Trent Circular from Sherborne - 23rd March 2017

It makes sense - it really does! I wanted to reccy a walk which starts at Trent, but as there is no suitable parking for lots of cars in Trent, I started from Sherborne to see if it was do-able! It is, as long as you don't do it the way I did!

Starting from Sherborne is, especially if you don't park where I did - at the Terrace Playing Fields, which I only did because I'm a skinflint who didn't want to pay extortionate parking fees in the town itself. These can be avoided of course by walking on a Sunday, which we will be doing and therefore cutting out quite a boring mile and quarter walk each way from and back to the east of the town.

Enough pre-amble, let's get on with the ramble.

I positively sprinted the first mile and a quarter of the walk in a record breaking (for me 17 minutes 46 seconds). This could have been improved upon had I not stopped at the railway bridge to take a boring photo of my first gridsquare.

Dancing Hill, Sherborne, ST6315

ST6316 is situated in the centre of the town and is therefore a square I'd photographed many times already - phew - march on! I was walking in the western half of the square and was glad to reach the A30 dual carriageway and cross by means of the traffic lights. At last I was in the countryside and could pause to take breath and admire the view of . . . well, a muddy footpath to be precise.

Trent Path Lane - ST6216

 It was a dull day and there had been a lot of rain recently so my energy was focused on avoiding the mud on this wide track which was hedged on both sides. Trent Path Lane runs parallel to Marston Road and I was following it for three gridsquare lengths.

Trent Path Lane - ST6217

By ST6117 I was fed up of mud and ploughed fields. I was eager to catch a glimpse of something new so craned to view Tucker's Cross trigpoint, forgetting that I had already visited this trigpoint in October last year - when the weather had been much nicer. What a difference it makes to the photographs!

Tucker's Cross trigpoint - ST6117

Near here I left Trent Path Lane and joined the Monarch Way. To mark the occasion I took a photograph of a gate.

Gate and ivy on Lowsome Lane - ST6118

 Then I really got into the spirit of things and took a couple more photos.

Monarch's Way - ST6118

The nettles are wearing better than the footpath sign! - ST6118

"Aha! So this is where I come out," I thought to myself (I may even have said it aloud - I often do). I remembered the glorious vista from a previous walk when we'd been slightly deterred by cows and surprised to pass another walker - a rare sight.

View from Shelner's Hill in Oct 2016 - ST6118

There was neither cows, sunshine or walkers to enhance today's walk so I strode down the hill, following the Monarch's Way to Lowsome Lane, which I always think is such a lovely name.

Lowsome Lane - ST6018

I followed this lane past Down House Farm into Trent, entering the village on its eastern side by what looked like a mill pond.

Trent Mill Pond near Down House Farm - ST5918

Trent is a lovely village with lots of history, a resume of which I have given in a previous post. http://walkingdorsetsgridsquares.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/a-walk-around-trent.html. I hadn't long entered the village before I saw someone working in a garden and preparing myself to give a hearty greeting, I was pre-empted by the question, "Have you found him?" Was this an over-zealous Christian questioning whether I had found Jesus? It seemed such a random question, but I must have looked rather bemused because he immediately clarified his question, "A boy has one missing from the school trip and I thought you were one of the teachers!" I said I hadn't seen anyone on my walk, let alone a lost little boy, but straight away a car pulled up with some not very anxious searchers therein. No-one seemed very bothered about what to me appeared quite a worrying situation.

I revisited the church (in the hope of finding a toilet and then eating lunch), but not finding a toilet, I didn't linger long, although I was keen to revisit the mirror writing as I'd been composing a poem about it as I'd been walking. There is an archway in the church painted in elaborate letters which make no sense at first. When viewed through a mirror, however, they reveal a verse from the Bible warning about vanity so that anyone guilty of glancing in a mirror whilst they should be thinking heavenly thoughts will be immediately chastised!

It wasn't long after that that I heard and then caught a glimpse of the school group, wandering through the fields and it brought back memories of pre-risk assessment days school nature rambles by Lochrutton Loch in Scotland.

Mirror writing in St Andrew's Church, Trent - ST5818

Stained glass window in St Andrew's Church, Trent - ST5818

St Andrew's Church, Trent, ST5818

I was disappointed to discover I wasn't quite going to make it into ST5817, one of the gridsquares bordering Dorset's western boundary. I will have to incorporate this short footpath into another Trent walk. For now, I was back into familiar territory, approaching Nether Compton, which I'd photographed before, but this was a new footpath for me and there was a myriad things of interest, including an old, ivy-clad bath-tub and an old ruin where nature has delightfully reclaimed its home in an old chimney.

