🚐🌊 NIX | JURASSIC DRIFT 2026

Salcombe to Swanage

Coastal Roads. Epic Views. Proper Pubs.

🎬 PROLOGUE

There comes a point in every man's life when he has to ask himself an important question.

"Do I really need another adventure?"

The answer, of course, is yes.

Always yes.

By September 2026 I will have crossed Europe, conquered the NC500, wandered around Rome, explored Cornwall, photographed half of Britain from the air and spent more nights in Vanilla than some people spend in their own spare bedrooms.

But there was still one iconic route left unfinished.

The Jurassic Coast.

Ninety-five miles of spectacular coastline stretching from Devon into Dorset.

Ancient cliffs.

Hidden coves.

Historic harbours.

Outstanding pubs.

And enough e-bike trails to keep Torque grinning from tyre to tyre.

So on the morning of 7th September 2026, Vanilla points her nose south and another chapter begins.

🚐 THE CAST

Vanilla

The star of the show.

My Indium Grey VW T6.1 campervan.

Part Aston Villa.Part campervan.Part luxury escape pod.

Inside are all the comforts of home.

Outside waits another adventure.

Torque

My Scott eRide e-MTB.

Named because "Mildly Assisted Pedal Device" didn't sound quite as exciting.

Torque is capable of carrying me up hills I would previously have described as "absolutely ridiculous."

Zoom

My DJI Mini 4 Pro.

The flying member of the team.

Responsible for aerial photographs, cinematic footage and occasionally making walkers ask:

"Is that one of yours?"

🌅 SOUTH DEVON

The journey begins in Salcombe.

One of Britain's prettiest harbour towns.

The roads are narrow.

The boats are expensive.

The houses are worth more than my entire haulage company used to be.

But the scenery is magnificent.

The first evening is spent wandering around the harbour before retiring to the Victoria Inn for a celebratory pint.

Adventure has officially begun.

🚴 TORQUE'S FIRST TEST

The following morning I ride from Salcombe towards Hope Cove.

This is where an e-bike truly shines.

Every time the road points upwards, Torque simply shrugs and says:

"Leave it to me."

The route delivers:

• Coastal views• Tiny villages• Quiet lanes• Sea air

And approximately 17 separate occasions where I stop for photographs.

🌊 THE JURASSIC COAST APPEARS

By the time I reach East Devon the coastline begins changing.

The cliffs turn red.

The beaches become dramatic.

The landscape starts looking like somebody designed it specifically for drone photography.

Every mile east brings another spectacular viewpoint.

Sidmouth.

Beer.

Branscombe.

Places with names that sound like they should appear in a Dickens novel.

🦴 LYME REGIS

If there is a capital city of the Jurassic Coast, Lyme Regis is probably it.

This is a town built around discovery.

The harbour curves around the sea.

The Cobb stretches proudly into the water.

Everywhere you look there is history.

And fossils.

Lots of fossils.

People spend hours staring at rocks hoping to find something that lived millions of years ago.

I spend hours photographing the rocks hoping they look good on Facebook.

Different hobbies.

Same level of obsession.

🏆 GOLDEN CAP

Golden Cap is the highest point on England's south coast.

It is also one of the finest rides of the entire trip.

The climb is steep.

Very steep.

But this is precisely why Torque was invited.

Without electrical assistance this climb would involve several conversations with myself.

With electrical assistance it simply becomes fun.

The view from the top is extraordinary.

Sea.

Cliffs.

Villages.

Countryside.

The whole Jurassic Coast laid out beneath me.

This alone justifies the journey.

🍺 THE ANCHOR INN

Now we need to discuss the Anchor Inn.

Because every great journey contains a legendary pub.

This is that pub.

Positioned at Seatown directly beneath the cliffs of Golden Cap.

The view is magnificent.

The beer tastes better simply because of where you are drinking it.

I fully expect to sit there thinking:

"Life doesn't get much better than this."

And I will probably be right.

🚐 WEST BAY TO WEYMOUTH

The route east continues.

West Bay.

Burton Bradstock.

Chesil Beach.

Weymouth.

Every day another campsite.

Every evening another pub.

Every morning another adventure.

The beauty of travelling this way is simplicity.

Wake up.

Make coffee.

Open the sliding door.

See what the day brings.

🚴 PORTLAND

Portland delivers one of the greatest rides of the entire trip.

The route circles the island.

Past Portland Bill.

Past dramatic cliffs.

Past old stone quarries.

The views are endless.

The photographs practically take themselves.

Well almost.

Zoom still does most of the work.

🌊 DURDLE DOOR

Eventually the icon appears.

Durdle Door.

Possibly the most photographed natural landmark in England.

Even if you've seen a thousand photographs, nothing prepares you for seeing it in real life.

The sea glows turquoise.

The arch stands proudly against the horizon.

The cliffs stretch away in both directions.

It feels like standing inside a postcard.

🚴 THE PURBECK HILLS

If Golden Cap provides the best view...

The Purbeck Hills provide the best riding.

The route links:

Corfe Castle

Studland

Swanage

Old Harry Rocks

Worth Matravers

This is e-bike heaven.

Rolling hills.

Open countryside.

Sea views.

Quiet lanes.

And enough scenery to fill several memory cards.

🍺 SQUARE & COMPASS

Every proper adventure needs an eccentric pub.

The Square & Compass at Worth Matravers is exactly that.

No nonsense.

No gimmicks.

Just character.

The sort of place where walkers, cyclists, locals and travellers all seem to arrive naturally.

A pub with stories in its walls.

🏰 CORFE CASTLE

Corfe Castle dominates the landscape.

Visible for miles.

Standing proudly above the village.

Every evening it catches the setting sun.

Every photograph looks dramatic.

Every visit feels special.

It is impossible not to stop.

Several times.

🌅 SWANAGE

Eventually the adventure reaches its final destination.

Swanage.

Traditional seaside Britain at its finest.

A promenade.

A pier.

Fish and chips.

Ice cream.

Harbour pubs.

Everything a coastal town should be.

The final evening arrives.

One last walk.

One last sunset.

One last pint.

THE JOURNEY HOME

The following morning Vanilla points north.

Stafford awaits.

The fridge is nearly empty.

The diesel tank is considerably lighter.

The memory cards are full.

Torque is muddy.

Zoom is exhausted.

And another NIX adventure joins the collection.

FINAL NIX VERDICT

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Scenery

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ E-Bike Riding

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Photography

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Campsites

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pubs

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Freedom

The Jurassic Coast isn't just a holiday.

It's exactly the kind of journey Vanilla was built for.

Slow.

Scenic.

Relaxed.

Curious.

A little bit adventurous.

And always ending within walking distance of a decent pub.

🚐 Vanilla

🚴 Torque

📸 Zoom

🍺 One pub at a time

🌊 One coastline at a time

❤️ The Essence of Freedom