A tale of two valleys - Charminster to Bradford Peverell - 9th February

Faithful followers of my blog will be aware that I had a nightmare walk in November last year from Symondsbury to Broadoak in which I encountered lots of mud and non-existent footpaths. I had drawn out a route for today which consisted of similar paths in the same sort of area and it was niggling me. Maybe I should choose a different route - in a different area?

I'd stuck with the same area, around the A356 for quite a while so chose a different are altogether - Charminster and decided we could combine it with lots of geocaches as the area around Beaminster and the A356 is bereft of caches.

Thus, when Paul returned from work, the sandwiches were made up, the route synced to the phone, the caches downloaded to the GPS, our boots and cameras were at the front door ready to go and I'd even found both his hats in preparation. Naturally, it still took a few minutes to get ready an leave and it took the best part of an hour to drive to Charminster where we sat in the church with our sandwiches and tried not to drop crumbs.

St Mary's Church, Charminster (in spring) - SY6792

From nowhere I was suddenly aware of footsteps padding quietly behind us and of Paul saying hello to someone. I turned as a female figure walked by to the toilet. She reappeared a few minutes later  and walked by us silently again into a shut off room. "Perhaps there's a Bible Study going on," I suggested to Paul. We saw no-one else during our brief stay and we exited into the sunshine eager to start our walk.

Our encounter with the first of our two rivers started immediately as we crossed the Cerne by a bridge where once upon a time we would have had to do so via a ford. I checked for old photos of the ford and there is one by Francis Frith which shows a bridge over the river as early as 1922. This photo is protected by copyright so I cannot include it here - instead here is my own taken on the day.

Ford by St Mary's Church, Charminster - SY6892

The area is well set up for picnickers and walkers with benches everywhere, so it could be a good walk for a group of people if it were not for having to walk along the A352. Some revision would be necessary to the route to do it with a group to avoid that part of the walk.

I'd already photographed the next square into which we stepped ever so briefly. SY6893, but we had already clocked up two caches. Our next one took us slightly off-piste and to another ford - and inTO another gridsquare.

Ford north of Charminster - SY6893

We followed the River northwards past Herrison Cottages and across the minor road leading to Herrison House. Now converted into residential flats, this imposing and massive building used to be the Dorset County Asylum. Prior to its opening in 1863, patients were admitted to a site at Forston House a mile upstream,but when overcrowding became a problem, a new site was proposed and constructed at Herrison House (Charlton Down). At its prime, the hospital was home to 957 people deemed to have mental health problems or learning difficulties.

Anne Brown, the archivist at the Dorset History Centre said that the treatment patients received, "through our modern eyes, was really quite harsh and not very humanitarian." (BBC website). The hospital finally closed in 1997 and the huge complex now forms the village of Charlton Down with a nursing home, a village hall, residential flats, a shop and a fitness centre.

Herrison House, once the Dorset County Asylum - SY6794

We walked on through fields of crops and past the ivy-clad ruined barn near Forston.

Ivy-clad barn near Forston  - SY6695

 A massive oak tree standing alone in the field deserved closer inspection and I took a photograph of its 'foot' planted firmly in the soil and overshadowed by its branches.

Tree 'foot' near Forston - SY6695

Another tree was all spiky, looking as if it had taken fright at something.

Spiky tree near Forston - SY6695

 So we descended into the grounds of Forston House, which  we didn't know at the time was the erstwhile primary site of the Dorset county Asylum. I didn't even take a photograph so will aim to do so next time. I did take a photo of the huge water wheel though.

Forston Water Wheel - SY6695

We had to walk along the busy A352 to Forston Farm which is dangerous as there are no verges. Fortunately we only had to do so for a short stretch before turning left at Watcombe Farm and following a bridleway westwards up Watcombe Bottom. We had walked along here before and remembered finding lots of Fox Moth caterpillars. Once at the top of the first hill, we paused for breath and were glad of a bench, conveniently placed  and overlooking the Cerne Valley and Herrison House.

