Group leader: David Orme chairman@christchurchbicycleclub.org
Group coordinator: Marina Johnson saturdayoffroad@christchurchbicycleclub.org
These off-road rides run at the same time and are separate from the Saturday Morning Social Ride.
These regular offroad rides take place every Saturday, weather and available ride-leader permitting. Club members wishing to take part need to be added to the CBC Sat Off-Road WhatsApp distribution list – contact Marina to sign up, or with any queries. This is a friendly ride and no one gets left behind.
Outline details for upcoming rides are listed below. Rides/routes are subject to last minute changes or cancellation due to adverse weather and will be communicated by WhatsApp, so it is important you check for messages on the CBC Sat Off-road WhatsApp before you head out to the ride start.
The majority of rides start at Holmsley and will take place in the Burley area. A selection of rides are planned further afield (AD – Away Day). If you need help to transport your bike to the start points, please reach out to the group via WhatsApp.
Rides will be led by David Orme and others. Confirmation of routes and the ride leader will be sent via the WhatsApp group at least 24 hours in advance of each ride, along with a weblink to the route (eg via ‘komoot’ or ‘Ride with GPS’ – both free to register with) and means of downloading the GPX file.
For the 0930 starts at Holmsley car park, there are informal meet ups at 0900 at Bashley Stores, and at 0855 at the Oak Inn, Burton (neither of which are led) for those wishing to ride together to Holmsley. See Meeting Points Information.
A café stop is included in all the rides. Ride distances shown don’t include distances from home start points, Burton/Bashley informal meeting points or riding home from the café (unless indicated). For most people total ride distances tend to be between 20-30 miles long. We typically reach the café late morning. Some Away Day rides may finish mid-afternoon.
Speed is around 7-10 mph depending on terrain. You will need a mountain bike or hybrid/gravel bike with robust tyres. Please make sure you wear a helmet and you are properly equipped according to our CBC Ride Etiquette and Safety guidelines.
Saturday Off-Road Group Spring 2024 schedule.
Key: NF – New Forest Ride AD – ‘Away Day’ ride
Date/Time | Start | Cafe | Description | Distance | Key |
06-Apr 0930 | Holmsley car park, Forest Road | Shappens Burley | Towards Burley west via old railway line, north via Castle Hill towards A31 and loop back to Burley. Mixture of forest tracks | 11 miles | NF |
13-Apr 0930 | Wootton Bridge car park | Brockenhurst | East along the old railway line, through Brockenhurst, north to Lyndhurst, south via Balmer Lawn. Mostly gravel tracks. | 19.3 miles | NF |
20-Apr 0930 | Holmsley car park, Forest Road | Sammy Miller or Orchard Lakes | Via Holmsley Passage and old railway line, through Wilverley, rejoin railway line, Sway, Tiptoe New Lane, café. Mixture of tracks | 12.7 miles | NF |
27-Apr 0950 for 1000 ferry | Sandbanks Ferry | Corfe Castle | From ferry loop round Swanage and Corfe area, returning to ferry. Mixture of tracks and road. | 18.2 miles | AD |
04-May 0930 | Holmsley car park, Forest Road | Shappens, Burley | Through Brownhills to Wootton Bridge, Wilverley, cross A35, into Burley via Creek Bottom. Mixture of tracks. | 10.9 miles | NF |
11-May 0930 | Holmsley car park, Forest Road | Station Tearooms, Holmsley | Cross to south of A35, Brownhills, Wootton Bridge, old railway eastwards, back through Wilverley to café. Mixture of tracks. | 10.1 miles | NF |
18-May 0930 | The Elm Tree Pub, Ringwood BH24 3DY | Royal Oak, Fritham | Through Ringwood, forest tracks east to Fritham, loop back to Ringwood after café. | tba | AD |
25-May 0930 | Ringwood: Hurn Road and Castleman Railway car park | Costa, Verwood | Through Moors Valley north, farm tracks, loop south via Verwood and Three Legged cross, back along Castleman railway. Mixture of road and tracks. | 30 miles | AD |
01-Jun 0930 | Holmsley car park, Forest Road | Shappens, Burley | Via Holmsley passage and railway through Wilverley, north across A35 into Burley via Bisterne Close. | 10.5 miles | NF |
08-Jun0930 | Holmsley car park, Forest Road | Shappens, Burley | Via Whitten Pond and Long Pond over Church Moor west of Burley, head north across Moortown Lane, Smugglers Road, skirting A31, south to Burley. Mixture of tracks. | 11 miles | NF |
15-Jun 0930 | Holmsley car park, Forest Road | Shappens, Burley | Across A35 through Brownhills to Wootton Bridge, Wilverley Plain, Rhinefield, east back to Burley. Mixture of tracks. | 12.1 miles | NF |
22-JunMeet 0845 for 0900 ferry | Lymington Wightlink Ferry | Needles | Mix of road and tracks. | tba | AD |
29-Jun 0930 | Holmsley car park, Forest Road | Shappens, Burley | Across Holmsley Passage to old railway line and to Burley via White Buck, enclosures north of Lyndhurst Road, including the ‘Faerie’ woods. | 10.3 miles | NF |