NEWS FEED
Next week (16 – 22 May) at Clouds Hill, the National Trust will be celebrating T E Lawrence’s life, and especially the centenary of his part in the Arab Revolt of 1916 in Cairo. Clouds Hill, Lawrence’s isolated retreat in Dorset, will host a series of events throughout the week including readings from his works as well as plays, songs and talks on the many aspects of his enigmatic life.
As part of this, CTC West Dorset (Cycling UK) will be leading two rides around the old routes that the Hardys and Lawrence cycled on Sunday 22 May.
It is a little known fact that T E Lawrence, aka Lawrence of Arabia, was a keen long distance cyclist. Early in his academic career, he completed a massive cycling tour of France visiting mediaeval castles and cathedrals, a theme he later took up by studying the Crusader castles of Syria at Oxford. Later in his life he retreated to Clouds Hill, a small woodcutter’s cottage near Bovington Camp in Dorset. While here, he befriended Thomas Hardy. Hardy was also an enthusiastic cyclist and shared with Lawrence a passion for long distance cycle tours, once cycling to Southampton and back in a day.
The rides will be organised by the CTC West Dorset (Cycling UK), and will both start from Top o’ Town, Dorchester.
The long ride, around 30 km or 20 miles in total, will head off at 10am via Cornwall Road, South Court Avenue and then follow National cycle Route 2 East to Moreton. There, road cyclists will continue on Route 2 to Wool Station, turn left on to the pavement cycleway over the ancient Wool Bridge, follow the cycleway to the Tank Museum and continue half a mile up the road north to Clouds Hill for tea and biscuits. Those with more sturdy bikes can turn left at Moreton Tea Rooms (or stop there or at the Walled Garden for elevenses), walk over the bridge by the ford, and continue straight on via the woodland track, turning right for a few hundred yards (on road) to Clouds Hill. Return is via Tolpuddle, Puddletown and Troytown to Hardy’s Cottage and Max Gate. The route is available online at: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1156460462.
The short ride, around 13 km or 8 miles in total, will meet at 10am for 11am departure. It will initially head to Max Gate, before going on to Hardy’s Cottage, and returning to Dorchester Top o’ Town car park.
Advance booking is not required. Registration (£10 per person, including National Trust members) will be organised by CTC West Dorset and will take place at Top o’ Town car park on the day. Registration includes entry to the National Trust properties en route, and tea and biscuits at Clouds Hill for those on the long route.
Timings and route links can be found on the National Trust Clouds Hill website (http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/clouds-hill/whats-on) and via the CTC West Dorset website, click on ‘Rides List’ (http://www.westdorsetctc.org.uk/). Participants will need to download and print these off to bring with them.