Towards Herrison House across the Cerne Valley - SY6694

Feeling refreshed we set off once more, looking for a bifurcation in the paths. Strangely enough we were taking the right hand path away from Charminster and towards Stratton. This was new territory for us and my first new gridsquare for the day was approaching!

Bifurcation on Charminster Down - SY6694

It was followed soon after by another new gridsquare, albeit one that we were barely in, and one that sported a flailed hedge looking very sorrry for itself. I hate the way these hedges are brutally attacked these days, sending shards of their bones onto the hard surface of tarmac in some instances where they are likely to puncture tyres. It is a violent attack on a living organism which causes potential damage to many vehicles.

Flailed hedge on Charminster Down - SY6693

The path came out at Stratton Dairy. We had walked further west before but not this far into the village and pong of the farm. Holding ournoses we walked to the railway line, wondering how we were going to get across. Aha, via a tunnel and then another tunnel underneath the A35 - brilliant!

Railway bridge and tunnel under the A35 - SY6593

I'd hoped we'd have time to explore the village of Stratton a bit, but time was marching on and daylight hours were dwindling. I'd just have to leave that for another day as well.

We walked along the cycle track by the A35 until we reached the footpath sign which led now to a footbridge over our second river of the day, the River Frome which began its life at Evershot just a few miles upstream.

Footbridge over River Frome at Stratton - SY6593

We wandered across the waterlogged water meadows, under the pylons to the next footbridge approaching Bradford Peverell.

River Frome at Bradford Peverell - SY6593

As we lingered, looking for a cache I spotted a Grey Heron fly westwards along the river bank. And so we entered the village of Bradford Peverell. I'd like to say it was a sleepy village but any peaceful sounds from the tranquil waters of the Frome were drowned out by the persistent barking of a labrador, its owner's shouting at it to shut up and the owner's radio blaring out some sort of rap music. We hurried by and into the village proper where an unusual bench attracted our attention. The notice was advertising a forthcoming coffee morning.

Bench advertising a village coffee morning, Bradford Peverell - SY6593

We detoured to the spired church of St Mary which  was lit by late afternoon sunshine. At one time this church looked as if it would have been dwarfed by the enormous tree in its grounds. The tree was now pollarded and perhaps dead.

St Mary's Church, Bradford Peverell, - SY6593

After a quick look round the church we left and entered a new gridsquare briefly.

Woodland at Bradford Peverell - SY6592

 Back on a very straight minor road we plodded on to Giles Cross. (Who was Giles? we wondered.) Here we turned left back towards Charminster.

Giles Cross - SY6692

We crossed the River Frome again via another bridge.

River Frome at Bradford Peverell - SY6692

Our final crossing was also over a bridge, although there was also a ford. This was obviously a popular area for fishing as we kept seeing signs about the Wrackleford Beat and there was even parking allocated for this purpose! Shame walkers couldn't use it too; we are always struggling to find car parks for our groups.

By now the sun was setting low in the sky, but all we had to do was wander back by the busy A35 on the cycle path to Charminster and back to the sun-basked church and our little car.

Ford across the River Frome near Bradford Peverell - SY6692

Number of new gridsquares: 4
Number of miles walked: 7.3
Number of times we crossed the River Cerne: 2
Number of times we crossed the River Frome: 4

Inspired by Hawfinches - Cattistock Circular - 4th Feb

When Chris Packham exhorted our nations to get out and look for Hawfinches this winter it was the last straw. I'd heard it once too many times to ignore it. "We're going a walk from Cattistock," I announced boldly to Paul, racing up the stairs two at a time to go and devise said walk.

Hence our departure later that morning from St Peter's and St Paul's Church in the delightful village of Cattistock. Naturally, I'd drawn a route which took in as many 'empty' gridsquares as possible.

