In Blandford: Cerne Abbas OAB

September 1, 2022

So let’s make this quick, because there’s the threat of showers this afternoon in Bridport, and we’re not going to risk getting wet because we sat around too long waiting for Scott to finish the damn post!

This is way better than we’ve been expecting though. Once again the threat of real rain on Friday seems to have evaporated over the past 24 hours and this morning it looks like our chances of arriving in Bridport dry look quite good. We’re both cheerful this morning, to the point of being a bit giddy. I don’t know why, but somehow we always feel really good when it looks like we’re going to stay dry on a day we expected otherwise.

Also we’re in a good mood because before long we’ll head downstairs to breakfast, and we know what to expect because we did the same yesterday and were presented arguably the best Full English we’ve enjoyed this tour.

So, the ride. You know by now that Rachael went off on her hike. This was a last minute decision yesterday, driven by the weather forecast. Before seeing that it would be windy and possibly wet we were both planning to bike the hilly 40 mile out and back west to Cerne Abbas to see an interesting feature.

It has to be a pretty damn interesting feature to tempt Rocky to bike that far in the wind and possible rain, and this doesn’t quite qualify. Maybe if lemon scones had been involved, but that’s not the case today as far as we know; so I quickly draw up on RideWithGPS the hike she’s found on Kormoot, and we’re soon both out the door.

The ride was excellent. It didn’t rain. The interesting feature proved its worth, and it wasn’t the only thing worth the journey. There was a beer waiting at the end, and a happy partner. And at the really end of the day there was an excellent meal at a Nepalese restaurant to savor while we shared photos and vignettes from each other’s outing. A wonderful day, all around.

Leaving Blandford, crossing the Stour over one of Blandford’s two excellent footbridges. Oddly, I crossed the Stour three times on three different bridges before I was out of town. I’d show you the colorful pea-green Stour itself but Rachael’s already done that.

It’s grey and windy this morning, but pleasant. A lot of the ride so far is through woods or hedge-lined roads, but up here on top of one of the day’s three outbound summits the views are expansive.

It’s attractive country with a lower profile than we saw further north in Wiltshire. We’re in Dorset now, and most of today’s ride is within the Dorset AONB. In fact, most of Dorset County is within the AONB.

Just some village along the way. I stopped because of the faded pink hydrangeas but mostly to show the brownish brick, a building material that’s suddenly become common.

It’s an up and down day, but with one exception nothing’s too severe. Looking ahead, today’s route will take me through that gap and then behind the hills to the right to an interesting feature.

As long as I’m stopped here for a photo I might as well check out this interesting feature also.

I like this. It looks like the neighborhood watch house.

Here’s the one exception. Fine this way of course, but I won’t like it on the way home. I stopped here and looked ahead hoping maybe I could zoom in on the day’s interesting feature from here and spare myself some pain, but without success.

This isn’t THE interesting feature, but it’s certainly interesting. This is Saint Mary’s Church in Cerne Abbas. The church dates from the early 14th century, and surprisingly (because Cerne Abbas is but a small village) it hosts a music festival.

Taking stock of an interesting feature on the ground in front of Saint Mary’s Church.

Had I read up on it in advance I wouldn’t have been surprised to find that Cerne Abbas itself is an interesting attraction, well worth the ride out. This is part of a beautifully preserved set of ancient houses on Abbey Street, opposite Saint Mary’s Church.

On Abbey Street. Wouldn’t this be a place to call home though? Cerne Abbey nearly died with the coming of the railroads but has rebounded over the past century and now has a population nearing a thousand with a hotel and very appealing pub I wished I could have stopped for a beer at if I thought I could lift it up that 17% climb afterwards.

Entering the grounds of Cerne Abbey, greeted by the recently restored South Gate House. Its privately owned by owners who live onsite, and I’m lucky that the grounds are open to visitors today. The remains of the abbey, founded in 987, are well worth a slow look.

The back side of the South Gate House. On the left side is the edge of the guest house.

There are several fine old buildings in the heart of the village also. This is the New Inn, now a hotel but originally a coaching in from the 16th century.

Nearby is the Old Bell, a n early 16th century public house.

Finally, here’s the interesting feature. No, not the bike, silly. If it were that I could have saved myself the ride.

The mysterious Cerne Giant has been on his hill for at least the last 400 years, and possibly much longer.

The interesting background on the interesting feature.

It remains overcast but thankfully dry the whole way back to town, but for just a minute it looked like the sun might break out. I didn’t stop much because I’d like to make it back to town in time to stop in for some project work at the Crown Hotel.

Dropping to Piddletenthide on the River Piddle. A nice shot, but mostly included for the names.

A Fursty Ferret, from Badger Brewery, we’ll worth rushing back to town for. What is it with all the badgers around here?

Ride stats today: 40 miles, 3,700’; for the tour: 2,376 miles, 144,600’

Today's ride: 40 miles (64 km)
Total: 2,376 miles (3,824 km)

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Keith AdamsI may have stayed in the Old Bell 20 years ago when we did our first European tour- it looks vaguely familiar. I certainly remember the abbey and the Giant.
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