Frosty morning
Me and Dan set off from Poole around 7am. January this year is spoiling us with good weather, but it was on a cold side before the dusk. Wareham welcomed us with a calm and misty view of the road ahead of us.
First pit stop: Lulworth Cove. A thermos with coffee caried in our bags came very useful seeing that all cafes were still closed.
Farmlands and quiet country lanes
Our plan was to stick to the back country lanes as much as possible to avoid the traffic. We didn't want to follow the offroad South Coast path either as it becomes very dump and inaccessible for bikes in the winter. The narrow farm roads were muddy enough to enjoy some dirt anyway and we managed to find some chalky offroad sections too, spicing up the trip with puddles covered with ice. It's so much fun smashing through them on a gravel bike.
One of the highlights of the trip was probably the viewpoint at Ringstead car park. Neither me or Dan knew about that place and it's perfect for a little hike too, with the views of Weymouth Harbour, Portland Island and cliffs to the left. The downhill road from there towards Osmington deserves a round of applause too.
Give us the bacon, Weymouth!
We got to Weymouth just before 11am which was still very much acceptable time for breakfast. There's no shortage of highly rated cafes in town. We found one called Cafe Blue serving excellent food and coffee, with some sittings outside overlooking the seafront. Perfection after cold morning ride.
