My walk today started at Lambert's Plantation, near Frampton at a 'Walkers' Car Park' and headed south-west to Longlands Farm where two grunting pigs greeted me. At least I thought they were greeting me, but it turned out, they were rushing to be fed! I checked with their owner about the direction of the footpath and she warned me that it was still a bit muddy - 'ridiculous in July', but that I looked adequately shod.
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| SY6194 - the muddy track near Longlands Farm |
The path is quite obvious and easy until it suddenly enters a field
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| SY6094 - field west of Longlands Farm, where the path becomes a bit vague. |
and becomes a bit more vague and then even more so when I realised I wasn't following the footpath. The views across Compton Bottom and to Compton Valence were attractive though.
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| View from path across to Compton Bottom |
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| Compton Valence from the north |
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| Marbled White |
There are no signs here to indicate where the footpath is and I found it difficult to know which side of the hedge I should be on, both sides were quite overgrown. I plumped for one side and kept walking until I finally saw a sign indicating the direction of the Monarch's Way and kept going straight on, past a barn, to Greenford Lane and, hopefully, my trigpoint.
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| SY5994 - barn near Greenford Lane, north of Compton Valence. |
Once on Greenford Lane I got excited about my trigpoint, which looked as if it was on the road. After close scrutiny, however, I decided it must be on the other side of the hedge and, upon inspection of how to access same, I decided against it; it was just too overgrown and the way barred by some rusty machinery. I would try again in winter when the vegetation was not as high. I would have to be satisfied with a boring photo of the road instead.
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| SY5894 - Greenford Lane - where the trigpoint should have been. |
I didn't enjoy walking along this road, which was surprisingly busy. But I did enjoy seeing the Red Kite which entertained me for a few minutes. My first Dorset Red Kite! I attempted photos with my new Canon Powershot SX50 - not quite as good results as my brother's (for some reason), but not bad either.
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| Red Kite being mobbed by Rooks |
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| Red Kite |
Anxious to get off the road and away from passing tractors, I looked for the footpath west, but it had disappeared. I decided to walk further north and join the Wynford Eagle footpath at Greenford Farm. Phew, I was glad to be off the road and into a field of wheat! At least the path had been clearly cut through the crops.
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| SY5895 - wheat field near Greenford Farm |
I walked north and slightly west towards Wynford Eagle, arriving at Manor Farm, where I enquired about the key for the church and was pointed in the direction of Lord Winford's house.
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| Crossroads at Wynford Eagle - SY5895 |
A car was parked outside the manor house and a couple were getting out. "Excuse me," I enquired of the gentleman, "are you Lord Winford?" He laughed and shook his head and explained that he and his wife had holidayed in the thatched cottage by the church some 30 years ago and were having a trip down memory lane. "But if you're going to ask for the key for the church, we'd like to join you," he added, once I told him of my mission. They said their family had some connection with the Winford's (they did explain exactly what connection, but I quickly lose the thread with these stories). The rubber-gloved cleaner answered the door (or rather she came to the open door when I tapped) and went in search of Lord Winford's key. With the key in hand and strict instructions about not switching on any lights, we went to investigate the church. There is not a lot to see if I'm honest, but I liked meeting this reminiscing couple who offered to take the key back to avoid my having to go back on myself.
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| Inside Wynford Eagle Church |
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| Inside Wynford Eagle church |
I sat on the footbridge over the burn south of the church and ate my lunch before retracing February's steps and heading up to the Jubilee Trail. I had already photographed these gridsquares, but it was interesting revisiting two seasons later; the scene was completely different.
Once again I got a little muddled up near Compton Barn as it is not obvious which way the path goes. I walked past the old settlement here (there is not a lot to see) and found my way to Compton Barn (the name of a place or just a barn?) There is a building here which is partly derelict and partly a house.
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| SY5893 - Compton Barn |
I walked down Church Hill Lane (quite steep) into Compton Valence, which hardly warrants the name of village, and went into the church. "I wonder if there are bats here," I thought to myself, looking up at the beamed roof of the porch as I sat with my second lunch (barely more than a lettuce leaf). After a quick look round inside, I wandered out again and took a photo of the church from the gate - as I did so a bat flew high and round the church! Honestly. I went in its pursuit, but did not find it again. It was probably a Pipistrelle and I almost certainly would not have noticed it if it were not for Paul's recent passion for bats.
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| Compton Valence church - SY5993 |
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| Memorial to Eptimus Hobbs in Compton Valence church - I just liked the name |
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| Inside Compton Valence church |
I met a jogger and three dogs as I walked north, before heading east across Compton Bottom, which was crowded with a lot of shorn sheep.
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| SY6093 - Compton Bottom |
Once out of the field I was back onto Longlands Farm track, only it was a different track - it looked long as it stretched uphill to the farm - and it was a very hot and sultry day.
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| SY6193 - Track to Longlands Farm |
I passed the time of day with the farmer and we commented on the heat - unexpected after a rather unseasonable spell. Then I plodded on back to the car. A good walk with two excellent objects for my new camera's first photos - Red Kite and Marbled White.
Miles walked - 9
Churches visited - 2
Trigpoints missed - 1
People I spoke to - 5 (probably a record on a solitary walk!)
Gridsquares - 8
Lunches consumed - 2
