Mud, Stones and Beers

The first Mileaters walk of the year, and after some gloriously sunny days earlier in the week, Friday 12 January was grey and cold. But at least it wasn’t raining and the previous dry days had given the mud time to thicken a bit.  Some 17 walkers, plus dogs of course, set out on a circuit of just under 5 miles, starting from the car park near Hardy Monument, and taking us down the Valley of Stones, up Crow Hill and back along the South Dorset Ridgeway.

It was a walk through the pre-history of the area.  Last year a very rare Neolithic polishing stone or polissoir had been discovered in situ in the Valley of Stones and it had been featured a couple of days previously on the BBC series Digging for Britain.  Just an ordinary looking boulder until you see the smoothly polished concavity, and fascinating to think of our early ancestors gathering there to gossip while polishing their stone axes and knives over 5,000 years ago.

After avoiding a rather disinterested and elderly looking bull, we made our way up the hill and along a track to the Abbotsbury road and a welcome coffee break.  Then back to our cars along the Ridgeway, passing the Bronze Age Hampton Stone Circle and the Hell Stone, a reconstructed Bronze Age burial chamber.  There was a final climb back up through Hardy Coppice to the car park and our walk was done. 

And there was mud, plenty of it, along the Ridgeway.  The dogs loved it, some of the walkers less so.  We celebrated the walk with lunch in our local pub, the Brewers Arms, open that day for the first time since the New Year.  Ben and his team made us most welcome as always.

Linda Scotts

Mileaters Walk from Athelhampton

After days of icy weather and continual rain it was an especially resilient and hearty group of ten Mileaters and three dogs who set out on a six mile walk one Tuesday in early December. And how glad we all were that we made the effort. Because it really was not as muddy as feared and it was just very good to be out walking again after far too many days stuck indoors.

We parked at in the car park of beautiful Athelhampton and after crossing the road turned up the lane beside the small church there and climbed steadily through beech and oak woodland to fields with beautiful views down the valley to Tincleton. We stopped by a small poignant stone monument in memory of one of the sons of the owners of nearby Clyffe House, killed in France in 1940.

Re-entering woodland we followed a broad track through woodland for two miles, finally taking a left which took us down through the tall conifers of Southover woods and heath to join a track which, after fields and a long sunken track (which is in late spring has its sides covered in wild flowers) reaches Park Farm House and a pretty walk by the river to return to the church.

Lunch was at Athelhampton where we were welcomed and quickly served with hot drinks and tasty food.

Cathie Seigal

Mileaters Abbotsbury Walk

Starting at the Swan Inn, Abbotsbury 13 Mileaters headed North East up onto the top of the ridge past Jubilee Coppice. It was a glorious day and the views of St Catherine’s Chapel and the Fleet were lit by the sun’s rays coming through the gaps in the clouds and looking like a blessing from up above. It was a blessing to get the uphill part done first but a cold north wind met us once we reached Wears Hill and Abbotsbury Hillfort. We hunkered down in the lee of the ramparts there for a cuppa and a snack. Once past Abbotsbury Castle we crossed the road and followed the path to the sea close to Labour in Vain Farm. Is this a comment about the nature of the soil there or perhaps the nature of the farm workers, I wonder. I can only imagine that it must have been a bit depressing inheriting a farm of that name.

On to East Bexington Farm and from there we skidded our way down the muddy track to the coast path, through or around the flooded parts of the road and on to the track that skirts the West of Chapel Hill. From there it was a short walk back to the Swan Inn where most of us wolfed down a hearty pub lunch. A beautiful walk with a great mix of interests.

Colin & Jo

A Walk on the Estate

It’s the 20^th October, the forecast is poor, nay awful. Storm Babet is on the horizon and yet still 14 intrepid mileaters set out to walk.

This 5 mile jaunt started in Thorncombe Wood worked our way via the roman road and rhododendron tunnels to Lower Bockhampton and along the river Frome to Stinsford where some stopped to check out the grave of Thomas Hardy`s heart. We also heard about the conversion of the Kingston Maurward house to a college property to solve the countries food shortage after the war. The only trouble with the walk was the number of stiles! Its not that we couldn`t do them it was just that it took time to get through. We thought of forming a band called the Stile Council, but thought again. Anyway as luck would have it the weather man was wrong, it was a beautiful day, a lovely walk, polished off with a convivial pie and a pint in the Trumpet Major.

“I counted them all out and I counted them all back again”

Tom Webb