Bathtub and ivy at the Rectory, Nether Compton - ST5917

Reclaiming a home - old chimney at the Rectory, Nether Compton - ST5917

I resisted Guinness of draught in the sleepy village of Nether Compton and walked south to Compton House, the erstwhile home of Worldwide Butterflies, Worldwide Butterflies, started by Robert Gooden in 1976, but now a huge house converted into flats.

The Griffin's Head, Nether Compton - ST5917

Emerging Blackthorn and Nether Compton - ST5917

Near Over Compton - ST5917

Compton House - ST5916

Upon leaving the immediate vicinity of Compton House, there is a steepish climb past the lake and keeper's cottage (with an old well) to join the delightful holloway at Gore Lane. I managed to relocate the mysterious cave we'd found on our last visit.

Cave on Gore Lane - ST6016

I indulged in some root photography here, relishing the opportunity to enthrall myself with ancient root curtains.

Enthralled by roots - Gore Lane holloway - ST6016

I left Gore Lane and entered Hart's Lane at Stallen, walking amidst a carpet of Lesser Celandine. Who needs a red carpet when nature provides such luxurious accompaniment?!

Lesser Celandine on Hart's Lane - ST6017

I veered north-eastwards to reach a junction in the paths where Checcombe Lane heads north and Gooseland Lane heads south and took another boring photograph as a record.

Checcombe Lane - ST6117

The best part of the walk was now behind me, both in terms of distance and beauty. I'd walked nearly 8 miles and began to wonder by how much I'd underestimated the total distance. Trying not to look too often at my phone to see how far I'd travelled along a rather monotonous track on a rather featureless day, I counted my steps into the next gridsquare - ST6116. I was gradually getting further south and heading towards Sherborne.

Gooseland Lane - ST6116

How I managed to have forgotten about the dual carriageway I don't know. I'd been conscious of the constant sound of traffic whizzing by for ages, but failed to recall that this was in fact a major dual carriageway that I was going to have to cross. The sight of a bunch of flowers left in memorial of a recent fatality on the road did little to bolster my courage as I edged towards the road and looked for a gap in the traffic. At least there was an attractive milestone with a benchmark adorning its top to admire.

Milepost on A30 with memorial and daffodils - ST6116

I crossed the road in two stages, disappointed that my walk for the group was now thwarted by the busy road. There was no way I was going to lead a group of people here! Fortunately I did not have to walk along the road, but turned off onto Low's Hill Lane and chuckled to see a warning that I would have appreciated on the north side of the A30 - albeit another example of nature reclaiming its home and therefore rendering it almost illegible.

An illegible sign on Low's Hill Lane - ST6116

If I'd thought I was going to escape traffic on this road, I was wrong. It was most unpleasant walking along the road as it was busy and there was no verge to duck into. I took the requisite photo for the next square and marched on, weary and a bit bored of my own company with little to distract my attention.

Silverlake Cottages - ST6115

Lenthay Dairy House marked my last gridsquare feature of the day. After this I marched back to the car, completing the last full mile in 17 minutes and 49 seconds, just 3 seconds longer than my outward leg!

Lenthay Dairy House - ST6215

Number of miles: 11.3

Number of new gridsquares: 6

Sherborne to Oborne - 8th January

After two days of being indoors watching the rain outside, we decided to risk the weather and go for a Sunday walk, somewhere local in case we got very wet.

After seeing a postcard of  a tiny old church when we attended a Brown hairstreak egg survey in November last year, I had added a visit to  Old St Cuthbert's Church in Oborne to my 'to do' list for this year. It's great when you start crossing off your 'to do' items so early in the new year (now all I've got left to concentrate on in the next 11 months is moving house, writing a book and seeing Great Bustard!) At least I've started with the most important thing!

We parked in Sherborne and set off after an unexpected conversation with our neighbouring car. Whilst his wife stood silently by, the well-dressed elderly gentleman chatted away about Scotland - how his brother used to take his girlfriend courting somewhere secluded, start seducing her by playing the bagpipes and then find themselves surrounded by a great throng of admiring listeners. She was obviously keener on the bagpipes than I am because she is now his wife! This all stemmed from the well-dressed gentleman asking us whether the car park was free on Sundays (We thought so, "yes, it is," we confirmed having read the sign next to our cars.)

We walked through the town northwards. Once in the Quarr Nature Reserve, we felt we had begun our walk proper. I had walked in this gridsquare before, so didn't need a photo for Geograph, which  meant I could relax a little and indulge in my obsession with trees. Dull weather provides opportunities for close up photography, particularly abstracts and I began to see the tress in a new, almost human, light.

