Biking, Busing - but No Time for the Steam Train!

Another blustery day, but thanks to the trusty 'Townie', I made it from one end of the promenade to the other - and back again ! - in a couple of hours... Although the way looks clear in the picture (note Bournemouth Pier in the background) riding was made decidedly hazardous in places. Quantities of sand had been blown up on to the promenade, forming 'drifts' of varying sizes.... I was glad that a helmet came with the bike, but thankfully I wasn't thrown from my 'steed', even when negotiating some quite significant drifts!





(Still don't have the hang of how to move these pictures around and place them exactly where I'd like them to be. It seems that sometimes 'drag and drop' works, whereas other times it doesn't, so you'll just have to take things as they come!)

When I arrived at the Sandbanks end of the promenade, the kitesurfers were once again out in full - even more of them today it
being Saturday...

After my somewhat energetic couple of hours, battling a pretty strong headwind for half the time, I was ready to sit and let someone else do the work. A ride to Swanage on the open-top bus seemed just the thing, but given the windiness of the day, I was glad that the top deck of the bus had the front part closed in! Our route took us along the cliff-top, above where I had pedalled earlier, bringing me once again to Sandbanks.

Here the bus drove on to the chain ferry, which took us across from Poole Bay.......



.......to Studland Bay.





The bus, with its passengers still aboard, continued on its merry way, through narrow lanes and open heathland....


.....to Swanage....




..where there was just time to nip onto the station platform, where 'Thomas, the Tank Engine'
was all steamed up and ready to take an eager group of steam enthusiasts on a nostalgic ride.
No time for me to join that group, as within moments, I was on another bus, en route for Poole and Bournemouth....




.....via Corfe Castle, plus other picturesque places along the way. All in all, a day well spent!

(A note of thanks to those who have commented and/or sent e-mails. I really appreciate receiving them and hearing all your news, but do apologize for not having replied to them yet. that is definitely on my 'to do' list!)