A lovely sunny ride from Norden to Ower and back across Rempstone Heath, sandy in parts, not hilly, super sea views and coffee and biscuits on the beach. Before Poole existed, Ower, in the Isle of Purbeck, was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as ‘Ora’. Ower Quay was the principal port for Portland in the 18th Century, so timber was brought in and the local Purbeck stone and marble was loaded and taken away. The roadway to the sea crossed private land so every Shrove Tuesday the locals presented the owner with a pound of peppercorns to make sure this valuable trade route remained open, a custom which remains in place today although the quayside is long gone. A chilly misty start to the day, 4* and the grass felt crispy underfoot, warm sunshine later with the promise of rain.
Dorset lifestyle
