The Serenity of the North Dorset Trailway Cycle Ride

A cycle ride along the North Dorset Railway from Sturminster Newton, through Shillingstone Railway Station, Stourpaine, Blandford Forum, Charlton Marshall and ending at the disused Spetisbury Railway Station in the south of England.

I've had this ride in my notebook for some time but I hadn't quite worked out how I would get there. The nearest railway stations were some miles away from the start and in more minor stations which would mean many train connections and a lot more road riding. The opportunity to loan a car made me think "Lets do the North Dorset Railway, now".

We start in the town of Sturminster Newton. The main carpark is right at the start of the trail and at the time only £4 for all day parking made this an obvious place to park up for the day.

This trail reminds me very much of the Strawberry Line trail in Somerset. A similar trail surface, the English countryside rolling by and disused stations and halts to pass through. While the Strawberry line has a tunnel and the beautiful Cheddar Gorge, I think this trail has more to see along the way including the fantastic North Dorset Railway - Shillingtone Station.

The volunteers at the heritage were super friendly and spoke to me about the steam train they have in the tent that they're working on. They have a short stretch of track along the station and I was informed that the steam train should be ready to move under its own steam this summer (2024).

Their pride in the work really shows in what they have achieved in repairing the abandoned station to what it is today. If you have chance to visit, have a look at the photo of the station from the 1980s on one of the placards and keep that in mind as you walk around the platforms. I wish them luck for the future.

I spent a little while cycling around Blandford Forum and had lunch at the bakery, a very nice sandwich and hot chocolate and friendly service, before moving on and picking up the second half of the trail just outside of Blandford St Mary.

The trail then takes us onto the final remaining disused stations of this cycle ride. I believe cycling further south is possible on a quiet route and possibly even end as far as Bournemouth.

This was certainly one of those beautiful idyllic trails worth riding, even with the air still chilly given it's only just the start of spring but the sun was certainly warm, I can imagine how nice this will be in the mid summer when all the field crops are out and flowers and trees and in full flourish.

I hope you enjoy this one.