Oldest Tree in Dorset and Bike Issues

Destination:           Wyndham's Oak Tree, Silton, Dorset.                     

Date:                       3rd February 2021

Distance :               20 miles circular route.                        

Duration:                3 and 3/4 hours!

Wyndham Oak Tree, Silton, Dorset

Trying to operate my action camera when it was situated on my helmet proved to be difficult last week and resulted in videos taken when I hadn't intended to and vice versa.  Before we set off on our long bike ride today, I therefore fixed  the action camera to my handle bars.  Having the camera in front of me meant I soon worked out that I had to press the video or photo button twice in order for any images to be taken.  Once to activate the camera and the second time to take a video/shot.  

Within the first few minutes of setting off we stopped at the side of Temple Lane to chat to a bird watcher with a large telescope pointed towards an expanse of water in the middle of a large field.  We were intrigued to find out what species of bird he was observing.

In the distance resting on the water was a flock of about 200 lapwings,  also known as peewits because of the sound they make. The twitcher was also hoping for a sight of  a Merlin, a small bird of prey, which had recently been sighted in the area.  If seen this would have added to his tally of 104 species of bird spotted in and around Templecombe so far.  

After a very interesting conversation we continued on our way towards Buckhorn Weston and started our climb up Hartmoor Hill.  As I changed from front gear 2 to 1, my chain came off, forcing me to stop, take my water bottle out of it's holder and my gel seat cover off the saddle, turn the bike upside down and put the chain back on.  A task I've had to do a few times over the last four years as this seems to be a common occurrence when shifting between front 2 and 1 gears at the beginning of a hill.

Bike Repair

After replacing the chain we decided to walk up Hartmoor Hill, noticing celandines flowering in the hedgerow, a sign that spring is just around the corner.  There are some interesting facts about Celandine on the following web page.   

https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/lesser-celandine

Calendine in the hedgerow on Hartmoor Hill

Remounting our bikes, we continued our journey, turning right at the top of Hartmoor Hill,  then heading briefly south before turning left into Westbrook Road.  The gentle descent towards Gillingham gave us  some lovely views out towards Duncliffe Woods and Shaftesbury.

View of Duncliffe Woods from Westbrook Road

Cycling over  the main railway line from London Waterloo to Exeter St David's we catch a glimpse of Sandley Tunnel.   Please click on the following link for some very interesting stories and facts about the building of and repair to Sandley Tunnel and trying to travel through the tunnel without being overcome by fumes! 

https://www.dorsetlife.co.uk/2009/12/150-years-of-the-railway-in-gillingham/

View of Sandley Tunnel from Westbrook Road

We cycled onwards, crossing over the B3081 from Dry Lane into Cherry Orchard Lane, and headed towards Milton on Stour, turning left into Pierston Fields, before the main part of the village.  The last time we came along this route we missed the left turning into Pierston Fields and ended up adding an extra leg to the journey, mainly because we we were distracted by  a lovely wooden framed front door porch, with floor to ceiling glass windows, and a solid wooden table with full log baskets situated underneath.  

Bushes Hill

Pierston Fields becomes Bushes Hill on the approach to Silton.  The above video shows the current state of Bushes Hill, after recent heavy rainfall has caused water to rush off the fields downhill, leaving damage and mud behind. I have also since noted that I need to set the correct date on my camera.

Once again my chain came off on the uphill climb whilst  changing down from front 2 to 1.   On turning my bike over we were asked if we needed any help by two passing cyclists.  We assured them we were fine, only to regret our reply as soon as I found out that two chain links had become wedged between cogs 1 and 2.  Using sticks and stones to try and knock the links free did not work. In the four years that we have been cycling this has only happened once before when cycling through Milborne Port.  That time, however we were able to release the links using a stone. 

As we contemplated our options of either walking 10 miles back to Templecombe or ringing for assistance, we spotted two women walking from the opposite direction and about to enter a farmhouse.  I called out and managed to attract the  attention of one of them before she went inside.  Keeping our distance, I explained our predicament and asked if they had a screwdriver available.  

The farmer's wife promptly returned with a choice of a flat head or Phillips screwdriver.  I chose the flat head but soon realised that a hammer was required instead.  This very helpful lady rememerged from the farmhouse with a hammer and a big, tall, cylindrical tub of wipes.  JC in the meantime continued to prop up the front of my bike to prevent it resting on my new camera (an early birthday present) and mirror (a Christmas present from my son). The farmer's wife stood at the rear of the bike  and whilst she pulled the chain backwards,  I used the hammer to dislodge the chain links, working on one at a time.  The links freed,  I quickly put the chain back on the bike.  The farmer's wife then offered me a wipe for my oil covered hands ,  I wasn't really expecting it to work imagining them to have the same efficacy of household or baby wipes.  I was absolutely amazed to find these industrial wipes quickly removed any traces of oil from my hands. 

Thanking the farmer's wife, JC and I were relieved to be back on our way and quickly turned off into St Nicholas' Church car park, cycling through a copse and then across a field towards Judge Wyndham's Oak Tree. We sat on a log at the base of the oldest tree in Dorset  for a very short refreshment break,   We were now slightly concerned about getting back in time before it got dark. 

Looking out from inside Dorset's oldest tree

On our way again, but this time feeling more tired than rejuvenated after our break, we made our way to Bourton passing under the A303 and then out again over the A303 on the West Bourton Road.  I have since noticed that we could have avoided Bourton altogether if we'd taken a short cut along Grimsey Lane.  I shall remember this alternative route for another time.

Approach to Cucklington

From here it is a long steady climb up all the way up to the ridge just before Cucklington.  The video above shows the approach to a favourite stopping place of ours, the bench overlooking the Blackmore Vale at Cucklington.  (Although I removed the label of the lens on the camera, there is obviously another label on the water proof casing which I shall remove for our next ride!) We again stopped very briefly for a rest and to admire the views before we moved on.  

From here we cycled down School Hill from Cucklington, turning left at the bottom of the hill into Long Lane. To us it always feels a couple of degrees colder on this hill than elsewhere,  maybe it's a combination of being continually in the shade of overhanging trees and the lack of effort required when freewheeling downhill. 

Approaching dusk we were cycling along the road from Wincanton to Buckhorn Weston when a big barn owl flew up from the nearside verge just in front of us. We believe it to be the same one we saw a few weeks ago.  I spent so much time trying to activate the camera that frustratingly I only got a glimpse of it before it flew over the hedge and away!  JC noticed that it had another small creature in its talons.  Over the years we have always found this particular stretch of road our least favourite to cycle along.  Maybe it's the fast traffic or the fact it isn't a single track road,  we're not quite sure of the reason why, but we're always much happier when we've turned off this unnamed road  The sighting of the barn owl recently however, has now made this part of the journey a lot more interesting, we shall always be on the look out for a special sighting of a large very white barn owl.

On the final leg of our journey along Temple Lane as the sun was setting and the sky was awash with a multitude of colours, we noticed the lapwings were in flight, so stopped to observe them.  They were wheeling around en masse over the water, their white breasts flashing silver by the setting sun, as they changed direction like an extremely fast Mexican wave. 

We arrived back in Templecombe at 5 15pm just as it was about to get dark.  Another eventful, exciting and fantastic bike ride.

The whole ride is aptly summarised in JC's journal entry for the day.  I've included a photo of it below as it encapsulates the trip in a very creative and colourful way.  

JC's journal entry for 3rd February 2021