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