Dorset 330

The Dorset 330 is a 330km bikepacking route with 4500 meters of climbing that starts and finishes in Dorchester and takes in pretty much all of Dorset in one big loop.

The route was created whilst in lockdown. The idea behind stems from The Racing Collective and their GBdivide route. I wanted to create a challenging route that also shows some of the best trails in my local area. With a fast changing world from both the pandemic and climate change, we are having to look closer to home for adventures and hopefully this gives you some inspiration.

Designed as an off road route, it can be completed on a gravel bike, and this would probably be the fastest way to do it. However, I feel that to get the most out of the ride it’s be completed on a mountain bike. The route is roughly 65% off road. Every section of the route has been ridden, and some bits are tougher than others, but it is yet to be ridden in one whole go.

I planned on completing this route as an individual time trail, but I had to stop due to knee problems so the first official time is still waiting to be set. I completed the first 150km in just under 8 hours elapsed time so that gives a rough idea of speeds. You can read about it here.

If you do want to complete it as an ITT, the usual rules apply (borrowed from the GBdivide website).

Be nice, Say Hi
Leave No Trace
Complete the route under only your own power – no drafting etc
If you leave the route you must rejoin it at exactly the same spot
Be self supported throughout the ride – no private resupply, caches or use of motorised transport
Contact us once you’ve complete the route through the contact page and let us know how you got on.
Keep the nitty gritty bits of the route quiet, by all means tell people about your ride but we want this to be an adventure for everyone. There are some tough bits where hike-a-bike may be needed, and we want everyone to discover these as opposed to exactly where they are.

Of course there is no need to complete it as an ITT. Use bits for inspiration, link bits up to create a day ride, stop at the pub or just do the whole route in however long you like. It doesn’t matter. The aim is to show that you can adventure locally and hopefully it inspires you to get out there and explore.