Dorset's last tin tabernacle - 2nd August 2018

It had been three months since my last serious gridsquare walk; the heat and other commitments had prevented me from getting out. I really just hadn't felt like it. But I couldn't go on like that, not with only just over half of the western squares done.

I called on faithful Jane to help and, ever willing, she turned up after googling potential parking spots on Google Maps (a very useful tool). We squeezed our cars together on the small parking spot by the church and our tongues set off ten to the dozen even if our feet needed a bit more persuasion!

"I don't need to worry about photographs for the first two gridsquares," I put Jane's mind at rest as we struggled up the chevroned hill towards Whitecross. There are a lot of hamlets dotted around this area - Whitecross, Lower Strode, North Bowood, South Bowood - and a lot of them are no more than a handful of houses so that you're not even aware that you've wandered into an area worthy of a name.

A thatched cottage caught my eye for my first photograph, albeit not in a new gridsquare.

Thatched Cottage near Netherbury - SY4699

"Don't worry, we've not got a lot of road walking today," I reassured Jane as we dodged a few cars on the minor road. It was a case of famous last words of course. I might not have planned to do lots of road walking, but that was exactly what we ended up doing. For now, though, we continued blissfully on and I felt quite smug when our first byway opened before us with no searching whatsoever - I've come to expect searching for footpaths in west Dorset!

Byway near Whitecross - SY4699

 A tree full of creepers also caught my eye.

A tree with creepers near Whitecross - SY4599

My feeling of smugness threatened to leave me very early on in the walk when we mistook a stile over the fence for, well, a stile over a fence leading to our footpath. An easy mistake to make. Ever cautious, Jane hung behind me as I brazenly walked through the gate into Luccombe Farm. Admittedly you never know how you will be greeted by farmers, but we needn't have worried. We were greeted warmly by a farmer in a tractor who asked which direction we wished to travel and then pointed in the right direction.

We crossed a nice little burn in the shade of the woods and then went uphill again to look back at the farm.

Luccombe Farm - SY4599

We rejoined the road we'd left at Higher Hingsdon and then I saw something I've been looking out for for a long time. I'll tell you because you'll never guess what it is - a benchmark on a milk churn stand. Now I really ought to have added that to my '50 at 50' list; I bet no-one else ever has or will!

Milk churn stand at Higher Hingsdon with benchmark just visible to left of moss - SY4599

With one new gridsquare under my belt, we entered SY4598 and I immediately looked for a subject for this gridsquare. I didn't have to wait long. One of Dorset's quaint  old signposts beckoned me. I've always liked these signposts because they have a six figure grid reference at their centre as well as a name and this one was particularly interesting - Emmanuel's Cross. As is often the case with things like this,  however, I have not been able to find out the origins of its intriguing name.

Emmanuel's Cross - SY4598

We left the road again at Lower Strode where there were some serious renovation works going on.

Lower Strode - SY4598

We were now on a footpath through fields and could occasionally hear the sound of gunshot, which is always a little disconcerting. Behind and below us a landrover drove through a field and after that we didn't hear any more shooting. In fact we didn't think about it again - we had other things to worry about - like where our path had disappeared to.

But I am jumping ahead of myself. For now we were still fine, patting ourselves on the back for the success of our walk through this seldom walked territory. We continued past Luccombe Covert and past Strode Manor along an attractive footpath through a wood.

Near Strode Manor - SY4499

We had hoped to get a glimpse of Strode Manor, but it was not to be. The entrance to this establishment does not allow a view to the manor house itself.

Entrance to Strode Manor - SY4499

We approached the B3162 cautiously. These B-roads are sometimes mega busy. We had only to walk along it for a very short bit, however, and our attention was caught by an amusing sign about time travel. I'm not quite sure if it served any other purpose than to create amusement or whether there really are some budding Dr Whos living nearby!

For budding Dr Whos, sign on B3162 at North Bowood - SY4499

As we'd missed last Sunday's appointment, we continued on, and, as we did so, began to realise perhaps the relevance of the time travel sign, for it did feel a bit like we were travelling back in time - and way beyond last Sunday for that matter. The wrecked cars and ruins in this neck of the woods really were from a bygone era. I always find that sensation appealing, comforting even. I think it satisfies the search for security which we often find in the safety of the past. Funny how we forget all the awful things about the past. . .

Evidence of time travel? North Bowood - SY4499

At a crossroads we turned left onto a bridleway which led to Lower Witney's Coppice and near Glitney Farm across fields and a little burn.

Glitney Farm - SY4399

Burn near Glitney Farm - SY4399

We turned right after we'd emerged onto the minor road at Blackney and looked for the foopath across to Lower Monkwood. It wasn't there. We pushed back a few pieces of ivy and bramble for signs of a sign, perhaps one mangled by a hedge cutter or bovine beast. "It's definitely not here," I announced after retying up the piece of string which was fastening the gate. We looked carefully at the next gate but felt quite reluctant to go in that field as there was a farmer and tractor working away in there.

