Leaving the New Forest behind, I headed for the hills of Purbeck today. It was a fresh morning—so fresh I nearly reached for the gloves—, but the sun eventually came out to warm up the 42-mile ride to Swanage.
Today’s Highlights
New Forest Goodbye: One last look at the ponies and the Duke of Edinburgh groups before crossing the cattle bridge out of the forest.
Seafront Miles: Enjoyed 8 miles along the promenade from Christchurch to Sandbanks, watching the tractors clear the sand off the path.
Sandbanks Ferry: A quick hop across the water to reach the start of the Purbeck hills.
The Perbeck Grind: Faced some serious gradients heading into Swanage. Whose bright idea was it to buy the beer before the hills?
Steam Train Spotting: Took a little detour to try and catch a steam train, but only saw the diesels today.
The Vinegar Disaster: Arrived at camp only to find a vinegar sachet had exploded in my bag, soaking my cutlery, salt and pepper. Everything smells like a chip shop!
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I’m Garry McGivern (Travelsonabike2), and I’ve been travelling the world by bike since 2008. Solo self-supported bicycle touring on my trusty bike, Passepartout. My vlogs are unscripted, down-to-earth and honest—sharing the highs, the lows, and everything in between of a long-distance cyclist. I’ve now cycled more than 60,000 miles around the world 🌏 and I’m still going.
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Stay safe, and keep pedalling. 🌍🚴♂️
DCM Journey & Awareness: The hills felt particularly hard work today—I’m blaming a bit of a lack of fitness after my three-month break. My DCM always makes mounting and dismounting more of a challenge, especially on steep gradients when the back and legs are already screaming. The bumpy cycle paths around Bournemouth didn’t help much either!.
Watch my full DCM story: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1RViitJ4TjRocgeUTjOlMSuJ9CM8hcpa
Learn more at: https://myelopathy.org/
Video Chapters:
00:00 – Leaving the Forest: Ponies & Acorns
01:10 – A Chilly Start: Frozen Hands!
03:50 – Autumn Chill & Long Trousers Talk
06:00 – Christchurch to Bournemouth Prom
09:10 – Willy’s Well? A Roadside Laugh
11:40 – Bumpy Paths & Avoiding Traffic
14:15 – Sand Clearing & Landslip Memories
16:20 – T-Shirt Weather & DCM Struggles
18:50 – Sandbanks Ferry & The Beer Mistake
19:40 – The Purbeck Hills: Brutal Gradients
21:20 – Swanage Detour: Searching for Steam
22:50 – Arriving at Langton Matravers
23:30 – Gear Disaster: The Vinegar Explosion
#garrymcgivern #travelsonabike2 #biketouring #swanage #purbeckhills #dcm #myelopathyawareness #sandbanksferry #cyclinguk #gearfailure #vinegardisaster #soloauthor
3 Comments
Just to show you're human let's see you in a cosy cafe eating pizza.
A good watch that Gary 👍
Thanks for watching! 🚴♂🇬🇧
Where should I cycle next in England (or anywhere in the UK)?
Drop your suggestions below — I read every comment!