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 20th 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
Chetnole with Stile
Fresh from the Mileaters Tour of Dartmoor an intrepid number (18) of the group turned out to tick off another area of Dorset and get to the pub before Storm Agnes arrived. From the Chetnole Inn our early route lulled the group into a false sense of security, it being mainly flat grassland. Then came a section which took in the only bit of hillside for some miles. Following the Hardy Way we ventured, out of breath, to the summit and plunged down into the lovely little hamlet of Melbury Bubb. Sounds better if you say it as Blackadder would, with emphasis on the final B’s. Hardy called this place Little Hintock in “The Woodlanders”. There is a church here with an extraordinary font on which the animals are carved upside down. This font had been part of a large cross once which has been repurposed. Oil lamps adorn the walls and a huge log burner the entrance.
After a coffee break we regained height on the Hardy Way before descending to the next church.
I don’t think calling someone ‘The Grand Old Duke of York’ was warranted after all it was only about 100’ in actual vertical height! Passing the trig point gives one a fine view towards the NW into Somerset (well, on a clear day perhaps). The path took us to the uniquely named Church of St Edwold, said to be one of the oldest in Dorset. Measuring 30’x12’. Edwold was a hermit who came to Cerne Abbas and started the Hermitage by the Silver Well. Recently, it has been suggested that the Cerne Abbas Giant is a depiction of Edwold. St Edwold’s Day is the 29th Aug.
From the Church there is a very pleasant flat(ish)walk back towards Chetnole. But first, our esteemed President decreed that in true tradition we would follow the correct path across a ploughed field to the Sheaf of Arrows before turning for home. In so doing we reinstated the footpath for the farmer free of charge. The walk is about 5 miles but would have been shorter had a footbridge contained the necessary planks. However, the diversion allowed those with muddy boots to wash them by fording the stream.
All along the walk we encountered some impressive Oak trees with huge acorns. There must be some very chunky squirrels in these parts, not to be messed with unless you are in the WI. Once again crossing the railway led us back to the Inn 15 mins later than my estimate.
Did I mention the stiles? Apparently, there is a prize for the walk containing the largest number of stiles. When one pre-walks a route, a few stiles doesn’t make much of a difference. When a group attempts the same walk it can make a huge difference. All those creaking hips and grinding knee joints, a sound not for the faint hearted. I think there were 10 stiles in all. However, we were able to walk around one and used the two gates at the railway crossing instead, so 7 seems a good number to set as a target with only a few months left of this year.
Martin Usherwood
