Upwey Circular

I started today's walk from Upwey train station. This means that I have either boarded or alighted a train from every station between Yeovil Pen Mill and Weymouth except Thornford - so that's a clue as to the starting point for my next walk. I started later than I like to - at 11 am, and had a time restriction for the walk, which I really don't like, but it was a lot quicker getting here than it would have been by car and it avoided the parking problem.

Upwey train station - SY6783

I headed west and immediately into another gridsquare through which the busy A354 runs, the main road between Dorchester and Weymouth. Although this is called Upwey station, I think it is more correctly Broadwey. I had the feeling of being in urbanity for a long time after I started this walk; usually I feel like I'm in the country straight away.

Anyway, I set off across fields towards Nottington and crossed the diminutive River Wey.

River Wey at Broadwey - SY6683

When I hit the  minor road north of Nottington I almost did a right angle and headed north towards a minor ridgeway and walked parallel to the Jubilee Trail and the ridgeway walk we'd done months ago at Friar Waddon. That walk had afforded great views, partly because the weather was better, but also because it is higher up. During my quick perusal of the map before I set off I had not appreciated I'd be much lower down - just that I'd manage to do a lot of gridsquares and visit a few churches - always a good thingin my books. So we can't have everything!

I was walking almost two complete 'sides' of SY6583 so was in the square for a long time. I still managed to miss the trigpoint, which had been another attraction on this walk. Apparently Broadwey trigpoint is in the middle of a hedge and not at all easy to find. Another one to return to in the winter months when the vegetation is less dense.

I was intrigued by Jones's/Jonas's Hole as I have not come across many ruins during my walks, let alone named ones (unlike Islay where there is a plethora of ruined buildings to make the subject of an atmospheric monochrome photograph). I approached the ruin with caution. It was submerged beneath a jungle of ivy and was barely visible. The place felt eerie so I did not linger. Had I had a companion I may well have explored a bit more.

SY6583 - Jonas's Hole

The next field was full of rapeseed and skylarks - a wonderful assault on the senses and I love signposts that are so specific. There was one pointing to Jonas's Hole (even though I've subsequently been unable to find out who Jonas was).

Sign on Hewish Hill - SY6483

Hewish Hill looking towards North Farm

Sadly a troop of unsightly pylons scar the landscape here; whichever way you look, there they are. And they are so BIG! I'm always a little frightened when I walk beneath pylons and hear their electrical chatter. Are they going to zap me? Walking so close to all that power seems to me to be quite a risk, especially in high winds or a thunder and lightning storm. Not that it was anything but the most innocuous of weathers today as I walked under three sets of buzzing wires during my brief sojourn in SY6484.

Looking north towards the ridgeway - SY6484

I was skirting the southerly edge of the next gridsquare, SY6384 and soon came across my second ruin of the day - Corton Dairy House. This one was also difficult to access with a bushy growth of nettles and unwelcoming brambles. Again, I have been unable to discover anything about the history of this place, although it obviously used to be the dairy for the hamlet of Corton which is largely situated a little further north near Friar Waddon.

Corton Dairy House - SY6384

Another right angle turn and I followed the length of the next gridsquare southwards to Tatton House along a veritable farm track.

South  from Corton - SY6383

I then followed a minor road until I reached Hyde Coppice and a footpath leading southwest past Broad Coppice. A glance into the private woodland elicited an audible gasp of wonder and delight, for there was the most stunning vista of bluebells I have ever seen. I had had an assault of yellow today and now it was heavenly blue. Everywhere I looked - blue. I imagined a heady scent (for it wasn't really there) as I breathed deeply in and wished for the millionth time in my life that a photo could do justice to a scene. I also wished it were possible to walk in the wood, but it is clearly marked dangerous due to archery practice.

Bluebells at Broad Coppice - SY6382

Bluebells at Broad Coppice - SY6382

Bluebells at Broad Coppice - SY6382

After a huge helping of bluebells, I continued my walk, passing a massive solar farm, heading south across unremarkable farmland. towards another ruin. I'd been walking a little uphill so this barn was appropriately named Higher Barn and was quite a substantial ruin.

