I don’t think the ‘No HGVs’ southbound from on A350 from Shaftesbury is actually obligatory, more advisory…although I could be wrong.
Usually in the past I’ve just blagged it and went down the A350,.as I’ve heard the alternative route is pretty crap, but today I thought holiday season, chock a block,.don’t need the hassle of getting nicked or whatever.
So I went for it and followed diversion…
Who tf thought that route from Melbury Abbas was better than the pinch points on the 350 
…well the first 2 or 3 miles anyway.
Met numerous cars coming other way in narrow bits, who all had to back up, some on blind bends, just a complete ■■■■ up of route basically…I’m used to crappy little roads on my particular job, but I can’t believe that is a main designated trunk route
Beginning to think I maybe went off route, but I don’t think so. 
Ended up back in 350 at Pimperne,.so assuming I went right way.
As far as I remember (and it was 20 years ago that I was running out of Shaftesbury), they’re both “Unsuitable for HGV” but from opposite directions, if that makes sense? So the Melbury Abbas route has a blue sign next to it at the other end, while the A350 doesn’t - or certainly didn’t.
I once got stuck on the hill on the narrow bit of the Melbury Abbas route, going the “wrong” direction - at rush hour on a Monday morning. Bring back dodgy twin-splitters in Ivecos being driven by 24 year old girls with bugger all experience! 
They are advisory. Below is one of the reasons.
From personal experience; if you are hauling a tanker, or indeed anything on or close to full weight, DO NOT under any circumstances go any other route than the A350, particularly if you are heading for Poole.
You WILL lose traction on the climb out of Dinah’s Hollow, even if the road is only slightly damp. I don’t care how good you are, I don’t care how good your truck is.
You are also wise to avoid that route if you’re driving a long wheel base rigid.
Yeah the diversion is only advice & i only did it once, never again! Just crack on down the 350
Lucy:
As far as I remember (and it was 20 years ago that I was running out of Shaftesbury), they’re both “Unsuitable for HGV” but from opposite directions, if that makes sense? So the Melbury Abbas route has a blue sign next to it at the other end, while the A350 doesn’t - or certainly didn’t.I once got stuck on the hill on the narrow bit of the Melbury Abbas route, going the “wrong” direction - at rush hour on a Monday morning. Bring back dodgy twin-splitters in Ivecos being driven by 24 year old girls with bugger all experience!
Aye you’re right Lucy, the A350 is for n/b and the Melbury Abbas road is for s/b HGV traffics.
That hill you’re on about is known locally as ‘Zig Zag’ hill, but I think that actual route Melbury road avoids it, it’s on a B road afaik, but the designated route is unclassified road…I’m blagging this btw , it’s just what somebody told me. 
Zig-Zag Hill! Yes, that rings a bell! But also…
Sidevalve:
They are advisory. Below is one of the reasons.From personal experience; if you are hauling a tanker, or indeed anything on or close to full weight, DO NOT under any circumstances go any other route than the A350, particularly if you are heading for Poole.
You WILL lose traction on the climb out of Dinah’s Hollow, even if the road is only slightly damp. I don’t care how good you are, I don’t care how good your truck is.
You are also wise to avoid that route if you’re driving a long wheel base rigid.
…my little…erm…experience-gaining opportunity 
…was a perfect demonstration of that!
robroy:
Lucy:
As far as I remember (and it was 20 years ago that I was running out of Shaftesbury), they’re both “Unsuitable for HGV” but from opposite directions, if that makes sense? So the Melbury Abbas route has a blue sign next to it at the other end, while the A350 doesn’t - or certainly didn’t.I once got stuck on the hill on the narrow bit of the Melbury Abbas route, going the “wrong” direction - at rush hour on a Monday morning. Bring back dodgy twin-splitters in Ivecos being driven by 24 year old girls with bugger all experience!
Aye you’re right Lucy, the A350 is for n/b and the Melbury Abbas road is for s/b HGV traffics.
That hill you’re on about is known locally as ‘Zig Zag’ hill, but I think that actual route Melbury road avoids it, it’s on a B road afaik, but the designated route is unclassified road…I’m blagging this btw , it’s just what somebody told me.
Not quite.
I cut my teeth on the A350, my first job in 1993 was from Llanelli or Ebbw Vale with tin plate down to Upton (just outside Poole) and the scraps back to Llanelli. I drove a Ford Cargo daycare with a top sleeper, and a twin splitter. I remember to this day dropping down to East Knoyle and thinking “what the actual fxxk!!!”… of course, it got much worse after Shaftesbury… 
From 2004 I spend 10 years driving around the area collecting milk, mainly in artics.
