Starting at the peak of Wootton Hill, under the canopy of Charmouth Forest, explore the medieval landscape of Wootton Fitzpaine and Champernhayes. Pass overgrown sites of many lost cottages, the landscape the residents worked now covered in trees. Discover farmhouses built from monastery remains and ruins of the monks intensive activity on the river banks. Follow the Monkton Wyld River upstream returning to the thick woodland filled with bluebells, beech, oak and art.
Distance: 5 miles/7km
Duration: 2-3 hours
Ability: Easy.
Max Height: 603ft.
Min Height: 119ft.
Total climb: 590ft.
Terrain: Track, path, road and field.
Map: OS Explorer 116 Lyme Regis and Bridport.
Start Point: Charmouth Forest. (Postcode: DT6 6DG, Grid Reference: SY354969, What Three Words: exhaled.rationing.hacksaw).
How to Get There: From Bridport, travel west through Chideock and Morecombelake. Turn left off the A35 onto Berne Lane at Charmouth and follow the road around to the right. Turn right onto Green Pit Knapp, driving under the A35, and remain in the road for just over a mile. At the T-junction, in Wootton Fitzpaine, turn left onto Meerhay Lane. Stay on the same narrow road passing Champernhayes and into the forest. The parking is at the top of the hill on the right hand side.
Dogs: In accordance with the Countryside Code and any notices on route.
Refreshments: None on route but nearby are the Royal Oak Inn and The George, both in Charmouth.
Neighbouring walks: Lambert’s Castle, Morcombelake, Wootton Fitzpaine, Stanton St Gabriel, and Lyme Regis to Cannington.
Walk
The peak of Wootton Hill is covered in native woodland and is therefore a prime spot for bluebells in the spring. Charmouth Forest is managed by the Forestry Commission and is all open access land, meaning you can explore wherever you please. It has a magical atmosphere and one that is rarely interrupted by people, even during the bluebell season and into the summer months. Early maps show little woodland in the area, but gradually, since the mid-19th century, giant oaks and beech trees have reclaimed what is theirs, mixing with the additional pine. The woods themselves are full of wildlife including badgers, deer and foxes, more likely to be spotted at dusk or dawn.
From the car park, follow the track straight up the hill with the beech trees and ancient boundary on your right. Curve around to the left, heading downhill, to cross straight over a track and onto a footpath through the trees. Wootton Hill was once a much more active place; gravel pits scatter the ground, the stone underneath quarried for local purposes. Many farm cottages littered the landscape, their residents working the surrounding landscape, but many have now disappeared. Small fields, the shape once determined by the trees and banks, cover the lower valleys like a patchwork quilt, sewn together by brambles and bushes.
As you reach the edge of the forest you meet another footpath. Ahead is the first location where a building once stood. Although clearly marked on the 1888 OS map, Poxwell Cottage is now nothing more than bumps in the ground today.
Turn right on the footpath following the edge of the forest. At the corner, marked with a large modern shelter, turn left towards Guppy. Wootton Fitzpaine sits in the valley below which contains only a small tributary to the Monkton Wyld River, joining the faster flow further south.
The name Wootton derives from the Old English word ‘wode’, meaning wood, and ‘ton’ meaning farmstead – a farm close to the wood. The Fitzpaine is a manorial addition. When the grass track ends, turn sharply right and through a farm gate. Pass a small lake (large pond) on your left to then enter into Wodetone’s Vineyards (sold in 2020 and renovated). To the south, views to the sea begin to appear, looking towards St Andrews Church in Charmouth, Golden Cap (the highest point on the south coast) and out over Lyme Bay.
Continue through another two field boundaries to approach the 17th century Spence Farm, Wodetone Vineyard’s HQ.
Curve around the right hand side of the farm buildings and once in the centre of the farmyard, turn left. Keep to the track to then turn right off Spence Lane, opposite the farmhouse entrance, the sea views becoming wider.
Take the fenced path on the right, next to the old barns, following through the next two fields. Climb over a stile and into an orchard that doubles up as Brigs Farm Campsite. Walk straight onto a track and turn left cutting through the farm to Champernhayes Road.
Turn left to pass Champernhayes Farmhouse. It dates from 1462 but was built upon an 11th century monastery, the walls of which can still be found in the garden. The monks would have farmed the area intensively and were most likely the designers of the scattered field patterns. The name derives from the medieval Champernon family. The ‘hay’ part developed from the old English word ‘haeg’ meaning enclosure and is common in this area of Dorset and East Devon, like Pinhay on the south coast, west of Lyme Regis.
Take the next right onto Mill Lane. Head straight down the hill, passing Champernhayes entrance, and cross straight over the road, continuing on Mill Lane. This path would have been the main route for the monks to access the river, but today it is little more than a hidden grass lined track. Cross over a small stream, still descending, until you reach the Monkton Wyld River and the remains of what was Champernhayes Mill (now developed into a private home). The location was most likely the spot picked by the monks, but the building was replaced over time until the industry collapsed.
Turn sharply right, just before the mill, keeping the river on the left. Cross over a small foot bridge and bear right, crossing another small bridge at the boundary. Keep following the Monkton Wyld River upstream, this time on the right, and among the lush riverside meadows. Once through the final boundary you arrive at Stubb’s Farm. Turn right onto a track, cross the water through a shallow ford and straight on up to meet the road.
Cross straight over and into a field. Fork slightly right, making your way uphill, crossing a track and heading for the far boundary. Behind are the views to the Monkton Wyld valley; small fields dot the slopes in the company of crumbing barns. As the valley rises it reaches the last Dorset village before Devon, Monkton Wyld, marked by the small white spire of St Andrew’s Church and harsh grey stone of the 19th century neo-gothic Monkton Wyld Court.
Walk up to the top corner and turn right, through a kissing gate, then left, following the grass path back up to Champernhayes Lane. Turn left and continue straight ahead onto the track leading to Marsh Farm. As you continue along the route, Charmouth Forest dominates the slopes to the right marked with giant beech, oak, holly, hazel and sycamore. In the valley on the left are more patchwork fields, divided by ancient boundaries. Marked on older OS maps are a huge number of cottages that are no longer standing and remain as just clumps of thicker vegetation, hollows and bumps.
Follow the same track for almost a mile, passing Marsh Farm on the left. When the track turns uphill, continue straight ahead into an opening that once housed a number of cottages.
Exit through the right hand corner and continue in the same direction to the river. Cross a small footbridge and bear right to meet a metal farm gate. Head through and turn immediately left onto a small footpath through the trees. After dodging the odd low branch, skim past the farm to exit the trees facing Dodpen Farm Cottage.
Turn right onto the farms drive, circling the 17th century cottage. On the left is a stunning sculpture exhibit that can entice you deeper and deeper and further uphill. Continue along the farm track passing Dodpen’s turkeys, giving their presence away with the odd gobble.
At the end of the drive you return to Champernhayes Lane for the third time. Here you can either turn right and follow the road back to the carpark, or cross straight over and enter back into the woods, following the numerous paths, amongst ancient boundaries, earthworks and the odd den, back to your vehicle.
Do they have atters or any other snake
There is a chance!