A quick look at the map told us we could just walk down the road to Monkwood. "It's a little bit further and not as nice, but it might be easier than fighting our way through crops," I said. The phrase "we could just walk down the road" became something of a slogan for today's walk in the end.

Lower Monkwood Farm - SY

But at Monkwood we faced another dilemma. Where was the footpath? There are no fewer than five footpaths marked on my version of the OS Explorer map and I think we saw signposts for most of them (including the one we had wanted to enter Monkwood by but couldn't see the start point at Blackney). Of our footpath, however, there was literally no sign. "We'll have to wing it, Jane," I insisted knowing how much she hated 'trespassing'. "We're on a path on my map and I can show that to any potential challenger. Besides I think I can see a stile at the end of the field." I reached for my non-existent binoculars to check this out before remembering I'd ditched them in favour of my camera. Sadly you don't tend to see many birds on farmland anyway these days.

Had I had my binoculars, it would have saved us a gratuitous wander across a field. What I thought was a stile was in face nothing more than a plastic sack wrapped round a barbed wire fence to facilitate crossing into an impenetrable field of maize via another barbed wire fence. "We ain't going that way," Jane said firmly and I had to admit it did look a bit hopeless. I scrutinised the map for the zillionth time. "Hmmm, it doesn't look good," I said. I hate being defeated by non-signed footpaths and, having an older version of the OS map on my phone, I'm never sure whether the footpaths are just non-signed or whether they actually don't exist.

After reluctantly snapping a photo (I didn't think we'd be back in this gridsquare today), we retraced our steps. "It we take the next footpath on the left to Paddock's Dairy we can rejoin the road and then leave it again at Broadoak," I said. I didn't feel confident though about the status of some of the other footpaths we would need to join and I knew that around Filford the signage and maintenance of local footpaths is minimal to say the least. (See Broadoak Disaster post).

Field at Lower Monkwood - SY4398

Paddock Farm - SY4297

We had no trouble navigating to Paddock Farm (marked  Paddock's Dairy on my map), where Jane announced she'd been before on the Three Peaks Challenge and where we were pleased to see a continuation of the footpath to the road - or so we thought! Perhaps we were distracted by Pilsdon View Campsite with its attractive gypsy wagons and the tantalising glimpse of a toilet block (our bladders having been an increasing concern over the past few miles), whatever the reason we missed a turn off and ended up at an electric gate with no way out.

"I'm going over," Jane said. Shocked by this uncharacteristic outburst I followed suit. Was she also going to dare to use the toilet facilities here? I wondered. No, that would just have to wait. Neither of us had seen an electric gate like that before but we couldn't see any way out of the field other than hopping over the fence between us and the campsite and going through the other normal and open gate onto the road.

"I might be getting gridsquares I would otherwise not have got," I remarked cheerfully to Jane as we plodded along the road thinking about our bladders and stomachs. We had already walked six miles and had not rested at all yet. And it was blisteringly hot. I clicked away as we past New Farm House with an attractive spoon-shaped sign advertising a pottery.

New House Farm Pottery - SY4397

It wasn't until we actually entered the hamlet of Broadoak that I began to experience déjà vu. "I think I've been here before," I said "and, if I'm right, there's a church coming up where we could have our lunch." Jane readily acquiesced. She'd been very patient, tentatively questioning various footpaths to the left which we'd already passed. "No, not that one," she'd said three times as we marched on purposefully. At the fourth footpath I stopped and said maybe we could try that one after lunch, "but we need rest, sustenance - and a wee - before we make any more important decisions about our route!"

Broadoak Church - SY4396

As on my previous visit last November, the church was locked, but we rested against the wall and tucked into our lunch. Having decided that it would be irreverent to wee in the churchyard, it was a drinkless repast. Refreshed from our rest I made an executive decision. "I've made an executive decision," I announced boldly. "We're continuing along the road to Dottery and then taking a bridleway back to Netherbury."

"Netherbury?" Jane questioned, "Are we nearly back then?" I wasn't sure if she was wishing the walk to end or not, but I had to be honest with her. "No, we've got ages to go; I just thought it sounded better!" We laughed. There's not many people I'd risk asking to accompany me on one of my gridsquare missions and I was especially grateful for her company and good humour today. The truth was I could see Filford glaring at me on my phone screen map and, although I didn't intend taking the same footpath which had led to disaster last November, I didn't want to risk finding another disastrous footpath. It was simply safer to go by road.

"I do feel a walk from Salway Ash coming on though," I turned to Jane and smiled. "That's the second time I've had to re-route and avoid that village."

We left the village of Broadoak with its attractive sign, promising so much, and I wondered if I'd acquired any 'bonus' gridsquares as a result of our re-routing (we hadn't).

