Bath to Bournemouth

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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Dursleycyclist
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Bath to Bournemouth

Post by Dursleycyclist »

Looking for a few different rides in 2025 and one of them is planning to do Bristol to Bournemouth - using the sustrans Bath to Bournemouth route.
Just wondering if there's anyone who has done this recently and may have info about a good half-way stop over. Looking for a cycle friendly hotel/ b&b about half way (ish!) on the route . Thanks
cycle tramp
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Re: Bath to Bournemouth

Post by cycle tramp »

Hello There
Did it way back in 2014 and 2015, and really enjoyed the journey both times. Lots of beautiful countryside and the journey goes through longleat and touches on the wonderful Stourhead gardens.
Both times the groups I was with, made an overnight stop at Shaftesbury. It was by Shaftesbury's main roundabout. .. might have been a premier Inn or something....
Unlimited economic growth in a world of finite resources doesn't fit nor does it guarantee happiness.
rjb
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Re: Bath to Bournemouth

Post by rjb »

And you get a chance to climb Gold Hill and eat some Hovis. :lol:
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cycle tramp
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Re: Bath to Bournemouth

Post by cycle tramp »

And because this possibly my one and only chance to do it.. here's Bill Hicks, he mentions Shaftsbury (there's also some swearing.. its okay, Hick's is dead now)....

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KKJRPyuNi6I
Unlimited economic growth in a world of finite resources doesn't fit nor does it guarantee happiness.
cycle tramp
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Re: Bath to Bournemouth

Post by cycle tramp »

If money was no object and I was doing the route again ... I'd bet tempted to make the first day's mileage at little shorter and stop at Stourhead, booking this place and using the afternoon or evening to enjoy Stourhead gardens https://www.spreadeagleinn.com/
Unlimited economic growth in a world of finite resources doesn't fit nor does it guarantee happiness.
ymfb
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Location: Salisbury

Re: Bath to Bournemouth

Post by ymfb »

Dursleycyclist wrote: 6 Oct 2024, 12:47pm Looking for a few different rides in 2025 and one of them is planning to do Bristol to Bournemouth - using the sustrans Bath to Bournemouth route.
Just wondering if there's anyone who has done this recently and may have info about a good half-way stop over. Looking for a cycle friendly hotel/ b&b about half way (ish!) on the route . Thanks
Are you thinking of riding there and back, or just one way? What mileage are you comfortable doing in a day ? I’ve ridden most of i5 at different times. Bath to Salisbury once, Shaftesbury lots of times, Salisbury to Blandford via Gillingham.

The ride from Bath to Frome is mainly on former railway track bed and in my opinion great. The off road NCN around Frome is still incomplete and known as the missing link.

There is a Best Western hotel called The chase at Shaftesbury, not sure there is a Premier Inn or similar.

If it was me I would be looking to ride to Bournemouth in one day as there are masses of places stay there.
Two wheels preferred.
cycle tramp
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Re: Bath to Bournemouth

Post by cycle tramp »

ymfb wrote: 6 Oct 2024, 9:34pm
Dursleycyclist wrote: 6 Oct 2024, 12:47pm Looking for a few different rides in 2025 and one of them is planning to do Bristol to Bournemouth - using the sustrans Bath to Bournemouth route.
Just wondering if there's anyone who has done this recently and may have info about a good half-way stop over. Looking for a cycle friendly hotel/ b&b about half way (ish!) on the route . Thanks
There is a Best Western hotel called The chase at Shaftesbury, not sure there is a Premier Inn or similar.
That's the badger! It's the one on the roundabout. It's very nice.
Unlimited economic growth in a world of finite resources doesn't fit nor does it guarantee happiness.
richardfm
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Location: Cardiff, Wales

