Tess of the Vale
Tess of the Vale is a site that explores the Dorset countryside for everything it is worth. Taking the form of walks, runs, hacks or bike rides it appreciates small individual area’s landscape, history and geography whilst investigating any legends too.
The purpose of Tess of the Vale is to help us appreciate, understand, respect and love our land around us. But also to inspire, motivate and excite people to be involved within it. This can then help our own well-being while also creating awareness of conservation of our environment. The adventures also include local businesses such as pubs, art gallery’s, vineyards, cheese makers and many more, providing people with another reason to visit these otherwise isolated locations.
However, their isolation is a blessing. Each adventure escapes the crowds, I rarely see anyone as I wonder the forgotten fields!
Maps identify the places spoken about. These are all hand drawn, simply designed and user friendly. The routes are clearly explained and treasure of many sorts can be found along them. They are more up to date than OS maps, and show many tracks and earthworks the OS have missed!
If there are any areas you’d like to see visited, please let me know. I sometimes venture out of Dorset too!
I would love to hear any feedback too, good or bad!
A collection of Tess of The Vale walks are also available from Dorset Life Magazine and Hall and Woodhouse Dorset Pubs
Me
Hi. My name is Catherine. I grew up in Dorset and have always found the area hard to leave. My youth was spent building dens and being on the bike, avoiding farmyard accidents and dodging rogue animals – still got the scars.
I’ve worked for the Tourist Information Office in Dorchester, the West Dorset District Planning Department and Natural England, all covering use, development and conservation of our landscape. I was an Adventure Instructor, for all ages, and a Fields Studies Instructor, merging environmental elements into the national curriculum.
I have volunteered for the West Dorset Countryside Field Team, the North Dorset Countryside Rangers and the Dorset Coast Forum. At university I studied Heritage Conservation and completed a Masters in Landscape Archaeology (lucky enough to have been taught by the late Mick Aston, from BBCs Time Team).
Most recently I worked for the Ministry of Defence updating international Admiralty charts and have written a number of articles for Dorset Life magazine.
I love stories and tales which have occurred in Dorset, true or not, and discovering evidence for them in the landscape. I am intrigued by the mystery that seems to be found in every lump, bump and round every corner. I’ve learnt to open my eyes a little wider to appreciate clues and signs the countryside is trying to tell us. I believe my background, curiosity and determination to investigate gives me a unique and in-depth view of the county, it’s history and its use today, and it’s this view I’m keen to share.
Personally, I am a busy mum to three boys. Going out into the depths of hills and valleys is my escape and my sanctuary! I have been lucky enough to travel the world but I’m a homebody too. Dorset easily fulfils my criteria of untamed lands nowadays!
My passion is the landscape, my interest is history and my love is for Dorset. I want to enjoy it. I want to share it. I want to protect it. All of this combined has led to the development of Tess of the Vale.
In the Media
Dorset Magazine (from July 2025)
The Blackmore Vale – The Stile Trail (July 2025)
BBC News – The Stile Trail (June 2025)
Hidden Figures of the South West (2025)
Slow Dorset (2024) by Alexandra Richards
Real Dorset (2023) by Jon Woolcott
The Guardian (Jan 2012)
BBC Radio Solent (numerous)
Alfred Radio (numerous)
Dorset Goes Wild (Monthly)
BBC Radio Solent (25/7/24) – talking about The Stile Trail
The Natural Navigator – Tristan Gooley
BBC South 07/05/2021
BBC West 19/06/2021
BBC Spotlight 05/05/2021
Hi Catherine, I’ve followed your Tess of the Vale for a few years now and love what you’re doing. I’m starting a radio show on Purbeck Sounds radio next week (30/9 1-2pm) called Purbeck Wanders. I’d love to have you as a guest one week to share what you do and why you do it / what inspires you, that will also inspire others. If you would like to be involved please contact me (David Wise) via my own FB page or via contact@purbecksounds.co.uk
Thanks!
What a good idea! I’ve walked around quite a lot of Dorset but I bet there’s still plenty of places I haven’t yet. “Rempstone” stone circle on the Studland/Corfe road is not very well know but worth a visit. My brother did Admiralty charts for the MOD for many years after which he worked at Ordnance Survey in Taunton doing a similar thing.
Thank you. Sounds like your brother and I have lots in common!
Just come across your site through Twitter. Can’t wait to get back to Dorset. You are so lucky to live where you do. Looking forward to following your posts.
Thank you, Dorset is lovely! Enjoy the walks, would love to hear how they go!
Thank you for your posts. I would love to be notified when you write another one.
Hi Sarah, if you follow my page you should be notified when I do a new walk. I am also planning a better updating service, so watch this space! Happy to hear you are enjoying them. Thank you
Catherine