Weave between ancient woodland and deep clay pits in a landscape once shaped by industry. Follow the Dorset border with Hampshire, circling the little hamlet of Crendell beneath towering oaks that have given places their names. Trace old drove roads past early estates that once dominated the divide between the medieval hunting grounds of the … Continue reading Crendell
From the expanding settlement of Sturminster Marshall, explore its church, timber-framed cottages, pub, and lost village remains, all set along the banks of the River Stour. Follow the route of the medieval road towards Blandford, crossing the old packhorse bridge before joining the route of the former Somerset and Dorset Railway. Cross the old turnpike … Continue reading Sturminster Marshall
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
From deep within the Marshwood Vale, wander through fields, farms and forgotten droves to Stoke Mill. Cross the River Char, flowing down from the slopes of Pilsdon Pen, and follow the old road through its quiet valley. As the river slowly reclaims the track, climb the hill to Purcombe Farm. Join the nature trails to … Continue reading Broadoak and Denhay
From the little valley of the River Piddle, escape into a landscape once ruled by Iron Age tribes. Climb up between the folds of the hills to Incombe Wood, the trees hiding earthworks of the long-gone farmers. Wander through the wide-open fields, where the ploughed soils or growing crops can silently reveal traces of their … Continue reading Piddletrenthide
Trace the footsteps of Roman soldiers along the ridgetop of a prehistoric landscape. Drop down into quiet valleys scattered with crumbling farms and weathered barns, then cross the old turnpike road that has grown into one of Dorset’s most important routes. Climb Martin’s Down to reveal sweeping views of Lyme Bay, the Jurassic Coast, and … Continue reading Long Bredy
Delve down into the deep valley of Fishpond Bottom, exploring that last corner of Dorset to emerge from the anciently wild landscape. From the peak of Lambert’s Castle, cross the ridge to skim the Iron Age ramparts of Coney’s Castle. Drop down the steep slopes to the boggy rivers that once fed the medieval monks … Continue reading Fishpond Bottom
Wonder along the old drove roads of hidden Dorset. Cross the single track railway as it travels from Yeovil to Weymouth under the shadow of the haunting Bubb Hill. Visit the little St Mary’s Church, with a broken gravestone of a murder victim, before following the country lanes between the oak lined fields. Skim the … Continue reading Redford
