Ringstead to Osmington Rings

The inspiration for today's walk came from the seldom occurring and very sudden desire to go wild swimming. After a little googling we discovered that Ringstead Bay is quite a secluded place for swimming - and there's even an unofficial naturist beach there on the east side of the beach. In case you're wondering, no we weren't going to go skinny dipping, and I can only think that this aberration of character derived from the searing heat of the day before, resulting in the desire to quickly cool down.

Anyway, off we set with a route planned to cover a little bit of coastline and the south-west coast path that we hadn't yet done. Parking at Ringstead we immediately came across a potential east beach user, a very tanned and long silver-haired matureish gentleman was sitting reading the newspaper - IN THE CAR PARK - in his mobile home, with the door wide open and with not a stitch on! Yes, we tittered like children, "It's alright as long as he doesn't get up," Paul quipped. Being parked next to him, it was difficult to avoid looking in his direction as we busied ourselves with rucsacks and hiking boots. He proceeded to put a towel round his waist, get out the van and wee against the side of his van whilst Paul rapidly tried to find the National Trust twitter account to lodge a complaint.

We decided against taking our fleeces. "Nine times out of ten I regret it," I said, firmly closing and locking the car with fleeces still inside. Sadly, I had to leave my binocs too. I can't bear it really (and don't tell my brother), but until I get a lighter weight pair, I also can't bear the weight round my neck, especially in the heat. The swimming stuff also remained in the car; it was a long shot. One day I'll do it!

Some paragliders were already in the air, this being a popular spot for this activity. I decided I thought it wouldn't be too bad, but then as we watched them being blown out to sea and high above the land, I changed my mind with a little shudder of fear. Some of them appeared to be lying down in sleeping-bag like seats.

There is a plethora of paths here, not all of them marked on the Explorer map.

The seedheads of all types of thistle were being carried by the wind and gathering in places on the ground - there should be a word for this. 'Thistlesnow' Paul suggested. I like that because it does give the impression of snow. We followed a different one to the one we'd been on before when we came with the Dorset Walkers (Hi John!) as I wanted to visit the little wooden chapel here - St Catherine's by the Sea. What a delightful little chapel this is, with its own garden for picnics. Rebuilt in 2010, it is now only occasionally used, including on Sundays throughout the summer for tea and cakes!

St Catherine's by the Sea - SY7681

St Catherine's by the Sea - SY7681

St Catherine's by the Sea - SY7681

We were delighted to see Wall Brown butterflies on our walk, although it didn't perform for the photo!

Wall Brown

The views today were stunning. You can see why it's such a popular place, except for the pebbly beach. I always think it must be very uncomfortable to lie on such a beach. there were a few people in the sea but no sign of our mobile home user (thankfully)

Ringstead Bay with Portland in the distance - SY7581

We decided to have a cup of tea on the beach and then walked for a short stretch along the beach to the steps which led back to the coastal path. We walked along lovely shady woodland paths and then passed two WWII coastal artillery searchlights.

CASL - SY7481

Osmington Mills was mobbed. We were ready for lunch, but decided to get through the busy seaside resort before stopping again. The Smugglers' Inn  looks an attractive place to stop for a bite to eat though.

The Smugglers' Inn, Osmington - SY7381

We followed the south-west coast path inland now and uphill towards Sandy Barrow, walking alongside the biggest campsite I think I've seen and marvelling at the tents pitched on a 45 degree slope!

Sandy Barrow - SY7382

We somehow missed the path westwards here, but rejoined it a little further up where we sat on a grassy slope with our lunch. We then followed a track to East Farm, where there was an unexpected cafe, an overgrown stile which we avoided, choosing to walk through the farmyard instead to the main road - the A353 through Osmington. 

Near East Farm - SY7282

Small Tortoiseshell near East Farm - Butterfly Conservation are asking for records of this species

Having crossed the road, we walked through the village for a bit before striking off north-east and uphill to the ridgeway. It was a steep climb.

Osmington - SY7383

At Pixon barn there is a convergence of paths. This must at one time have only been a barn, but now there is a modern house here.

Pixon Barn - SY7383

We turned south-eastwards now, back to the main road, straight across and up to what I thought looked an exciting bit on the map. It WAS an exciting bit. We walked through dappled woodland up hill to a quarry (dis) and then went a little off piste to look at a cairn circle.

Cairn Circle on Moigns Down - SY7483

Cairn circle on Moigns Down - SY7483

There is quite a lot of archaeological interest here - strip lynchets, earthworks and stone circles. The South Dorset ridgeway is rich in archaeology. I wish I knew a bit more about it.

Our next landmark was the trigpoint at Moigns Down.

Moigns Down trigpoint - SY7583

We were glad of our Memory Map app at this point, because with weary legs, we mindlessly followed a tractor track through a field before we went to look at a distinctive dead tree and Paul noticed a footpath sign (one of those circular screw in ones) attached to its bark - pointing in the opposite direction!) We immediately changed course and thanked the tree accordingly.