Solar Farm near Buckland Ripers - SY6482

Higher Barn - SY6482

The next gridsquare contained a lot of newly planted trees.

Fields and newly planted trees near Chickerell - SY6481

I crossed the southwest corner of SY6381 near Manor Farm before reaching and crossing the B3157.

Near Manor Farm - SY6381

As I headed towards Fleet, my hunger pangs grew stronger with each step. I just hadn't seen anywhere suitable to stop and eat lunch. Besides, I like to have lunch in a churchyard. I'm stopping anyway to have a look round, so I might as well stop and eat at the same time - that's my theory. The other reason for delaying lunch was that I was a little anxious about getting to the train station on time. I'm not used to walking with time restrictions and try to avoid it whenever possible. I get jittery if I'm walking with someone who (quite reasonably) asks how long the walk will take. When i go out for a day walk I don't think about what time I'll get home. I've got enough food and water for the walk and nothing to get back for and that's all that matters to me. I do recognise, however, that this is a privilege that not everyone has, so I try to be tolerant when asked that (very reasonable!) question.

Time restrictions or not, I considered 7 miles long enough for anyone to walk before having their first stop so I plonked on the steps at Fleet New Church.

Church of Holy Trinity, Fleet - SY6380

Thew new church at Fleet was built to replace the old church which was virtually obliterated by the Great Gale of 24th November 1824. The first church had been built very close to the coast and so was washed away by huge waves during the storm. The present church was commissioned by the Rector, Rev George Gould and  built further inland a few years later.

There were two cars parked in the churchyard, so I assumed maybe there was a cleaner inside, or perhaps someone practising the organ for Sunday. But I was alone in my wanderings until a pair of walkers returned to their car. I later discovered this is in fact a public car park - a point worth remembering in the future.

Inside Fleet Church

Memorial to the lord of the manor, John Gould who died in 1818.

As a tribute of the deepest sorrow and sincerest affection - This monument is erected to the memory of John Gould Esq of Upway and of Fleet House in this parish. Eldest son of the late George Gould Esq and of Abigail his wife, youngest daughter of the late Robert Gooden Esq of Overcompton in this county who, to the heartfelt grief of all those who love him most by knowing him best, was prematurely taken away by an acute and rapid disease on the 26th day of August in the year of our Lord 1818, in the forty-third year of his age. Deeply imbued with principles of ancient worth and honour he was a worshipper of truth - A friend to the poor - scrupulously conscientious and most punctual in the private as well as public exercise of his religious duties. Exemplary in his domestic relations, of a superior and highly cultivated mind, he was well qualified to act in those more ostensible stations to which he preferred the doing good in private life.He remains at rest with his ancestors at Upway, but since it was in this parish that he set so praiseworthy an example of regular attendance on Sabbath service his ever lamented name is by his only brother here recorded. Stranger whoe'er thou art whose steps have strayed to this lone hamlets unfrequented shade If genuine worth they kindred soul can move, to feel for those who mourn the friend they love, Oh! think what pangs their swelling hearts sustain, who dwell on lifes best virtues lost, in vain, In healths high glow and manhoods summer pride, The best of brothers, sons, and masters died, Oh! Hadst thou seen that melancholy day, When the long funeral filled the silent way, From humble breasts how heaved the sigh sincere, From cottage doors how trickled many a tear, Thou woulds have said, ye pennons high that wave, or o'er the hero's or the statesman's grave, Oh! What are you in all your pomp of fame, To these sweet honours of the good mans name!

Feeling refreshed, I continued my walk along Fleet Common towards Fleet Old Church, passing the delighfully named Butter Street on the way. The chancel is all that now remains of the old church, all that visibly remains that is. There is a distinct presence of memory here in the poignancy that lashings of tidal waves could destroy part of a church whilst remarkably leaving a small portion untouched.

Fleet Old Church - SY6380

Inside Fleet Old Church

The church is no longer used regularly for worship, but contains several memorials to the Mohun family who feature in J Meade Faulkner's famous novel, Moonfleet, which is based on real life events, such as the fact that smugglers' contraband was hidden in the church vaults alongside the coffins!

