The Avenue at Moor Crichel – cycling the lanes of Dorset

Just a single shot today, taken with the iPhone, showing the beautiful avenue at Moor Crichel in Dorset. I was actually out on a bike ride yesterday and when I am out on my bike, I don’t usually carry a camera, hence the use of the phone but I was quite pleased with how it came out 🙂 !

I have been out on my bike more recently, partly because having just turned 70, I have decided that I could benefit from more aerobic exercise. As you know, I walk miles – I’m currently just a few miles short of 1,000 walking miles so far this year – but as great as walking is for general fitness, unless you are in the mountains or you ‘power walk’, it doesn’t necessarily get your heart rate up very high. So I made a conscious decision to cycle at least once a week on a hilly course, and to make sure I do at least one hilly walk as well so that each week I will have two doses of aerobic exercise.

Obviously despite arthritic joints, I want to prolong my outdoor activities for as long as I can and I think the older you get, the more you have to work at fitness. It is certainly my experience that if you have a forced lay-off for any length of time, your fitness level soon drops and you have to build it up again. The other thing with age is that natural muscle wastage kicks it too which of course affects things like backpacking. I think more cycling will improve leg muscles too so when I backpack next year, I will find myself flying up the hills despite having a ridiculous weight on my back……well hopefully 🙂 !

Anyway, the reason for my trip to Blandford yesterday is that there is a good cycle shop there and I have a problem – well actually my bottom has a problem in that it doesn’t have a very good relationship with my saddle, the two just don’t get on 🙂 ! So I am trying to find a racing bike saddle that will give me armchair comfort…….yeah, right! Methinks not possible, but hopefully I will find something more suitable 🙂 !

Following the back lanes through Dorset on a bike is just awesome especially when the route takes in roads like this one. The avenue is one of two that mark the approach to Crichel House, one of Dorset’s old manor houses, the estate dating back to medieval times. The current house dates only from the mid 18th century after the previous house was destroyed by fire, but it is an estate with a past that includes the moving of the original village to allow for an extension of the grounds. Having spent some time as a school, it is now back in private ownership but unfortunately it is not open to the public.

We still get the pleasure of enjoying the avenues though, and the surrounding park land, and it is a place that I cycle or walk regularly because it is in a lovely part of Dorset.

Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time,
Your friend
The Dorset Rambler

If you would like to contact me, my email address is terry.yarrow@gmail.com – comments and feedback are always welcomed.

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