Yellow Route- Boscombe to Poole Seafront including 3 chines.
First of new series of posts demonstrating best identified cycle routes of the area, distance, time and map.
these are the most enjoyable ways to commute, recreate and enjoy cycling in our beautiful centre parcs by sea.
Starting today with the attraction that brings thousands to the area, where cycle improvements and vision is gaining momentum not from only the many people that love to ride here, by the Council too. In 2014/15 we are reaching the end of LSTF funding to spend on some infrastructure changes, I suggest the routes here whilst not all off road- are those of directional perfection- they will get you to exactly where you want quicker than anything else. Other colours will appear as I write the route descriptions.
Bournemouth’s Blue Flag beaches are one of the attractions Dorset can be truly proud of, once inside the bay a visitor is rewarded with views of the white chalk cliffs of the Isle of Wight on one side, and the famous stack of Old Harrys rocks on the other. These were once joined in one land mass before the last Ice- age. Cycling the prom has one very strong attraction- its totally flat! All year long pier to pier cycling is permitted, pier to pier is 2.3 k in around 6 minutes like strava? here
Theres just 2 months July / August when the Southbourne -Boscombe/ Bournemouth-Poole section is prohibited during tourist days 10-6. This still means that commuting by bike works for people outside those times. Above this seafront are the chines or valleys that drop down to the seafront, included in this yellow route are Branksome, Alum and Middle Chines from west to east . The space afforded by Alum chine and Branksome chine and their connection to the railway makes them perfect for creating an active travel mecca to the sea, making the most of our Centre-parcs by sea, they could quite easily accommodate a segregated track too. In September Middle chine was the first to be signed as “Considerate cycling welcomed” a first for the area whereby Council is re-designating routes to encourage active travel- hope to see lots more of this. Bournemouth to Poole town is 9.5 K
and takes roughly 24 minutes at an easy pace. Like Strava? here
earlier post about Chines here
and specifically Branksome Chine from the Station to the sea here
A dedication to creating active travel tourist routes will benefit the area long into the future. There’s 7 Chines in total- you can have the fun of exploring them all for yourself. Worth mentioning for new readers or possible new riders- the predominant wind here is westerly, so most often the way from Poole back to Bournemouth pushes you along in perfect rhythm. Flipside might be the other way and when the winter kicks in properly, sand will eat into your bikes transmission and finish it off in a winter if the bikes not properly maintained. On the eastern side theres another 4.1 k to the end of Southbourne just before Hengistbury Head- another beautiful place.
Red Route- A link route on a designated cycle lane from the seafront yellow to Poole town and adjoining routes. Visiting the inland bay where Brownsea island nestles is a trip past one of the biggest water sports arenas in the world, famous for its kite boarding schools. Every month of the year this is a treat as the setting western sun provides a backdrop to an easy ride into White cliff and Poole parks. Riding into the setting sun above Brownsea after turning off the seafront on a summers eve is my version of heaven on earth. So to sum up we have 9.5 K from Poole to Bournemouth, 2.3 K pier to pier and another 4.1 k to Southbourne promenade end. 16 Kilometres of directional perfection, put the wind at your back and enjoy.
