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Bournemouth 2: Poole party

Posted on 9 November 202110 November 2021 by Rob Ainsley

Yesterday was east; today was west, through Poole to the Isle of Purbeck via chain ferry, then back to Bournemouth via that endless seafront path.

Fall guy: Autumn in Bournemouth alongside the Bourne

After the cycle path which runs north through parkland alongside the Bourne I took roads to neighbouring Poole. I came here in 2010 as the first of my Rhyming Coast to Coasts, but had time to admire more of the town today.

There’s a lot of waterside stuff to admire, too, with plenty of cyclable parkland and harbourfront paths, but I was also intrigued to come upon the Poole Park Cycle Track. Once a 550m racetrack, it’s now a tarmac loop on which you can go round and round in circles and not really get anywhere, a feeling cycle-campaigners know all too well.

Wheel meet again: Monuments at Poole Park Cycle Track

Figures of two Victorian cyclists commemorate the circuit’s sporty past, and it’s interesting to see how little bicycles have changed since then – or moustaches.

World-class: Harbourside cycling in Poole

Poole is one of the world’s largest natural harbours, so perhaps it’s just as well there aren’t cycle paths around its entire shoreline; I’d still be riding it. I headed south along the east side, anyway, to the spit of land at Sandbanks to catch the chain ferry over to the Isle of Purbeck. I enjoyed the view, but perhaps the best view is from the upper deck of the yellow No 50 bus that uses the crossing.

Vital links: Chain ferry between Sandbanks and the Isle of Purbeck

It was a bit too early to have a pint at the Bankes Inn in thatchy, echt-Dorset Studland, despite the temptation of a splendid view from its beer garden, and I had a coach home to catch.

Studland this way: Quiet road on the Isle of Purbeck

So I retraced my steps to the ferry, and back on the ‘mainland’ (though the Isle of Purbeck isn’t an island at all, just a peninsula) ambled four miles up the seafront path back to the centre of Bournemouth.

Routefinding no problem: Heading east towards Bournemouth on the seafront path
In the groove: Bournemouth’s Middle Chine

The Dorset coast is known for ‘chines’ – short, narrow ravines that slice through the cliffs to the sea. Some of them you can cycle up, the longest being Middle Chine. Which I did, enjoying the cool, rich autumnal feel. Feeling cool or rich are not common experiences for me.

I can sea clearly now: Dusk by the beach at Middle Chine in Bournemouth

It was time to fold up my bike and get the coach back home. I’ve had a lovely break, and enjoyed not having to do any work, just riding round and chilling out. Unless you’re from HMRC, in which case it was a hard-working work break for work, and totally claimable against expenses.

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