St Peter's and St Paul's Church, Cattistock - SY5999

We had barely started our walk when we bumped into two people laden with high quality optical equipment (ie binoculars, cameras and telescopes). "Have you seen the Hawfinches?" we enquired eagerly. "Yes, they're showing well," they replied, which is birding jargon for, well, it's quite obvious really, 'Yes you can see them really well at the moment.' Or, as I interpreted it, "Yes, they're perching obligingly at the end of branches providing unobstructed views, posing for the camera and will even come and feed from your hand if you happen to have a spare sandwich."

I was therefore disappointed. By 'showing well' they meant if you stand for ten minutes you might catch a glimpse of one for two seconds before it flits back into the depths of the foliage of the evergreen tree. Of course they would choose an evergreen tree. Plenty of bare-branched deciduous trees around, but they go and choose one with lots of, well, food. Awkward little things that they are.

Paul was not as disappointed as me, however - fortunately! We did end up seeing good views of these big-beaked rare visitors on this their bumper year in the UK. We had not been alone in our birdwatching; I'd been surprised that there were several other people there feasting their eyes on the skittish behaviour of this handsome finch.

But we had eight miles to walk, or thereabouts. I'd dodged the issue (as usual) when Paul asked the inevitable question about the length of the walk. I'm usually out by about two miles. We walked under the railway bridge on the MacMillan Way, turning off at a 'T-junction' onto a footpath which led to Higher Drove and the Wessex Ridgeway. I have to say this was quite a boring bit of the Wessex Ridgeway, about a mile and a half of one long straight road with not much to see en route.

Higher Drove near Chilfrome - SY5899

The long, straight Higher Drove - SY5799

Lancombe Farm has several holiday cottages attached to it, which we walked past before reaching a T-junction we did not recognise despite having driven past it a multitude of times. There are not many minor roads off the A356 between Crewkerne and Frampton that I have not walked down now, thanks to my gridsquare quest!

Triangle T-junction, A356 at Lancombe - SY5699

Part of the triangle T-junction - SY5699

Toller Porcorum fits into SY5698 and I already had a photograph of the church there, so I could relax about that square and concentrate on the next one. Not before lunch though. We'd set off later today so hadn't walked far before we decided it was lunch time and a conveniently placed fallen tree trunk formed a natural place to stop. Especially as the sun was shining and we could enjoy the apricity as we ate.

I wasn't sure if  I had a photo of SY5599 already? Better snap one just in case. The Kingcombe Centre will do nicely. Good job we weren't relying on it being open though.

Kingcombe Centre - SY5599

At this point we could have exchanged the Wessex Ridgeway for the Jubilee Trail and curtailed our walk by about a mile and a half, but naturally that would have meant missing out on three gridsquares so we weren't going to do that. We continued north instead on a local footpath to Middle Farm, which was new territory for us. This was a fish farm and we bade good afternoon to a solitary fisherman who grunted a reluctant reply.

Middle Farm - SY5499

We then met the farmer on his tractor and he dismounted (if that's what you do on tractors) when he saw us. "I don't think you'll get through down there," he told us, for which we read, "I don't want you going that way." "Oh," we said looking very pointedly at our map, "Is it flooded then?" "Yes, the river's flooded." We asked him how deep the water was and he showed us on his welly, making sure to point at a height that he felt sure we'd say we weren't going to risk walking through. It was obvious he didn't want us to walk along what was marked as a footpath on our map, so we turned reluctantly round to walk along the road instead.

This wasn't too unpleasant - or busy - although it was uphill. It wasn't another gridsquare though. For that I had to wait until the entrance to Stapleford Farm (which is  marked on the 1:25 000 as manor Farm).

Stapleford Farm sign - SY5399

I'd thought by doing this extra loop Id be gaining at least three gridsquares, but actually it was only one. Glad I didn't realise that at the time. It's getting to the stage now where these isolated gridsquares are beginning to be dotted all over my west Dorset map and it's going to be difficult to work out routes to join them all up. I remember the same thing happening on Islay, except it was a lot more difficult to get to the isolated gridsquares there as it was so much more difficult walking territory.