Inverted tree trunk detail - Quarr Nature Reserve - ST6317

Inverted tree trunk detail - Quarr Nature Reserve - ST6317

There were a few people out and, judging from the number of tell-tale poo bags and left poo piles on the wood floor, it was a popular place for dog walkers. We came across an elderly gentleman, gaunt and breathless with a big black Labrador. He was bent double and coughing. We encouraged him to sit down and rest and asked if he needed any help. He assured us he didn't. He'd make his way home after sitting down for a bit. He'd caught the 'flu from sharing a bottle of Christmas tipple. "Either that or from some old dear who insisted in giving me a New Year kiss," he smiled. Trying not to dwell on this image, I asked if he would like us to escort him home. "No, thank you," he gasped, "I only live down the lane." He then found his voice again to shout at his dog who apparently was muzzling some dog poo on the road.

We left him to recover, satisfied he was fit enough to stumble home and continued on our way. We walked up Quarr Lane to Sandford Orcas road.  I had previously done a similar walk in February 2015, so had photos for a few of the gridsquares we would walk through today.

Quarr Lane - ST6318

Quarr Lane - ST6318

A couple of cars passed us as we walked up Sandford Orcas Road and Ambrose Hill, thinking of rice pudding of course!

Sandford Orcas Road and Ambrose Hill - ST6218

At the T-junction we turned off onto Clatcombe Lane towards Oborne. I was glad I had a much nicer photograph for this gridsquare taken in September 2015.

Clatcombe junction - ST6219

View from Patson Hill Lane, Sep 20515 - ST6219

We were heading towards the golf course now, still uphill. We passed Ambrose Lodge and turned left onto the golf course, taking our lives into our hands as, being a Sunday, the golf course was quite busy. We waited for a trio of golfers to tee off before venturing onto the golf course. Fortunately you don't have to linger long on the green - but long enough to hear a roar of  "FORE!" I didn't know that's what he'd roared until Paul enlightened me later on after I'd shown myself up. "Perhaps that's someone got a hole in one," I suggested, mistaking a roar of warning for an exclamation of joy. "It means there's a ball coming this way," Paul laughed. He couldn't believe I'd not heard that expression before. Golf comes only just above inland revenue on my list of most boring subjects ever to discuss and there's very few golf courses on the moorlands of Scotland so why should I have heard of it? And what a stupid thing to shout. I much prefer "TIMBER!"

My official photograph for ST6319 was a blur so I'll have to go back (in spring next time). I took some photos of spider's webs and fungi though which worked out OK.

Jelly Ear Fungus and spider's web - ST6319

Spider's Web - ST6319

We waded through some pretty disgusting cow slurry near Holway Farm, adding an interesting pong to our already mud-encrusted boots. We were glad to emerge on hard tarmac again. A sign on the door of the mill made me giggle. 'Beware Children' was written in a font which made me think one really had to look over one's shoulder constantly lest some malevolent youngsters were 'out to get you'! It just shows you that it's not what is said but how it is said that carries the most weight - even when those words are written and not vocal.

Holway Mill and Farm - ST6320

Malevolent kids on the loose! - ST6320

We;d now left the MacMillan Way and joined the Monarch's Way as we walked towards Stafford's Green where a sizeable pond is not marked on the map and we resisted the temptation to trespass and put two plastic chairs upright so we could sit on them for our tea break.

Stafford's Green - ST 6321

We were getting quite desperate for our mid morning break; it no longer being mid morning and our having walked nearly four miles already. I try to last for at least three miles before stopping for my first break unless there is very good reason to suggest otherwise - like there being a conveniently placed bench or church to visit. Today, however, it was incredibly muddy and there were no benches or churches on our route. I suggested hanging on till we reached Poyntington Down. "It's really pretty there," I reassured Paul.

We sat on our mats overlooking the pillow mounds - ancient rabbit warrens, smugly satisfied that we could identify all four of the mounds exactly as they were marked on the map. Ooooh, such satisfaction from trivia!

Pillow mounds on Poyntington Hill - ST6421

Sheep on Poyntington Hill - ST6421

After our late tea break/early lunch, we were revived and set off again, following the course of the River Yeo to the busy B3145, which we crossed and continued eastwards. We now had a hill to climb - Poyntington Hill - before we headed south.

Poyntington Hill - ST6521

On my previous, Febraury walk, I had descended the hill into the village of Poyntington in order to bag Higher Oborne trigpoint in ST6419. This time we were staying on the heights as far as Oborne. This part of the walk delighted in the name of Donkey Lane. Sadly I haven't been able to find anything out about the origin of this name.

Donkey Lane, Poyntington Hill - ST6520

We passed some more walkers just before heading down the hill.

Donkey Lane, Poyntington Hill - ST6519

A poignant message greeted us when we left Donkey Lane and joined the road leading to Oborne. No doubt written by someone who missed a loved one we wondered who R J was, man or woman, and whether they were still alive.  Either way a romantic image of a couple wandering hand in hand along Donkey Lane filled my mind as we wandered hand in hand into the slumbering village of Oborne.