The route through Melbury Abbas is tricky, but rewarded with a clear passage to or from Blandford Forum. There is a way around Melbury Abbas, turn of by the airfield, and follow the road till Ludwell, where you turn left onto the A30.
Zig-zag hi is not the same road. That is on the road to Sixpenny Handley, or Cranborne, and I would not suggest it going from Shaftesbury (I.e. uphill). I’ve done it downhill many, many times, but only with steering axles… 
.
Taking (part) loaded tankers up steep hills is a nightmare, and best avoided.
Lucy:
Zig-Zag Hill! Yes, that rings a bell! But also……my little…erm…experience-gaining opportunity
Yep. I should’ve known better because I’ve travelled that road many a time, usually on a night trunk to Blandford when BOCM had a mill down there. As we both know the A350 is a sod, and if you know the road the Melbury option is a good bet particularly at night because for one thing you can see other traffic coming before the bends, and for another it’s much quieter.
Just forgot how ruddy steep that hill was, and of course with 28 tonnes of liquid fert in the tank it all went to the back and I started skittering. Thankfully, having done a lot of farms and the like I didn’t panic, just rolled her back with the help of a local in a pickup who stopped traffic behind me, and made it in crawler at the second attempt.
Unfortunately the very useful warning at Cann, 1 mile south of Shaftesbury, which wisely advises waiting when a tall vehicle is detected coming the other way
up to Shaftesbury, was out of action a few weeks ago and a few arctics just happened to meet in that narrow winding bit. With some difficulty (I don’t think I’ve ever had worse than the best part of an hour trying to alleviate a similar, though unnecessary hold-up on the road to Constantine from Falmouth) not helped by the usual ignorant, inconsiderate and impatient car drivers who only waste everyone’s time by their thoughtless selfish manoeuvres, the situation was eventually resolved. Bit of a pain at the time but it’s only a bit of my life wasted I suppose.
They’re working now (the warnings at Cann which are obviously needed) - I only ever go to the bottom of the dip there even though the earlier warning in Shaftesbury advises Melbury Abbas. The authorities are trying to do the best by making a sort of big one-way system for lorries, but you can go that way to Blandford.
The road network in the south west is a joke.Especially finding decent North South routes linking the Midlands and M40 and M4 and A4 with south or south west coast ports.
What’s needed is a massive upgrade and extension of A404 M and the A34 to something like A1M status each for a start.
But still they just want to cram more and more infrastructure into the South East and blow any spare the cash on vanity projects like HS2.Or counter productive anything but upgrades like the basket cases M6, M1, M42, M20 and M25 have all been turned into.
Carryfast:
The road network in the south west is a joke.Especially finding decent North South routes linking the Midlands and M40 and M4 and A4 with south or south west coast ports.
What’s needed is a massive upgrade and extension of A404 M and the A34 to something like A1M status each for a start.
But still they just want to cram more and more infrastructure into the South East and blow any spare the cash on vanity projects like HS2.Or counter productive anything but upgrades like the basket cases M6, M1, M42, M20 and M25 have all been turned into.
I’m not going to point out how utterly stupid your post makes you appear.
Anybody with even the most rudimentary knowledge of the Southern halve of the country understands.
the nodding donkey:
Carryfast:
The road network in the south west is a joke.Especially finding decent North South routes linking the Midlands and M40 and M4 and A4 with south or south west coast ports.
What’s needed is a massive upgrade and extension of A404 M and the A34 to something like A1M status each for a start.
But still they just want to cram more and more infrastructure into the South East and blow any spare the cash on vanity projects like HS2.Or counter productive anything but upgrades like the basket cases M6, M1, M42, M20 and M25 have all been turned into.I’m not going to point out how utterly stupid your post makes you appear.
Anybody with even the most rudimentary knowledge of the Southern halve of the country understands.
Having lived all my life in the southern half of the country my knowledge of it is at least better than yours.
So what did I say that deserved such vitriol from you.
Why would you use the A350 instead of A34.
A35 - M5 - A372
be a man make a day of it! should get you there in about 3hrs 30 with good traffic
This is how it is these days.
Southbound use the Melbury Abbas/Dinahs Hollow/Spreadeagle Hill/High Road.
Northbound - use A350.
Big dot matrix signs show you the way.
The Zig Zag is nothing to do with this - it’s a different road entirely, although nearby. And not really recommended for anything bigger than 7.5t although short wheelbase 18t are OK. It’s improved a bit recently - new road surface and kerbage.
Cue posters telling me they have taken tank transporters and trombone trailers down (and up) this incline.