We turned off Common Lane and headed south towards Mount Pleasant. Thinking I was in a new gridsquare and that I'd only be in it for a few yards, I snapped a boring photo of the field here

Towards Mount Pleasant - SY5398

and then an equally boring one of the next gridsquare, which I also mistakenly thought was a brand new one.

Redholm Coppice - SY5498

We continued on the Jubilee Trail through Kingcombe Meadows nature reserve and trails. I liked the names on the gates which we kept passing.

Lower Long Ground - SY5498

Jubilee Trail near Lower Kingcombe - SY5598

We emerged on the minor road just before the Kingcombe Centre and turned right towards Toller Porcorum and followed this Snowdrop-lined road into that village.

Snowdrops near Toller Porcorum - SY5598

Once in the sleepy village of Toller Porcorum I thought we were back in square SY5698, the square I'd ignored earlier in the day. I've just discovered the church is on the border between SY5698 and SY5697 and in Geograph it falls into SY5697. Don't panic, though; I've got another much more boring photo of SY5698 coming up soon . . .

. . . Today, however, squares aside, we were ready for our last cup of tea so sat on 'our' bench in the churchyard slurping tea, eating shortbread and looking out for Hawfinches. We saw none.

St Andrew and St Peter Church, Toller Porcorum - SY5697

"Please tell me we're not walking along that busy winding road," Paul pleaded. He meant Toller Lane and, yes, we were going along it. "We've no option," I insisted, "until they open up a footpath on the railway. The good news is we get to take a photo of those ducks."

The ducks had been breeding and the display had become much more elaborate from the first time we saw it. Someone (probably local) with a sense of humour admonishes drivers to 'Slow down' in a comical fashion at the bridge over the River Hooke east of the village.

Comical sign over River Hooke at Toller Porcorum - SY5698

 We passed the sewage works and ducked and dived across the road making sure we were as visible as possible round bends and in the blinding sunlight. At field entrances we glimpsed the valley below - views we never got to appreciate when driving along this road.

Towards Maiden Newton from Toller Lane - SY5797

Then we scared some sleeping Roe Deer who fled immediately, bounding across the fields to our left with incredible energy and showing their tell-tale white powder puff bottoms.

Fleeing Roe Does - SY5797

I turned to take a photo of our uphill road just before we reached the A356 which we had to cross again.

Toller Lane - SY5798

We had a choice between a bridleway at the top of the hill or a track at the bottom of the hill here. As we were already at the top of the hill, we chose the former and walked past a seldom-seen row of holly bushes towards Chilfrome. I kept looking deep into the valley and wishing we oculd walk both paths at the same time; I felt I was missing something,but would have felt exactly the same had I been walking on the lower path.

Valley west of Chilfrome - SY5898

Barn in valley west of Chilfrome - SY5898

We could see where we'd walked earlier in the day about a kilometre north and parallel to where we were walking now. This was a much more pleasant walk. We approached Holy Trinity Church in Chilfrome eagerly; someone that morning had said Hawfinches had been seen here too.

Holy Trinity Church, Chilfrome - SY5998

There's a lovely bench her beneath a Yew tree and, if it hadn't have been so cold we would have sat and watched a while longer.

Bench beneath a Yew tree, Chilfrome - SY5998

As it was, we paused for a few minutes on our return past Cattistock Church just in case the Hawfinches should charm us with their company, but neither avian or human company was present here - a real contrast to this morning's hubbub of activity. We left the sleeping churchyard and returned to our car.

Number of new gridsquares: 5

Number of miles walked: 9.5

Number of Hawfinches seen: 4

Number of Roe Deer seen: 3

Number of Foxes seen (at some point): 1

Number of badger tracks seen: 1

Number of bird species seen: 25