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 Winter 2024/2025 schedule
| Date/ Time | Start | Cafe | Description | Distance | Ride Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Dec 0930 | Holmsley | Shappens, Burley | Climb 375ft. South across the A35 through Brownhills enclosure and Wootton, along the railway line, over Longslade, north up to Rhinefield House then back to Burley via Bisterne Close | 11.8 miles | David O |
| 28 Dec 0930 | Wootton Bridge | Brockenhurst | Climb 450 ft. From Wootton Bridge along railway line to Brock and into village on road, Balmer Lawn, then enclosures including Deny Lodge and back to Brock and railway back to Wootton. | 16.3 miles | David O |
| 4 Jan 9:30 | Holmsley car park, Forest Road | Orchard Lakes | Via Holmsley Passage and old railway line, through Wilverley, rejoin railway line, Sway, Tiptoe New Lane, café. Mixture of tracks. Mainly gravel | 12.7 miles | Mark |
| 11 Jan 9:30 | Wootton Bridge | Esme’s tearooms Brock | Gravel ride from Wootton Bridge along the old railway line to Brockenhurst, and out to the north east up through Denny Enclosure to Lyndhurst, then back to Brock on the west side of the A337 behind New Park Hotel. The group will mostly stay together to pedal back to Wootton. | 19 miles | Mark |
| 18 Jan TBA | (train assist) Poole station south side, time tba | Hiker Café, Hengistbury Head | Great winter ride along Bournemouth promenade and the scenic rivers in Christchurch, Mudeford Harbour, Highcliffe Castle and finish in Barton on Sea. Nice and flat! | 21.4 miles | David |
| 25 Jan 9:30 | Holmsley | Station Tearooms | Climb: 325ft, cross to south of A35, Brownhills, Wootton, bridge, old railway eastwards, back through Wilverley to café. Mixture of tracks | 11.1 miles | Mark |
| 1 Feb 9:30 | Start at Burley, meet at Woods Corner Car Park | Lyndhurst | A longer than usual ride starting and finishing at Burley so you may wish to drive there. Heading up to Bolderwood and then east through Holmshill Inclosure into Lyndhurst and from there back across Rhinefield to Burley. Mostly gravel ride. | 19.4 miles | David |
| 8/2 9:30 | Brownhills car park (return by train) | Happy Cheese pub | A nice one-way ride to Ashurst with the option to return to New Milton or beyond by train. Start at Bashley or Brownhills, the car park just before you reach the A35 heading north from Bashley. Old railway line to Brockenhurst and through the enclosures towards Beaulieu Road then Ashurst. | 17 miles | David |
| 15/2 9:30 | Holmsley | Shappens | From Holmsley to the railway line and across by the tearooms into Wilverley enclosure, then across the plain to Duck Hole near Brockenhurst, across the A35 and back to Burley via Bisterne Close | 10.5 miles | Mark |
| 22/2 9:30 | Smugglers car park. Location information will be sent in advance. | Hockeys, Ringwood | Nice route to the north east of Ringwood, heading up to Frogham and back via Ringwood. | 19 miles | Mark |
| 1/3 9:30 | Holmsley | Shappens | 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 | David |
| 8/3 09:45 | Sandbanks ferry 0945 for 1000 ferry | Corfe | Head across towards the Purbecks on the ferry and through the heath and enclosures then up onto the ridge at Brenscombe Hill and into Corfe Castle then return trip to Sandbanks. Climb: 725ft. | 16.3 miles | David |
| 15/3 9:30 | Holmsley car park | Orchard Lake | 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 | Mark |
| 22/3 9:30 | Castleman trail car park just outside Ringwood | Aroma Café, Verwood | Into Moors Valley and the fun single track, on through the park to Verwood and back through farmland , mixture of tracks, finish up on Castleman trail back to Ringwood. Not too hilly! Later finish than usual. Apx 2pm | 22 miles | David |
| 29/3 9:30 | Holmsley | Shappens | Head north from Holmsley across the ridge and join Burley Road at Burbush, head north via Castle Hill and Smugglers Road, cross A35 at Picket Post, head east and back to Burley via the enclosures to the north. | 12.2 Miles | David |
| 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 |