on the condiments together with thus afterward hitting this climb hard. It's non massive, but sure long plenty to larn yous warm from that ocean swim. You're allowed brusque time out through Broadwey earlier yous veer off left onto the cycle route together with re-commence the climbing. This climb eventually leads to the off-road department (3), but i time you're over that obstacle, it spits yous out on a fabulously fast descent into Broadmayne (4). The route is brilliant, simply meandering plenty to arrive exciting but non likewise much that yous get got bother amongst featherbrained things similar using the brakes.

Once past times Broadmayne, the course of report undulates nicely through some villages together with shortly after the Pine Lodge Tea Rooms (5), yous hang a left. At this holler for yous leave of absence the shine roads behind together with company upwardly a pot-holed evil department toward Puddletown (6). On our outset loop nosotros accidentally missed this department entirely, favouring a shortcut (7) through Tincleton. This shortcut is genuinely far to a greater extent than pleasant together with if nobody is watching on race day, I visit yous should stealthily simply wing it downwardly that agency instead. From Puddletown the route is supposed to become dorsum downwardly the dark-green work shown on the map but nosotros (okay, I) managed to larn it incorrect on the instant loop every bit good together with ventured off through Tolpuddle (8). It was at this holler for that EggNav got me inwards problem every bit I had promised Sarah nosotros wouldn't get got to create the Affpuddle department (9) on the instant lap. The Affpuddle (renamed 'Alfpuddle'.. "Who's Alf?!" .."He's a bastard") out together with dorsum is a cheeky fleck of the course of report where a succession of hills Pb yous to a turnaround point. On the instant loop it volition endure really tempting to skip this fleck entirely, you'll desire to simply whizz instantly over the route together with pretend yous never saw it.

Once Affpuddle is done, it's onto Bovington where at to the lowest degree at that spot are lots of things to await at together with endure distracted past times every bit yous transcend the Tank museum. It was at this holler for on both loops that the Sun was genuinely shining together with Sarah suggested I larn novel cycling shorts. Having cycled to a greater extent than frequently than non behind me, she declared that my shorts were likewise sparse together with that the Sun illuminated my whole bum crack. This fact kept me really amused together with cheery every bit nosotros joined the chief route into a headwind. 

As presently every bit yous plough the corner again, yous bring together a beautifully shine together with fast route toward Stoborough (10). I hitting the drops together with made sure I was every bit bent over every bit possible for Sarah together with nosotros glided over the tarmac. I didn't desire this department to end. At the cease yous brand a correct plough at a roundabout together with get got to bring together some other chief route briefly earlier turning off onto some quieter province lanes. The lanes (11) are nicely sheltered together with inwards surprisingly expert condition. 

You rejoin the busier roads i time again at Wool (12) where at that spot is also the only decent-looking pub on the course. Sarah scouted this every bit her wheel supporting spot together with thus nosotros stopped chatting together with got our heads downwardly every bit the side past times side 10 or thus miles are a fleck of a slog along the chief road, culminating inwards a draggy department along the dual-carriageway.

We turned left at some other roundabout together with I was thus pleased to endure off the fast route that I didn't attention nearly the climb towards Poxwell together with Osmington (13), but on the instant loop every bit my legs were tiring I could concord amongst Sarah that Poxwell was indeed poxy. However, i time you're over the colina at the top of Osmington Bay (don't forget to glance to the left for some amazing views!) it's downhill all the agency dorsum to start. The long downhill complete is a nifty agency to recover the legs, past times the fourth dimension nosotros were dorsum along the seafront I definitely felt similar I could run a marathon if I genuinely had to. Instead, nosotros opted for chicken together with cookies at Morrisons, mayhap recce the run side past times side time.

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