From deep within Dorset’s valleys, brush the border with Devon. Skim past Sadborow Estate, its former owners once painted by Gainsborough, separated then reunited in Dorchester. Weave through woodland, cross gentle streams, and climb up into Marshwood, where views stretch across the vale to the distant sea. Among the hilltops of Pilsdon Pen and Lambert’s … Continue reading Birdsmoorgate
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
Admire the quiet valley of the little River Cerne as it deeply carves its way through the chalk hills. Beginning at the farmstead of Nether Cerne, discover its hidden church and manor house, once under the influence of the mighty Cerne Abbey. Follow the river downstream before climbing to the ridge that divides the Cerne … Continue reading Nether Cerne
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
Enter the thick woodland of Puddletown Forest to find the raised agger of an important Roman road cutting through the county. Follow in the footsteps of Roman soldiers across open heathland, with wide views over the Frome Valley and Thomas Hardy’s Vale of the Great Dairies. Discover the Rainbarrows, once gleaming white with chalk and … Continue reading Puddletown Forest Roman Road
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
Dorset Stories & Coastal Mysteries! Fiction - based on historical fact with Dorset vibes in Every Tale From real historical crime to coastal folklore, Roman-era imaginations to atmospheric mysteries around Corfe Castle and Tyneham, many books celebrate Dorset’s soul in story, away from Thomas Hardy tales! Below is just a small selection, growing over time. … Continue reading Dorset Books
Climb to the summit of what many believe to be King Arthur’s Camelot. From Cadbury Castle's peak, gaze across the Somerset Levels to Glastonbury Tor and King Alfred’s Tower, a landscape once transformed by the sea or cloaked in wild woodland, where medieval royalty hunted between the trees. Wander among the mighty ramparts to uncover … Continue reading Cadbury Castle
