Christchurch Bicycle Club
Dorset, England 
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 in other areas. If you need help to transport your bike to the start points, please reach out to the group via WhatsApp.
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 via ‘komoot’ which is free to register with and from which the GPX file can be downloaded.
Starts at Holmsley car park are at 0930. 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. Start times for other start locations are shown on the schedule below.
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. IOW/Purbeck rides may finish later.
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 October – December 2024 schedule
| Date | Start | Café | Description | Distance | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Sept | 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 | Mark |
| 5 Oct | Holmsley car park, Forest Road | Shappens, Burley | Climb: 400ft. From Holmsley skirting to the west of Burley on track to Crow Lane and up Castle Hill, across the plain towards the A31 and back southwards into Burley | 11 miles | David O |
| 12 Oct | A gentle short ride because most people are taking part in the Gridiron the following day. Details to follow on that one nearer the time. | ||||
| 19Oct | Holmsley car park, Forest Road | Station Tearooms, Holmsley | Climb: 325ft. Cross to south of A35, Brownhills, Wootton Bridge, old railway eastwards, back through Wilverley to café. Mixture of tracks. | 10.7 miles | Mark |
| 26 Oct 0930 | Wootton Bridge car park, meet 0930 | Lyndhurst | Climb: 650ft. East along the old railway line, through Brockenhurst, north to Lyndhurst, south via Balmer Lawn. Mostly gravel tracks. | 19.3 miles | David O |
| 2 Nov | Holmsley car park, Forest Road | Farmhouse, Burley | Climb: 300ft. Through Brownhills to Wootton Bridge, Wilverley, cross A35, into Burley via Creek Bottom. Mixture of tracks. | 11.6 miles | David O |
| 9 Nov | Holmsley car park, Forest Road | Shappens, Burley | Climb: 550ft. Towards Burley west via old railway line, north via Castle Hill towards A31 and loop back to Burley. Mixture of forest tracks | 13.1 miles | Mark |
| 16 Nov 0930 | Ringwood (car park). Meet 0930 | Verwood | Including single track fun at Moors Valley. Detailed route to follow. | David O | |
| 23 Nov | Holmsley car park, Forest Road | Farmhouse, Burley | Climb: 374ft. From Holmsley through the enclosures and onto the railway line to Holmsley tearooms and then through Wilverley enclosure. Through Longslade, back along the railway line to Wootton and Bashley. | 12.5 miles | David O |
| 30 Nov | Holmsley car park, Forest Road | Shappens, Burley | Climb: 600ft. Through Holmsley enclosure and Bisterne Close just east of Burley and gravel track north to Boldrewood and the Canadial War Memorial, then south downhill back into Burley. | 13.5 | Mark |
| 7 Dec 0930 | Smugglers car park. Meet 0930 | Hockeys, Ringwood | Climb: 950ft. Nice route to the north east of Ringwood, heading up to Frogham and back via Ringwood. | 19.6 miles | David O |
| 14 Dec | Holmsley car park, Forest Road | Station Tearooms, Holmsley | Climb: 325ft. Through Holmsley Enclosure, west on Railway, into Burley, skirt the A35 on both sides and back to tearooms. | 10.1 miles | David O |
| 21 Dec | Holmsley car park, Forest Road | Shappens, Burley | Climb: 375ft. South across the A35 through Browhills enclosure and Wootton, along the railway line, over Longslade Bottom, north up to Rhinefield House then back to Burley via Bisterne Close. | 11.8 miles | Mark |
| 28 Dec 0930 | Wootton. Meet 0930 | Brockenhurst | Climb: 450ft. From Wootton Bridge along railway line to Brock and into village on road, Balmer Lawn, then enclosures including Denny Lodge and back to Brock and railway back to Wootton. | 16.3 miles | David O |