Checkpoint Numbers & Names
Dorset 4 – Durlston Head
Day 14 was to be the first day of a three day BCQ extravaganza that would cover over 100 miles, and five checkpoints – four in Dorset and one in Hampshire.
My base for the trip was to be a small B&B in Wareham for two nights, so with a bike packed with three days worth of clothing and sundries it was time to board the train to Wareham. After a pleasant couple of hours on the train reading an dwatching the scenery go by I was in Wareham and having located and checked in to the B&B it was time to make the shortest of the three rides down to Swanage to visit the checkpoint at Durlston head.
Heading out of Wareham southwards on the A351, through Stoborough Green, and along to and through Corfe where the road became a little more ‘rolling’ for the next few miles as I passed through the village of Harmans Cross and quickly in to the Outskirts of Swanage itself.
The checkpoint at Durlston Head is on the other side of Swanage, so after negotiating the one way system through the town it was on to the deceptively sharp hill from the town up to the Durlston Head visitor centre which also provided a very welcome lunch stop. Having spent some time at the visitor centre and surrounding area I re-mounted the bike and set off back to the start, there was still plenty of time in the day and I wanted to stop at Corfe Castle if I could.
Taking a slightly different route through the town from the way in, and quickly found the A351 for the return journey back to Wareham. By the time I passed back through Corfe there was still plenty of daylight left, so I stopped in at the castle to have a good look around and partake in the obligatory local tea and cake. After which it was a quick trot back to the B&B to rest and prepare for the next two days that were going to be much tougher.
Miles Cycled –22
Checkpoints Visited – 1
Total Miles Cycled – 503
Total Checkpoints Visited – 26
Click here to download a gpx file of this ride