Re: Bath to Bournemouth

Post by richardfm »

cycle tramp wrote: 6 Oct 2024, 10:36pm
ymfb wrote: 6 Oct 2024, 9:34pm
Dursleycyclist wrote: 6 Oct 2024, 12:47pm Looking for a few different rides in 2025 and one of them is planning to do Bristol to Bournemouth - using the sustrans Bath to Bournemouth route.
Just wondering if there's anyone who has done this recently and may have info about a good half-way stop over. Looking for a cycle friendly hotel/ b&b about half way (ish!) on the route . Thanks
There is a Best Western hotel called The chase at Shaftesbury, not sure there is a Premier Inn or similar.
That's the badger! It's the one on the roundabout. It's very nice.
I seem to recall that Best Western have come bottom of consumer surveys for the quality of their hotels on more than one occasion.
Richard M
Cardiff
PT1029
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Re: Bath to Bournemouth

Post by PT1029 »

Nice countryside, but is is quite a hilly area, so don't over do he milage.
We did Bradford on Avon > Salisbury in one day last year (Wiltshire cycleway). It was a pretty hard day. Next time I'd do it over 2 days, may be stop in/near Bruton, near Stourhead (worth a visit).
richardfm
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Re: Bath to Bournemouth

Post by richardfm »

PT1029 wrote: 7 Oct 2024, 8:40am Nice countryside, but is is quite a hilly area, so don't over do he milage.
We did Bradford on Avon > Salisbury in one day last year (Wiltshire cycleway). It was a pretty hard day. Next time I'd do it over 2 days, may be stop in/near Bruton, near Stourhead (worth a visit).
I did Bath to Salisbury in one day this summer. I didn't find it too hilly or particularly hard. Maybe I went a different route to you
Richard M
Cardiff
mattheus
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Re: Bath to Bournemouth

Post by mattheus »

ymfb wrote: 6 Oct 2024, 9:34pm The ride from Bath to Frome is mainly on former railway track bed and in my opinion great. The off road NCN around Frome is still incomplete and known as the missing link.
Could you give me some pointers to this? I put this route into cycle.travel and it just seems to send you along lanes - nothing that looks like ex-railway.
Thanks!
cycle tramp
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Joined: 5 Aug 2009, 7:22pm

Re: Bath to Bournemouth

Post by cycle tramp »

Damn.. I was hoping to post a map....
Ah, found it

https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-rout ... urnemouth/
Unlimited economic growth in a world of finite resources doesn't fit nor does it guarantee happiness.
ymfb
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Location: Salisbury

Re: Bath to Bournemouth

Post by ymfb »

mattheus wrote: 7 Oct 2024, 12:38pm
ymfb wrote: 6 Oct 2024, 9:34pm The ride from Bath to Frome is mainly on former railway track bed and in my opinion great. The off road NCN around Frome is still incomplete and known as the missing link.
Could you give me some pointers to this? I put this route into cycle.travel and it just seems to send you along lanes - nothing that looks like ex-railway.
Thanks!
Cycle Tramp has in the post above has added a link.
Two wheels preferred.
Richard Fairhurst
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Location: Charlbury, Oxfordshire

Re: Bath to Bournemouth

Post by Richard Fairhurst »

mattheus wrote: 7 Oct 2024, 12:38pm
ymfb wrote: 6 Oct 2024, 9:34pm The ride from Bath to Frome is mainly on former railway track bed and in my opinion great. The off road NCN around Frome is still incomplete and known as the missing link.
Could you give me some pointers to this? I put this route into cycle.travel and it just seems to send you along lanes - nothing that looks like ex-railway.
Thanks!
If you ask c.t for Bath to Frome it sends you via the old railway (in tunnel!) as far as Wellow:

https://cycle.travel/map?from=Bath&to=F ... -2.3216633

It then cuts off the corner from there to Frome (possibly to send you via the Tuckers Grave inn :D ) but you can see the alternative railway route via Radstock fairly clearly and can drag it that way.
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mattheus
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Re: Bath to Bournemouth

Post by mattheus »

Thanks all!
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