Venture down the smuggler’s lanes of Corfe Mullen. The route cut through the landscape by the Romans, speeding up supplies from Poole Harbour to their mighty, military Fort at Lake Farm. Cross over brick bridges that span rivers of trees, the embankments once filled with steam as the old Slow and Dirty chugged its way … Continue reading Corfe Mullen
Wander through the heathland that was left wild for centuries. The marsh and forest stood on the edge of Cranborne Chase, the area frequently hunted by royalty. Skim the earthwork remains of the Deer Park before crossing the dismantled railway that once linked Poole to Salisbury. Explore the little village of Alderholt, grown from the … Continue reading Alderholt
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 both World Wars and up to modern day. The Norman knights, American soldiers and extraction machinery have … Continue reading West Knighton
Wander through the landscape that has been sliced up and sewn back together. Explore some of the most historic sites of the county, with hilltops marked with numerous barrows, earthworks and Iron Age Hillforts. Discover the hidden stone circle of the Nine Stones, the mystical sight being one of only four in Dorset. Climb up … Continue reading Winterbourne Abbas and the Nine Stones
From a golden shingle corner of Chesil Beach, climb up to the peak of Bind Barrow, complete with panoramic views of Lyme Bay. The empty beach and wide blue sea played a crucial role in the D-Day landings, with American troops scaling the cliffs for training and the sea turning black with boats on the … Continue reading Burton Bradstock
From the home of the Knob throwing contest, climb the slopes of Cattistock Castle, the earthwork that towers over the village. Discover Chalmington, the country house whose previous owner made some dodgy smuggling deals and is still being chased by the American authorities. Wander through fields and through woodland to find the little River Frome … Continue reading Cattistock
Start in the settlement of Thornford, named after a river crossing and bordered by two growing streams. Wander the back lanes to the site of a Roman villa amongst a collection of lime kilns across the valley. Discover the musically rich Mill Farm, once a grist mill now a bustling smallholding full of llamas, sheep … Continue reading Thornford to Bradford Abbas
Wander through the landscape of Corfe, under the shadow of the famous Castle. Explore the village to find the hiding places of a murdered King and elusive treasure. Cut across medieval farming land before venturing onto the common, littered with ancient Bronze Age Barrows. Climb the hill to the little village of Kingston with a … Continue reading Corfe Castle to Kingston