Broadoak -SY4496

Our two mile road slog was monotonous. It was quite a busy road and it was tedious having to keep going single file to allow cars to pass. At Dottery crossroads I took a photo, despite it not being a new gridsquare. We were about to enter new territory and I was excited about seeing the little church here.

Dottery crossroads - SY4595

"This is it," I said unnecessarily to Jane at the sign for St Saviour's Church, Dottery. I'd promised her a boring walk with two geocaches and two churches and so far it had definitely not been boring and we'd missed both caches and the other church. If this was the only promise I could fulfill I was going to make a meal out of it!

St Saviour's Church, Dottery - SY4595

A man appeared from the back of the church, taking us a little by surprise. Don't tell me this wasn't a church either. Had we wandered into someone's back garden?  "Hello," I ventured, "Is this still a church?" A man with the biggest sideburns I'd ever seen, a green baseball cap and a DIY T-shirt approached us. "Yes it is" he said proudly. "Did you want to see inside?" We said that, yes, it would be nice if it wasn't too inconvenient, whilst wondering just how much longer we could hold our bladders.

St Saviour's Church, Dottery - SY4595

He apologised in advance for the state of the church and explained that it was currently undergoing refurbishment. An interesting tale then ensued about how the community had rescued this historic building from its otherwise most likely demise. "It's the last tin tabernacle in Dorset," he said beaming. "I'm not a religious man, but it's worth saving on those grounds alone." He gave us a tour of the church and spoke with great pride about the community spirit which had saved this building. A local fence-maker had rebuilt the bell tower and various other tradesmen and villagers had all devoted time and money to this enormous effort.

There's a wonderful write up about the church on this link

and the opportunity to donate to help the community raise much needed funds

Fund repairs to St Saviour's Church

I'd noticed a sign on the organ as we'd walked out, 'Nigel will have this'. It hadn't made immediate sense, and I wasn't going to ask because I was fit to burst by this stage. We got the story anyway, "the church had two organs and none of them work," our guide told us. "One of them could work and that's the one Nigel's going to have." There was something about getting £20 for it, but I can't remember the rest of the story - perhaps Jane can help me.

Wishing him a third goodbye - the first two having failed - we left to wander just a bit further eastwards before finding our bridleway turn off which was sufficiently secluded for us to finally find that quiet toilet spot, albeit it to the accompaniment of munching cows behind us!

"I used to think sideburns were called sideboards," Jane said randomly once normal conversation had resumed. I knew from whence this random statement had arisen. "Me too," I laughed. "And I thought my dad had big sideboards!" I have just googled it and found that the two terms are interchangeable.

For the first time that day I was glad I'd chosen my long trousers as opposed to Jane's shorts. I remained relatively unstung and prickled whilst poor Jane got scratched and stung all over wading through this overgrown bridleway.

Towards the end of the bridleway at Dottery Farm - SY4695

We eventually emerged into pleasant and open pasture.

Farmland near Higher Ash Farm - SY46595

At Higher Ash Farm we paused to admire a beautiful display of lobelia and other brightly coloured flowers spilling out of an old wooden trap.

Attractive floral display at Higher Ash Farm - SY4695

We crossed another minor road and continued on a bridleway past Peach Farm. My original route was going to take us past Pineapple Farm and I was sorry to have missed that one. Maybe all the farms round here were named after fruits?

Peach Farm - SY4696

The next farm was definitely not named after fruit - Purcombe Farm House. We passed it and joined a byway through the woods brimming with what  Gerard Manley Hopkins called shadow tackle, but which I prefer to call 'shadow tangle'.

Shadow tangles on byway north of Purcombe Farm House - SY4697

Feeling tired, hot and bothered, but still in good humour, we plodded on, leaving the byway just before Silkhay Farms, turning eastwards on a bridleway by Hill Coppice. "We're now definitely heading towards Netherbury," I grinned.

Hill Coppice - SY4698

There was still one more surprise in store for us, however. I'd been looking forward to taking the footpath by Slape Manor as we'd walked on the other side of the river on a couple of occasions and not been able to see the house. I'd spotted this footpath on the map and thought it would be nice to try it some day. That day was today but we were not in luck.

"This is it," I said, boldly approaching a green painted door in an insurmountable wall, ignoring Jane's protests about there being no sign. "It's locked," I said forlornly. We wandered back down the road to look for an alternative entrance but resigned ourselves to wandering along the road again for our last mile or so back to the cars.

But no . . .

"I think I spy a footpath sign," I said gleefully. It was, the footpath obviously having been diverted and so we got to see Slape Manor and walk along a delightful little footpath by the stream.

Slape Manor, Netherbury - SY4798

We emerged onto a bridleway which led back to Netherbury where we checked charges for parking at the Village Hall (50p) just in case we should ever wish for a repeat of our road walking tin tabernacle experience!

Number of new gridsquares: 10
Number of times thwarted by non-existent footpath signs: 2 (with potential for many more)
Number of tabernacles visited: 1
Number of miles walked: 12.5