This summer, the event was so huge, that the council ousted all cars from the
area, allowing bikes to park all the way up the quay. They even employed
marshalls to direct the vast amounts of bikes arriving, to parking places.
Bikes start to appear at around 7pm and by 9pm the place is buzzing. The numbers
were, according to the local press, up to 1500, and on some nights during the
summer this figure could be believed!
The venue offers a pleasant atmosphere, with a number of "biker-happy" pubs
available, along with hot and cold food stores, take-aways etc. It even started
to attract local bike businesses setting up stalls and displaying "latest
models".
Police do show their presence, although at arms length, and rarely did anyone
feel intimidated.
If your coming in from the M27, follow signs to "The west", and look for
Ringwood, then, Bournemouth, Poole then Poole Quay or ferry. Once you leave the
M27, and are on the A31, it is more or less dual-carriageway all the way to the
Quay.
If you're heading from the West country, head for Dorchester or Wareham, and again look for Poole or Bournemouth. Be wary of the "Upton By-pass", the stretch of road from the "Bakers Arms" pub to the Poole Quay roundabout turn-off.... a favourite haunt for the speed catchers! ( shame really, as this is such a nice fast bit of dual-carriageway )