The tree that 'spoke' - SY7583

We were now on the homeward stretch, but the best was yet to come. On a south facing slope full of Ragwort near Holworth we were suddenly in a world of butterflies - Meadow Browns, Blues, Painted Ladies and the best of all - a Clouded Yellow, danced round us tantalizingly.

Painted Lady - one of the many butterflies we saw in this meadow

Butterfly rich meadow near Holworth - SY7683

I'd like to say 'all too soon, we were back at the car', but that would be a lie. It was a bit of a slog and an uphill one at that, through territory we'd covered before. But it had been an amazing walk. Still, we were glad to see the welcome stile and gate and then a host of people with hand gliders, parachutes and dogs all milling around in the car park. But thankfully the silver-haired naturist was nowhere to be seen.

Paraglider and Portland - SY7582

No. of paragliders seen in the air at any one time: 7

No. of butterfly species seen: 13

No. of miles walked: 9.1

No. of trigpoints visited: 1

No. of times crossed main road: 2

No. of naked peoples seen: 1

No. of new gridsquares: 10

A walk east from Dorchester

This walk could actually be subtitled 'Another Three Dorset Churches', because I managed to fit in a hat trick of delightful rural churches today as well. I love it when I can catch the train to my starting (and therefore finishing) point; and I love it even more when I get up early and start walking. Yes, before I'd had time to wonder whether I'm really awake enough to stretch those tired legs, don the ton-weight binoculars and make decisions like whether I need my waterproof, I was out of the door and at Yeovil Pen Mill for 7.30 am. The other advantage of course to such ridiculously early awakenings is that you avoid the inevitable holiday travel.

Arriving at Dorchester, I skipped off the train and wandered happily along the tarmac for half a mile before I realised I was going the wrong way. I turned round and wandered happily once more - again in the wrong direction. Third time lucky, I wandered eastwards, by now desperate to get out of the town and one and a half miles later found my way to Long Bridge but, oh, what a disappointment! Surely it couldn't be that ugly concrete flyover? Surely such a monstrosity does not warrant its own entry on our revered Ordnance Survey maps? Sorry, folks, but I'm afraid it apparently does. Walking past the building site (pedestrians beware!) I ran under the bridge and onto the water meadows. This was more like it! And now, what were those rusty wheel bridge things in the middle of the footpath? Something to do with the water meadows, no doubt, but I don't know what?

Water meadows east of Dorchester -  SY7090

I headed north-east towards Stinsford, where Thomas Hardy's heart is buried, and bid a fellow early morning walker a good morning. I was walking along the delightful River Frome, the major chalkstream in south-west England. I didn't see a single fish though! I continued to follow the Frome through a dappled avenue of deciduous trees - the lane is apparently called Church Lane - it must lead to the church where Thomas Hardy once attended.

Church Lane, Stinsford - SY7190

Once through the trees I decided to stop and tuck my trousers into my socks - always wise when walking through long, tick-infested grass. Just as I did so, two streaks of whistling blue whizzed past me downstream, chasing each other. It is always a breath-stopping moment when you see a Kingfisher. They are truly one of the pinnacles of creation. I paused long enough to let the moment sink in and give it the reverence it deserved before moving on.

My next smiling moment was at Lower Bockhampton Bridge, for it is one of those Dorset bridges warning against vandalism and appealing against subjecting it to too much weight!

Bridge over River Frome, Lower Bockhampton - SY7290

I braved a madly barking dog at Kingston Dairy House as I continued eastwards, with a little trepidation through a farmyard (Would there be bulls or cows on the loose?) The land here is very flat; I was looking back at the same system of water meadows I'd traversed earlier.

Water meadows, Kingston Dairy Farm - SY7290

Past Duddle Farm (what a delightful name!), I thought I spied another walker in the next field and then my heart sank. It was not human, but a bovine movement, and it was not in the singular, but most definitely in the plural. There was a plethora of Friesian cattle spread in every square inch of the next field. OK, so I'm a coward. One doesn't mind a field with a small herd of cattle all nestled together in a corner of a field which one can give a wide berth to, but when one can't avoid them, and when one hasn't brought one's trusty walking pole because it was just too much to remember at 6 am, one is not for risking a premature death by crushing. Careful scrutiny of the map revealed an alternative, albeit longer alternative - and I had the legitimate excuse that I wanted to look at Heedless William's Pond. Some of these names on the map are just too intriguing to miss. At least that's what I told myself as I backtracked and went uphill to the road between Tincleton and Stinsford. (Tincleton - it's like something out of Toyland!)

Unsure of whether I'd be trespassing if I ventured to look at Heedless William's Pond and a little wary of another barking guard dog, I satisfied myself with a look at his standing stone instead. After all, I didn't know the origin of the name of the pond, perhaps the pond is almost invisible and unless you take great heed, you too will fall into it. As well as avoiding death by cattle, I also wanted to avoid death by drowning . . .

Heedless William's Standing Stone - SY7391

. . . which was unfortunately the consequence of coachman William's heedless driving in days of yore when he, his passengers and his horses were all drowned when they came off the road here.

I continued to Norris Mill Farm and rejoined the path I'd avoided earlier.

