In our quest for a lovely coastal route to celebrate the arrival of summer, we've decided to head a little further west along the famous Jurassic Coast than our regular Isle of Purbeck haunt. We hit the busy town of Bridport on market day, before edging our way slowly out of the western side and following the signs that guide us along the roads of Symondsbury Estate to the busy car park. Symondsbury is home to 1,500 acres of farmland and ancient woodland. The hub of the estate, Manor Yard, is where we start our ride, and has shops, a cafe, a bike shop and free parking, making it an ideal kick-off point for an adventure. The estate have also opened up some tracks through their land to create an 8km trail that lets cyclists avoid the roads.
King's road
Sadly, the MTB skills/jump park that was being built here never really got off the ground and has now disappeared altogether, but Symondsbury still welcomes cyclists, and the on-site shop can provide hire bikes, should you be on holiday here without your own. Although the 'trail' isn't a purpose-built track (just a field-edge one, which can get pretty muddy in winter), come the summer, when the ground is dry and firm, it provides a useful off-road link to the local bridleways. It delivers us straight out into quiet and pretty countryside and farmland, with colourful wildflowers and not a person in sight.
Esta historia es de la edición July 2023 de Mountain Biking UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición July 2023 de Mountain Biking UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
BIKETEST BACKCOUNTRY HARDTAILS
We see whether carbon fibre or steel, big-name value or boutique attention to detail comes out on top on the trails
NUKEPROOF MEGAWATT CARBON 297 RS
The original Megawatt proved itself almost instantly, winning our inaugural E-Bike of the Year award in 2022.
CALIBRE LINE T3 29
£1,100 (with £5 GO Outdoors card) Cost-effective proper' mountain bike
FIRST RIDES
STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BOX & ONTO THE TRAILS
ROUTES QUICK BLASTS
Facing shorter days and inclement weather, Max finds three satisfying routes that show it doesn't have to be an all-day ride or nothing
GRIME TIME
EXPERT WORKSHOP ADVICE
TRAILCREW HAVOK BIKEPARK
A hand-cut, rider-built bike park, Havok reopened earlier this year at a new site in West Yorkshire and is still expanding
From dust it did rise
Steve Thomas traces the birth of British mountain biking, from 'tracker bikes' to Muddy Fox
THROW DOWN THE CAUNTLET
In our final challenge of the series, we see if e-bikes really are as good at climbing as they're cracked up to be, as we tackle Antur Stiniog back to front
THE RIDER OFF YEAR' 23
THE BIG REVEAL! You voted in your thousands - now meet our winners...