Dorset Divide: Metheven’s Review - Notes from the Trails with the Ribble Outliers
Ben Thomas and I are no strangers to long days in the saddle. We both race for the Ribble Outliers, and earlier this year we took on Unbound, the biggest gravel race in the world. We live for pushing limits, whether it is racing flat out or tackling huge challenges just for the experience. The Dorset Divide promised exactly that.
The idea was simple. Two days. 540 kilometres. Almost 8,000 metres of climbing. The reality was far tougher than it looked on paper.
Day One: The Big Push
We rolled out at 5:15am and headed to the lighthouse on Portland for the 6:30am start. The plan was to cover 300km on day one and deal with the rest on day two. The route offered a greatest-hits mix of Dorset’s backcountry with gravel trails, bridleways, and winding lanes that seemed to stretch forever.
By checkpoint one in Swanage we were 30 minutes ahead of schedule. We topped up bottles, crammed pockets with snacks, and pushed on towards Shaftesbury. Forest tracks turned into perfect champagne gravel that made the miles fly by. Even a sudden downpour could not dampen our spirits.
We reached Blandford late that evening. Ben had booked an Airbnb so there would be no hedge bivvies or roadside naps. Just a mountain of pizza and the deepest sleep I have had in months.
Day Two: The Hard Miles
Legs were heavy from the start. A stretch of tarmac gave us hope for an easier ride but soon enough we were back in the thick of bramble-filled trails and more nettles than anyone should face in one lifetime.
A cheese pasty and treacle tart became our mid-morning rescue. By the second checkpoint we had taken the lead for the first pair. That lifted our mood, but the hardest part still lay ahead.
The coast path was relentless. Gates every few hundred metres. The sun beating down. Eight hundred metres of climbing in the final 20km. We kept each other going. I laughed when Ben fell into a thistle bush. He laughed when I got zapped by an electric fence.
With 30km left, we were running on fumes. Crossing the causeway back to Portland as the sun dipped felt unreal. A final steep climb took us to the finish 37 hours after we started. Applause, a cold beer, fish and chips. Done.
What is the Point of Gravel Bikes?
People often ask this. For us, it is about freedom. The freedom to ride wherever the trail takes you. The speed and efficiency of a road bike combined with the go-anywhere capability of a mountain bike. The Dorset Divide proved that a gravel race bike is the perfect tool for exploring challenging and varied terrain.
Whether you are racing, touring, or just heading out to see where the path leads, a good gravel bike turns every ride into an adventure. For the Ribble Outliers, that is what riding is all about.
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