Towards Norris Mill Farm - SY7390

Track south of Norris Mill Farm - SY7390

River Frome south of Norris Mill Farm - SY7390

I was walking south, rather than east now, towards the River Frome again, but I hadn't quite reached my most easterly point, A close look at the map revealed that the path dips into SY7490 for all of about a millisecond. What were the chances of my returning to this rather empty gridsquare? Pretty slim, I reckoned, so with my GPS in hand I waited till the crucial digits had turned to 0000 and snapped a photo of a lane which wasn't actually marked on my map, but which looks as if it might lead to Martin's River Island - another intriguing name.

Track to Martin's River Island? - SY7490

My sojourn in SY7390 was not quite over yet, however. It had a brilliant finale with a fly-by of regal Red Admiral and Peacock butterflies drinking nectar from the Valerian. It's rare to be able to photograph three butterflies in one frame.

Red Admiral and peacock butterflies

I paused at the footbridge before Lewell Mill Farm. It felt like it must be lunchtime, but it was only 10.30. I'd been walking for two and a half hours and needed a wee break. Perhaps the Kingfisher would fly by again? It didn't, but I felt much better for my swig of tea - and my rucksack, which weighed heavily on my shoulders was just that tiny bit lighter now!

River Frome and Lewell Mill Farm - SY7389

I nearly missed the track at Lewell Mill Farm, and then thought I HAD missed it because it was so overgrown and in fact had been diverted slightly northwards. I fought my way through nettles and brambles and rejoined the undiverted path which runs just north of Talbothays Cottages (which, to be honest, look a little bit too big to warrant the title of 'cottages'). i was now fighting my way through a field of ripe maize.

Field of maize near Talbothays - SY7389

Talbothays Cottages - SY7389

And so I entered the lovely village of West Stafford and passed the Wise Man Inn and later a sign for Wise Man Cottage. I wonder who the wise man was?

Who is/was the Wise Man of West Stafford? - SY7289

West Stafford and St Andrew's Church - SY7289

St Andrew's Church, West Stafford - SY7289

Naturally I went into the church, which has some interesting beams, some partially destroyed old writing an a nice old chest, but I didn't discover any interesting anecdotes about it.

Old writing in St Andrew's Church, West Stafford

Church interior, St Andrew's, West Stafford - SY7289

The footpath goes through a more modern part of the village and over the railway line. I saw a Painted Lady butterfly on the bramble and Creeping Thistles.

Painted Lady on Creeping Thistle

I turned south-east and walked to Stafford Farm.

Stafford Farm - SY7288

Then I turned south-west and walked across fields to Whitcombe. The path goes all the way round the church before access is permitted into the field which contains the little church.

Footpath sign at Whitcombe - SY7188

Whitcombe Church - built in the 12th Century - SY7188

Interesting grave at Whitcombe Church - SY7188

Lovely tree at Whitcombe church - SY7188

By now the heat of the day had got too much for me and I reluctantly retreated to the cool of the church porch to eat my lunch, resisting the temptation to go into the church before I'd finished (I don't really know why!)

Inside Whitcombe Church - SY7188

Sir Christopher and the Christ child - wall painting inside Whitcombe church - SY7188

Wall painting inside Whitcombe Church - SY7188

Flowers inside Whitcombe Church - SY7188

I was joined by the volunteer caretaker who kindly gave me a brief tour of the church as well as sharing my enthusiasm for all things Scottish. (He'd even been to Islay!)

I learnt that William Barnes, the famous poet of the Dorset dialect, is buried at Winterborne Came church. I had visited this church on a previous walk, but didn't know it was the site of his burial and in fact, had not been inside the church on that occasion.

St Peter's Church, Winterborne Came - SY7088

William Barnes' grave (1801-1886)- SY7088

Church interior, St Peter's, Winterborne Came - SY7088

My previous visit  had been in the winter and my photos from that walk depict a cold and frost morning, for I'd set off around the same time then, but it would have been darker at that time of year. This time I was walking through a field of verdant maize which seemed to go on for ever and was well above the height of my head - no wonder the dog walker behind me had chosen a different footpath! 

Approaching the North Plantation, Witnerborne Came - SY7088

I was nearly back at my starting point with plenty of time to spare before the 1521 train departed Dorchester West. I just had to negotiate Dorchester's busy streets with my heavy feet and rucksack. I would be very glad to take my boots off. Everyone else I saw was wearing minimal clothing and I think I might have been tempted to swap my boots for a pair of flipflops if someone had asked me!

My last photo of the day was taken rather apologetically - merely for the sake of a gridsquare. Under the scrutiny of several pairs of BMX riders' eyes, I snapped a photo of  St Mary's Catholic VA First school, and hurriedly put my camera away.

 St Mary's Catholic VA First school - SY6989

No. of churches visited - 3

No. of churches intended visiting - 3 (it's not always the same number)

No. of bridges crossed - lost count

No. of Friesian cows in a field - 3,678 (or maybe 36)

No. of Kingfishers seen - 2

No. of miles walked - 11.6

No. of new gridsquares - 10