Starting in the village of Winfrith Newburgh, site of atomic testing in the 50s and 60s, we head down to the Dorset Coast, climbing Dagger’s Gate, before heading onto Whiteways Hill with its gradients briefly exceeding 15%. With panoramic views over the Jurassic coast the ride plunges down to Corfe Castle. Here, we enjoy spectacular views of the ruined fortress, once described as England’s most impregnable before being destroyed in the English Civil War by parliamentarian forces.
After a circuit of the town, we head for Studland Beach on the shores of Poole Harbour, the second largest natural harbour in the world after Sydney.