Monday 1 August 2016

The Only Way is Wessex.


The (nearly) Famous Five have just done the Wessex Ridgeway.



Two days of epic cross country cycling in rural Dorset.



66 miles of Bridleway
7000 ft of ascent.



Nettles, Brambles, Horseflies, Ticks, Blood, Sweat, nearly tears,
and lashings and lashings of ginger beer.



Well Beer and Cider at any rate.  


We all had a wonderful time,
And nobody died,
Hurrah!





5 comments:

Steve-the-Wargamer said...

Hi matey - second time lucky.. :o))

I was asking how much of the track is like that 4th picture, and whether it was do-able on a good hybrid or whether you need a mountain bike? Where did you do your overnight?

Graham Neil said...

Hi Steve, two of the bikes, the one in the middle and mine on the right hand side in the top photo are hybrids. Mine is a Marin SanRemo with a smaller granny ring fitted. Some of the up-hills are pretty much impossible so its off and push. John second from left who is seriously fit and has a Scott mountain bike could get up them all :)
Most of the tracks are good with just short bits of thick veg where the nettles and brambles have built up. Navigation was tricky in places, and all five of us used to work for Ordnance Survey. We only had three punctures between us mainly due to thorns. We stayed in B&Bs in Cerne Abbas half way and Up-Lyme at the end.
Route details here http://www.gps-routes.co.uk/routes/home.nsf/RoutesLinksCycle/wessex-ridgeway-trail-walking-and-cycle-route
Have fun, report back.
Graham.

Steve-the-Wargamer said...

Very tempted... :o)

Alden Smith said...

I remember a TV Comedy segment circa last century with Dawn French titled 'Five Go Mad In Dorset' - seemed to remember something about lashings of ginger beer.

Looks like fun - bet you had a blast.

Graham Neil said...

Who could forget the infamous line, "Timmy you're so licky."