During the 19th century the railway flourished throughout the country, arriving in Dorset relatively late. The openings of the lines were celebrated with music, flags and apple cake, the first passengers often lucky school children. However, its life span was short. The terrain proved difficult, the costs unmanageable and the demand fell short in both … Continue reading Dorset Railways
Discover the vast, ancient royal hunting grounds of Cranborne Chase. Climb up the chalk hills to views across a landscape once loved and worshipped by our ancestors. Follow the footsteps of the Neolithic, over their earthworks and into the Iron Age. Cross the mysterious Dorset Cursus and follow the line of the mighty Roman road … Continue reading Sixpenny Handley
West Knighton. Wander through a landscape where the villages have been deserted, woods exploited and the ground quarried. A landscape, full of forest, heath, floodplains and a lonely standing stone, which was once bustling with life from the medieval period, through to both World Wars. The Norman knights, American soldiers and extraction machinery have all gone … Continue reading West Knighton
Native British Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) can carpet a woodland. Their delicate appearance and vivid colour are unmistakeable, however, must not be confused with the invasive Spanish Bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica). Our dainty flowers are native to western Europe and the UK is a species stronghold. They're associated with ancient woodland and are often used, in combination with … Continue reading Bluebells in Dorset
Discover the largest ancient monument in the country. An earthwork that covers over seven miles, its path dipping into the valleys and skimming the hilltops. Set in a landscape, rich with spiritual burials, it puts Stonehenge to shame. Begin in the valley of the little Crichel Brook, following old tracks that once cut through the … Continue reading Long Crichel and the Dorset Cursus
Times are tough and purse strings are tied tight so what better way to enjoy the holidays than enter Dorset’s free and wild landscape. The cost of an adventure park is often way out of limits, but could be completely unnecessary! Dorset is rich with treasure, surprises, secrets, mystery and legend that can all be … Continue reading Dorset Inspiration
After following the little River Winterborne, trace the footsteps of the Roman soldiers as their road cuts through Winterborne Kingston, still scarring the landscape today. Tread the earth that hides many of their remains, some having been unearthed from the ground including a precious coffin and dedications to a shrine. Climb the hill to Bere … Continue reading Winterborne Kingston
Begin in the narrow valley of the little River Winterborne, where Winterborne Stickland reveals its treasures—an ancient cross, its companion tree, a timeless church, pub, and war memorial. Climb the hillside into thick woodland and wander the winding tracks of Charity Wood and Milton Wood, skimming the earthworks of a medieval deer park. Continue to … Continue reading Winterborne Stickland
