Follow the valley of the River Stour through the heart of the Blackmore Vale. Circle the edge of the meadows beneath Sturminster Newton before crossing the Victorian Colber Bridge. Climb out of the Stour valley before dropping into the valley of the River Divelish, its name deriving from its dark waters rather than anything devilish. … Continue reading Colber
Climb to the peak of one of the Isle of Purbeck’s hidden gems. Wander through woodland before emerging onto sandy heath and gorse, climbing over the earthworks that scar the hillside on the way. From the summit, enjoy panoramic views across the blue waters of Poole Harbour and the forests of northern Dorset, stretching as … Continue reading Creech Barrow
Wander along the great natural divide between Dorset and Wiltshire, with wide views over the Nadder valley from Shaftesbury to Win Green. Follow the ancient Ox Drove, once travelled by herders moving livestock from Salisbury across the earthworks of Cranborne Chase to the lowlands of the Blackmore Vale. Twist with the bendiest road in Britain … Continue reading Zig Zag Hill
Circle the ancient burial landscape of Parley Common. Explore its liminal edges, steeped in heathland folklore, where echoes of execution sites, smugglers, and river‑magic still haunt the air. From affluent estates to the roar of the airport boundary, discover a mythic landscape, filled with prehistoric barrows, and edged with an Iron Age hillfort. Distance: 4miles/6.5km … Continue reading West Parley
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
In collaboration with The Dorset Wildlife Trust Circle around the nature reserve of Kingcombe. Once a small farming hamlet, untouched by modern development and agricultural chemicals, it has become one of Dorset Wildlife Trust’s most treasured reserves. Climb up the valley past a thatched farmhouse and lost cottages to St Mary’s Lane, crowned by the … Continue reading Kingcombe Heritage Trail
Travel through the layered landscape of Shaftesbury. Begin high on its chalk peak, and descend the iconic Gold Hill to the mills, manors and woodland that once sustained the great abbey founded by King Alfred. Follow forgotten lanes back up to the heights to circle the earthworks of the Iron Age hillfort that later rose … Continue reading Shaftesbury
