From the capital of the vast lowlands of the Marshwood Vale, venture deep into the wild landscape of West Dorset. Pass through Abbotts Wootton, a tiny hamlet once centred on an impressive manor house owned by Abbotsbury Abbey, its ruins now a window. Climb into the woodlands that formed the heart of Cricklade Park, the … Continue reading Whitchurch Canonicorum
Follow the little Heddon River upstream as it threads north through the far corner of Exmoor to Heddon’s Mouth. After meeting the sea, trace it back inland, climbing through deep woodland and along ancient paths walked for centuries. Skim the edges of Iron Age enclosures, Bronze Age standing stones and the earthworks of forgotten castles … Continue reading Heddon River
From deep within the explosive landscape of the old Cordite Factory, where heathland meets the edge of Wareham Forest, discover the scattered ruins of both defence and industry. Cross the faint lines of forgotten tramways and follow paths named after colourful local characters, from witches to wayward clergy. Skim the thick woodland edge to the … Continue reading Holton Heath
Explore the old smugglers’ paths of Stonebarrow, once home to Dorset’s patron saint. Descend through the National Trust landscape towards Cains Folly, with wide views across Lyme Bay. Follow the coast path to the little River Westhay, cutting through the medieval field system of the old farm. Turn inland as Golden Cap rises ahead, climbing … Continue reading Stonebarrow
Dorset’s roads, from medieval trackways to 18th-century turnpikes, stretched across open heaths, chalk downs, and hidden valleys. Travellers moving between London, Dorchester, and the West Country risked robbery, carrying cash, jewels, or goods. Highwaymen, alone or in gangs, exploited the land, using fast horses, pistols, and hidden refuges, while sparse policing left victims vulnerable. Some … Continue reading Dorset Highwaymen
Before they were roads, they were only paths. Across Dorset, routes emerged slowly, worn into the land by centuries of passage, shifting with weather and season, never entirely fixed. Some followed high ground, others slipped into holloways or vanished altogether, leaving travellers to trust instinct as much as direction. Then came the Turnpikes. Order was imposed … Continue reading Dorset Turnpikes
Starting high above Ringstead Bay, with wide views out to sea and along the Jurassic Coast, leave the waves behind and begin the descent down Gallows Hill. Discover the remains of Holworth’s lost village, its story echoed along this coastline where plague once devastated communities. Climb up to the Ridgeway, a landscape scattered with evidence … Continue reading Poxwell
The Saints of Dorset’s Landscape - Mapping the saints who once guarded land, sea, and life Without science to explain disaster, people searched for meaning wherever they could. Along Dorset’s exposed coastline, sailors were battered by storms. Inland, families feared hunger, disease, and the fragile gamble of childbirth. When crops failed or the plague arrived, … Continue reading Dorset Saints