Sign on gate at end of Donkey Lane - ST6518

The roads form a letter 'H' in Oborne and the bit that joins the two roads is not marked as a footpath on the map, but a sign confirmed that we were able to walk down this slippy and badly lumpy track to join the western road.

Slippy road to the Grange, Oborne - ST6518

Mind the Ducks - a sign in Oborne Village - ST6518

Oborne is a quaint Dorset village with lots of thatched cottages and a stream running by the side of the road. We walked along the road to join the roaring A30 and hopefully the tiny chapel of St Cuthbert which had been the incentive for this walk in the first place. "Now, I'm not absolutely sure that this is where it is," I confessed to Paul, whilst craning my neck to see over hedges and through trees for any sign of the building in question. I really hoped it would be just across the road from where we crossed as we didn't relish the thought of walking along a main 'A' road. "Is that it?" Paul asked, "There's a cross on its roof."

It was it and all was well. It was open and inviting for our early afternoon tea break and what a treat it was. We wondered why this tiniest of buildings did not qualify for the accolade of Dorset's smallest church (being pipped by St Edwold's in Stockwood). But read that  this is in fact not a complete church. All that is left of the original building is the chancel, whereas the one in Stockwood is a complete church, measures just 30 foot by 12 foot. St Cuthbert's measures 21 foot by 12. After reading the following information though, I'm still in doubt as to which is the smallest. St Cuthbert's certainly looks very small and neat.

(ii) From Country Life September 11, 1942
THE SMALLEST CHURCH?
Sir, - I have often heard that the church at Oborne, near Sherborne, Dorset is the second smallest in England. Recently you published a picture of that at Culbone, but Oborne is smaller. It is 21ft. by 12ft., and was built in 1533 by the last Abbot of Sherborne. It was a fowl-house in 1931, and has recently been restored by the Rector, the Rev. Alan Williams, with the approval of the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Buildings. It has a typical West Country wagon vault on oak rafters.
- F. R. WINSTONE, Bristol.

 (iii) From The Western Gazette June 7, 1936. ANCIENT CHANCEL RENOVATED WORK OF ST. CUTHERT’S AT OBORNE BISHOP AT THANKSGIVING SERVICE. Upon the completion of the renovation of the interior of Old St Cuthbert’s chancel at Oborne – the second smallest occasionally-used church in England – services of worship and thanksgiving were held in it on Sunday.

(Extracts from http://www.yeoheadpc.co.uk/History/The%20Ancient%20Chapel%20of%20St%20Cuthbert.pdf

Inside St Cuthbert's Church, Oborne - ST6517

Inside St Cuthbert's Church, Oborne - ST6517

The tiny St Cuthbert's Church, Oborne - ST6517

 We sat in the boxed pew with our afternoon tea, saddened to learn that the original communion table had been stolen, but glad that the original mosaic floor had been incorporated into a sort of pillar by the western door.

Floor tiles in St Cuthbert's Church, Oborne - ST6517

We left the church and walked underneath the railway towards Sherborne Castle Estate.

Railway bridge - ST6517

We were in contourless territory, but definitely not mudless. We walked through a ploughed filed to Crackmore Wood, gathering enough mud beneath our boots to turn them into muddy 'snow boots'!

Our 'snow' boots after walking through the big ploughed field near Crackmore Wood- ST6617

We reached the wood's edge and entered Sherborne Castle Estate near Pinford Lodge.

Sherborne Castle Estate entrance at Pinford - ST6617

Disappointed not to have access to the attractive looking Pinford Bridge,  we walked through Pinford Farm to cross the outflow from Sherborne Lake via a much more modest bridge.

Pinford Bridge - ST6616

More modest it might be, but we spied a Marsh Tit here, which is quite a rarity and a lovely sighting for the new year. It didn't stay long enough for a photograph, sadly, but the ancient trees beckoned me and I went off to photograph them on what remained a dull day (weatherwise)

Bowing low - Oak tree in Sherbonre Castle Estate - ST6616

Bowing low - Oak tree in Sherborne Castle Estate - ST6616

Skeletal tree in Sherborne Castle Estate - ST6616

There was one huge hollow tree which Paul could have fitted in if he'd wanted to!

Hollow tree in Sherborne Castle Estate - ST6616

I was now in familiar territory as far as gridsquares were concerned. We had walked in this estate at the end of last year, so we  knew wee were near the end of our long walk today. It had been pleasant with lots of trees, birds (Little Egret, Green Woodpecker and Marsh Tit being the highlights), mud and gridsquares!

Number of new gridsquares: 6
Number of new birds for the year: 3
Number of miles walked: 12.1