Date: 25th March 2021
Destination: Stoke Trister and Cucklington
Distance: 17.06 miles
Duration: 3 Hours
Weather: 12 °C sunny intervals
After last weeks epic 23 mile ride JC requested a much shorter ride today, so I decided we would head across to Cucklington, but with an added little detour to Stoke Trister thrown in.
The first three miles of our journey along Temple Lane and Gigg Lane always pass by very quickly as JC and I usually have a weeks worth of catching up to do, although we did pause briefly to listen yet again to the crows nesting near Gigg Lane Railway Bridge.
At the end of Gigg Lane we turned left and travelled north towards Wincanton. Cycling along we tried to work out which field we had emerged from on a very interesting ride a few years ago. We had attempted to cycle along the disused railway from Templecombe to Wincanton. We soon realised the route did not really exist! What was to be a bike ride turned into an exhausting obstacle course, involving nettles, bramble, many gates, fences and fields of bullocks. That was a ride we shall not be repeating or likely to ever forget!
Just before Moor Lane Sports Ground we turned right into Common Road and right again into Shaftesbury Lane. We stopped next to a converted chapel and as we were discussing the property, a lady popped out from behind the bushes. The owner had overheard us chatting about her house and had pondered whether to remain hidden or show herself. Fortunately, we had been nothing but very complementary! The owner explained about the existence of a spring now called Physic Well" "a Holy Well or Sacred Spring that treated a variety of disorders including asthma, scurvy, bilious conditions, scrofula, erysipelas and diarrhoea" The Megalithic Portal - Physic Well
Horwood Spa, later renamed Physic House and situated next to the converted chapel, was developed between 1800 and 1809. "A two storey limestone villa was built over the spring with a sunken bath and a chapel, stable and dormitories were available for patients. The forgotten spas and mineral springs of south-east Somerset by R. D. Mather and H. C. Prudden
In 1819 the Messiter family business went bankrupt and the Horwood Spa buildings passed into private ownership.
Physic House and Pyhsic Chapel lie south west of Coneygore Hill. Further along Shaftesbury Lane we saw a couple walking up the hill and I commented to JC that this would be a great walk to do for my wedding anniversary the following day. The resulting video below was indeed taken from the summit of Coneygore Hill the next day and pans round from Cucklington to Wincanton. The Dorset Downs can be seen in the distance and the A303 can be seen and unfortunately heard south west of Wincanton.
We cycled around Coneygore Hill turning left at the end of Shaftesbury Lane and left again onto Bayford Lane to Stoke Trister, a picturesque little village situated on the south eastern slope of Coneygore Hill and thus shielded from the constant hum of the A303.
We cycled over the summit of the ridge and down towards St Andrew's Church accompanied by far reaching views over to King Alfred's Tower on Kingsettle Hill. Unfortunately there is no escaping the A303 traffic noise here.
We turned around from St Andrew's Church, retraced our way back through Stoke Trister and took a left along Beech Lane, the end of which runs parallel to the A303. Driving along the A303 east to west you get a fleeting glimpse of the Blackmore Vale, the same view can be seen from Beech Lane, albeit from slightly lower down.
Concerned we might end up on the slip road to the A303 we paused at the end of Beech Lane to get our bearings. We turned right onto the B3081 and right again to stay on this road. A left turn at this point would’ve seen us cycling onto the A303.
Wherever possible we avoid cycling on main roads, with no margin for error one has to concentrate on keeping close to the edge of the road, strong gusts of winds made this more difficult today. We were relieved to turn right into Tinker's Lane and away from a busy road.
Right again and we were soon overlooking St Lawrence’s Church, Cucklington, the sun momentarily disappearing behind a cloud, resulting in a rather dark photo. A little further on and we were sitting on our favourite bench at Cucklington eating our fruit and looking out once more over the Blackmore Vale.
We decided to head back along the top of the limestone ridge, spotting a couple of large Staddle Stones on the way back. JC informed me that these were used to support granaries to keep the grain off the ground and away from vermin. There is a fine example of a Dovecote/Granary set upon Staddle stones on the corner of Dry Lane and B3081 on the edge of Gillingham, Dorset. We cycled past Dry Lane's Dovecote/Granary on 3rd February on our way Wyndham's Oak Tree, next time we'll stop for a closer look.
Pausing at the top of Gigg Lane Railway Bridge we waved to the driver of the approaching 4:29pm train from Templecombe to London and received a horn blast in return and another as the train emerged from underneath us. With big smiles on our faces, I was reminded of the 1968 BBC dramatisation of E. Nesbitt’s “The Railway Children” and the children waving to passing trains. I wish I had kept my camera recording on top of the bridge.
Interesting to note that my chain did not come off my bike at all during this or our previous ride. Thanks must go to DK, who spent some time working on my gears, adjusting the limit screws on the derailleur and straightening a couple of chainrings to ensure a smoother transition . Compounding the issue is a bike chain that has stretched considerably over the last six years, so I now have a new chain waiting to be fixed to my bike. Going for a further upgrade my bike will soon have new front and rear sprockets too, although they have yet to arrive. The biggest sprocket at the rear of the bike will have six extra teeth, which should make it easier for me to cycle uphill. I will keep you posted.
With lockdown gradually easing, we shall soon be permitted to travel further afield and now JC has acquired a bike carrier we hope from time to time to venture forth into the southern reaches of the Blackmore Vale, travelling to a start point in different vehicles.
With glorious weather today it was great to be out and about. Towards the end of the ride and with the sun lower in the sky I was reminded of my lap top cushion pictured below, a Christmas present from JC a few years ago. The design of the cushion was based on sunlight flickering through trees during one of our bike rides.
I believe staddle stones were used for all sorts of timber framed buildings because they were an effective way to keep the the bottom timbers out of damp soil and to allow these timbers to dry relatively quickly after rain; hence, extend the useful life of these timers before serious rot.
ReplyDeleteThank you Dave. Yes another good reason for the use of saddle stones
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