Maiden Newton to Dorchester
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Type: A mix of traffic-free routes, shared foot ways, bridleways and quiet roads
Access: Maiden Newton and Dorchester railway stations
Surface: Mostly tarmac with gravel between Cruxton and Southover and in Frampton Park
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This could be the ideal undemanding ride. It is fairly flat, the railway stations at either end are one stop apart, and much of it is not on the road. It also has the advantage of taking you through some of Dorset's beautiful countryside and delightful villages to its historic county town.
Starting at Maiden Newton railway station, this ride uses a mixture of paths and country roads alongside the River Frome. The route passes near Frampton, where the village green alone is well worth a visit and one of the bridges was designed by Sir Christopher Wren. You also pass through Bradford Peverell and Charminster before reaching Dorchester, the inspiration for Thomas Hardy's fictional town of Casterbridge. Hardy fans may wish to visit Max Gate, the house he built on the south-eastern edge of the town.
Download route description (pdf).
Local attractions:
- Nunnery Mead Nature Reserve
- Hog Cliff National Nature Reserve
- Wolfeton House, Dorchester
- Max Gate, Dorchester
- Maiden Castle, Dorchester
Bike hire:
- Cycloan, Dorchester
- Dorchester Cycles