From the small valley of the River Tarrant, with a hidden church shielding one of the most important monuments in North Dorset, scale the hills using an ancient route. Pass the site of a Roman villa and on to an Iron Age settlement, its earthworks ploughed into the soil or hidden in trees. Discover the … Continue reading Tarrant Hinton
Delve deep into the mystical woodland of Hooke Park. Weave between the gnarly oaks, towering beech and lines of red cedar, the floor under the dark canopy broken by shards of sunshine and architectural creations by the hidden school. Follow the footsteps of Iron Age tribes and medieval hunters through a landscape of deep ravines … Continue reading Hooke Park
From the red brick cottages and thatched roofs of Shapwick, complete with tales of strange creatures and floating coffins, follow the meandering River Stour to one of the oldest bridges in the county. Trace the route of pilgrims out of the valley to skim the remains of one of the richest nunneries in England. Climb … Continue reading Shapwick
With no roads, no towns and only a scattering of farms wander the rural landscape of Tibbs Hollow. From views down to the site of a Roman villa, explore the high hills and enchanting forest that has remained a peaceful place since the Roman period. Drop down to the valley to discover the site of … Continue reading Tibbs Hollow
From a nature reserve that has grown from a chalk quarry, carved into the steep slopes, discover the little, lost hamlet of Muckleford. Follow the floodplains of the River Frome to the cursed estate of Frampton Court with its decorative Peacock Bridge, claimed to have been built by Christopher Wren. Leave the medieval landscape behind … Continue reading Muckleford
From the shingle beach of Bowleaze Cove, where the River Jordan meets the sea, explore the once bustling Roman landscape. Take the old Preston road, hidden behind holiday parks, past the site of a Roman Villa. Wander through the village, with the ghost of a Portuguese sailor haunting the inn, to the old Mill House … Continue reading Bowleaze Cove
Wander through the wide and wild landscape of Cranborne Chase. Starting in the hidden village of Pentridge, set deep within the medieval Royal hunting grounds, climb up the hill to Penbury Knoll. Discover Bronze Age burial mounds alongside Romano British Settlement, cut by Roman Roads and haunted turnpikes. Drop down to the little Bowldish Pond, … Continue reading Pentridge
Garden design, development, and embellishment became the fashion amongst the landowning gentry of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, splashing their cash on elements that had no purpose other than to be admired. ‘Sanctuaries’, ‘observatories’, ‘thinking towers’, 'memorials’, and 'commemorations' popped up on hilltops and in hidden valleys, usually viewable through the manor’s windows. A … Continue reading Dorset’s Follies and Obelisks
