Far From the Madding Crowd
Ride Around Dorchester (Dorset)
August 1, 1998

Distance: 77 miles
Elevation: 6,000 feet
Difficulty: 8/10
Scenery: 6/10;
Route: Dorchester-Winterborne Monkton-Portesham-Abbotsbury-
Swyre-Chilcombe-Askerswell-Eggardon Hill-Powerstock-West Milton-
Bradpole-Bridport-Symondsbury-Broadoak-Stoke Abbott-
Beaminster-Corscombe-Uphall-Rampisham-Toller Porcorum-Eggardon
Hill-Dorchester

This was a toughie; the ride that proved to me that steep hills do exist in Southern England. The route was an irregular figure-eight double loop, starting and ending in the Roman town of Dorchester (Thomas Hardy's "Casterbridge"), 135 miles southwest of London. So it was with anxious anticipation of Hardy's Wessex, its colorful peasants, sheep-shearing scenes, convoluted love affairs, strong and sensual female protagonists, repressed country gentlemen, and rural scandals that I mounted my bike after getting off the train.

(Above: Dorchester)

Well, I don't know if Mr. Hardy ever rode his bike around this area, if he did, his tales of struggles and sufferings may have been slightly different. The ride started out pleasantly enough in the valley just outside of Dorchester, with gently undulating roads, cow pastures and sunflowers.

(Above: Towards Winterborne Monkton)

From Winterborne Monkton, I followed the B3159 south as it climbed for about 250 feet, giving me outstanding views of the valley to the north. This was followed by an exhilarating descent to Upwey followed by a long gradual rise towards Portesham ("Pos'ham" in Hardy's world). The road smelled of ammonia, courtesy of my bovine friends from the other side of the fence. The sights and the smells reminded me of northern California's Petaluma--with its cow manures, dairy cooperatives, and its wonderful quiet lanes.

(Below: Looking north from the climb up B3159)

From Portesham I followed the signs towards the "Hardy Monument", 2 1/2 miles away. The sign should have also indicated: "Cyclists: Hill from Hell Ahead." To get to the Hardy Monument from Portesham, one has to negotiate the Portesham Hill first. The hill is wicked, 3/4-mile long, and well in excess of 10%. Not knowing what was ahead later in the ride, this was easily the steepest road I've ridden in England to that point--it caught me by surprise-- and I didn't even like Hardy that much (maybe if it were a Dickens Monument...)

(Above: Top of Portesham Hill)

The monument was a 200-foot structure that looked like a grain silo--a strange tribute to a man of letters, I thought. It turns out that there is more than one notable Thomas Hardy, and this memorial is for the otherThomas Hardy (an admiral from Portesham). I suppose it would have been ackward for them to point this out on all the signs leading to this site, as it may offend Admiral Hardy's descendants. Still, I can't help feeling a bit "cheated." Fortunately, the memorial was situated on the highest point of the Black Down, giving one a better-than-180-degree view of the Dorset countryside to the south, and the view made the effort to get there worthwhile.

(Above: Looking south from the Hardy Monument, Black Down)

I turned back around and resumed my westward journey, this time heading towards Abbotsbury. Abbotsbury is a very pretty thatch village, with interesting remains of a Benedictine Abbey that dates back from the 11th century. Unfortunately, all that remains of the abbey is the southern wall, and a big tithing barn.

(Above and Below: The remains of the Benedictine Abbey of Abbotsbury)

Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) was born in Higher Bockhampton (2 miles NE of Dorchester). His novels prominently featured the rural Dorset landscape (his fictional "Wessex"). His most popular works include Far From the Madding Crowd (1874), The Return of the Native (1878), The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), and Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1895). (Back)