Photos from the March Hare Run 2025

I thought I would be nice and early at the start but unfortunately the road was closed after Sturminster Newton so I actually ended up doing some of Bernard’s return route through Child Okeford. It seems that the road must have reopened soon after I got diverted as Andy O and Rod got through with no problems.

Great to see a good turnout for our first Spring run, the weather obviously helped. A very good day out, many thanks to Bernard for organising. Lets hope we have a similar attendance for our next run on 16th March, the Spring Run, from The Trading Post, Warden Hill, Evershott, DT2 9PW – again organised by Bernard.

Bernards report below.

Excellent turn out, 19 signed on, but why such good support? On the down side it started as a pretty cold day. On the plus side there was no rain forecast and the big ball of fire in the sky was due to shine all day . Did running it on a Saturday rather than a Sunday make a difference? Start location? Who knows but it was very pleasing after some previous turnouts.

As I said the day started out cold, prior to the run I took the car into Blandford, it was -3 ºC leaving my home and there was a car crash on the ice 2 miles down the road. On the return my road was closed due to accident on the wood surrounded bends towards Sturminster Newton, no doubt the same problem, field run off water that had frozen during the night.

So I set off on the bike at 10 am and +5 ºC riding very carefully and expecting to find nobody at Lo’s Café. Surprise surprise, there were already a dozen people there and they kept on coming! At that time the temperature had risen to a balmy 9 ºC.

It was a straightforward fairly fast run to Dinton but the road out of Dinton, on the so called “ Steep Hollow” was not very nice, a very muddy section where I nearly parted company with the Vincent. From there through Wylye to Boyton we were on pleasant winding country lanes, finally arriving at the Ginger Piggery Café. Most of us sat outside and enjoyed the bright spring sunshine.

The return run gave us beautiful views from the Deverille hills and a straightforward run through Mere and Gillingham, then back to Lo’s via Child Oakford. A few of us got to Lo’s just in time to order hot food, the rest had to pile on the calories with sticky sweet cake! No incidents reported, but Ken Druce limped home from the start with a Sunbeam slipping clutch, but joined us later on his reserve bike.

Thanks to Paul W and Ray for additional photos.

AT LO’S CAFE, PIMPERNE