My route to Fleet later looked like The Oa peninsula on Islay - that's exactly what I thought when I looked at it, but I had lingered long enough in this gridsquare and was conscious of the time. I left the village behind when I exited the 'handed' gates. Apart from these intriguing little flags  I saw quite a few St George's Flag flying high. There were quite a few flags flying today to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday.

Entrance to Fleet - SY6480

I crossed the B3157 again and entered Chickerell. The sky was growing darker and a few spots of rain fell, making me wonder whether I should secrete my camera and binoculars away. There was no need, however, as the rain didn't last long and had stopped by the time I came to St Mary's Church in Chickerell, which i rather liked with its colourful kneeling cushions and very old pulpit. Despite a thorough search, I could not find the scratch mark on its southern face. There are lots of scratch marks on Somerset churches, but they are rarer on churches in Dorset so it would have been nice to see it. Scratch dials were used by clergymen to tell the time in the days before clocks. A hole was inserted into the south wall of the church and marks made around the hole. A stick was inserted into the hole and its shadow told the time. But what happened if it wasn't sunny enough to cast a shadow, I have always wondered?

St Mary's Church, Chickerell - SY6480

Date on the beautifully carved pulpit

From the gallery

Apparently the smallest of the church's two bells dates from around 1300 and is Dorset's second oldest church bell (I don't know where the oldest is)

I walked across the south-west corner of SY6481, a square I'd previously walked in on my approach to Chickerell and therefore did not need to find anything else to photograph; I was tiring now. There was nothing to write home about at Coldharbour either so I snapped a quick photo of the road as I trundled wearily along.

Coldharbour - SY6581

At Harbourbridge (which sounds lovely, but isn't), I struck another right angle and walked northwest into SY6582. I nearly didn't do this section as I thought time was too short and I could easily have just walked along the road back to Upwey and saved time. but the historical church at Buckland Ripers clinched it. It needn't have really as the church was maddeningly locked with no information as to where to obtain the key. Still, it is a delightful little building and definitely worth returning to with information about looking around.

St Nicholas Church, Buckland Ripers - SY6582

The walk north-west was not a total waste of time, however, as I crossed a beautiful stone stile with an inscription to Flt Srgt Frederic George Ward, a local farmer's son and pilot who, at the tender age of 20 was killed when his Mosquito plane crashed in Suffolk during the Second World War. There is an Ordnance Survey rivet benchmark on the stile, which made it even more interesting.

Stone stile and memorial to Flt Sgt Frederic George Ward - SY6582

Rivet on the stone stile near Buckland Ripers

My detour to the church meant retracing my steps (through three gates and smelly cow doings) and choosing a path - north or south of the River Wey? I chose south as there was supposed to be another benchmark along here somewhere, but most of the ones listed as being on gateposts are now long gone, the stone gateposts having been replaced by treated wooden ones.

My approach to Nottington was memorable because of two yappy dogs which frightened me and almost made me reconsider the northerly path. Their owner made a feeble attempt at calling them to heel, but she was too engrossed in her horses to make much of an effort so I braved their vicious jaws and plodded on. The village is quite attractive and the River Wey runs through it.

Nottington Village - SY6682

River Wey at Nottington - SY6682

Octagonal Spa House at Nottington - SY6682, built around 1830  by Robert Vining

for its patrons to partake of the sulphuric waters that were said to be so beneficial to the health.

Having been assaulted by yellow and blue flora, it was now the turn of the white Blackthorn to take my breath away. It has such an ugly name and can deal a sore blow with its prickles, but it really is so pretty in flower.

Blackthorn at Nottington - SY6682

I was now back at Broadwey and came quite suddenly back to the station with twenty minutes to spare before my train. I spent much of that time munching a last sandwich and talking to a friendly teenager who kept me company throughout the forty minute journey home.

Distance: 12.3 miles

Trigpoints: 0

Benchmarks: 8

Churches:  3 1/2

Gridsquares: 17