Bridleway to Bear Mead.

Location of Bridleway. The Bridleway is the only wheeled access to Bear Mead. Most of the time it is dry and rather stony, better for 4x4s. But it can flood. If the groundwater is above 160, vehicles are not allowed onto Bear Mead because the ground is too soft. There is room for about 4 cars to park just inside the gate (but this has to be left locked because of dumping). When the gate is locked a car has nowhere to turn round at the end. If you want to enter its best to contact the Warden beforehand on . When leaving the Bridleway into the A31, take great care. This is a fast road, with visiblity only for 77 metres or less, see A31 visibility. I try my best to get the Council to cut the A31 verge grass by late June. The Warden has extensive experience of navigating the Bridleway in all weathers, time of day and state of flood, by car and waders, some 3,000 times since the land at Bear Mead was obtained in 2002.

Location of Bridleway The nearest postcode is BH21 3HA (The Roadside Cafe) which is 550 metres to the East along the A31 The junction is where a bridleway joins the A31 The bridleway/A31 junction is almost opposite the Candy's Lane/A31 junction. The precise Ordnance Survey location is SY-9865-9871 The Latitude/Longitude of the junction is 50.787692, -2.020395 (paste these numbers into Google earth for an excellent view from above)

Access to the Bridleway is from the North side of the A31 about 1 mile SE of Wimborne Minster in Dorset.

The 800 yard Bridleway joins Bear Mead gate with the A31, and is nearly straight and driveable. 2001

1634 Bridleway starts at the A31. 2009apr14

2746 200 yards down the Bridleway. 2011mar15

3433 Bridleway in May, before the bend, manure storage on right. 2013may16

3434 Bridleway in May, from the bend, towards Bear Mead gate. 2013may16

3077 Bear Mead end of the Bridleway. 2012mar26

3346 A31 end in low flood. 2012nov22

2641 Sometimes it snows. 2010dec18

2961 Cows collect to walk to Eyemead. 2011nov09

3220 A31 end in flood. 2012jul09

3222 A31 end in flood. 2012jul09

3141 Bear Mead end in flood. 2012may01

3348 A31 end in flood. 2012nov23

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