Mid Dorset - 10 Leisure Walks of Discovery Guidebook

by: Rodney Legg
Mid Dorset is dominated by the chalk massif of the Dorset Downs. This was sheep country, for a generation after Thomas Hardy's time, until most of the flocks melted away during wartime ploughing and the agricultural revolution of the 1960s. Many of the ancient monuments have escaped the plough but great expanses of Celtic fields and settlements lie under prairie-sized fields of grain. It is on the escarpments and hilltop ridges where patches of natural downland have survived.

The characteristic flora comprises distinctive chalk land plants which flourish on impoverished alkaline soils. Several areas of open country, designated as such for public access, are crossed en route. Though the area is ringed by country towns its heartland is as sparsely populated as anywhere in Dorset. In places the road system is also minimal - which makes the paths network even more important.

These ten circular walks, ranging from 3 to 8 miles, suit the needs of families, groups of friends or individuals looking for a gentle stroll or a longer walk, and reflect the many varied facets of the area - its people, its history, and its working landscape and will help first time visitors to experience some of the great scenery the area has to offer. Many of the walks feature a pub along the route.

All the walks begin at a car park or safe parking location with the grid reference provided. Public transport options are given where available. The walks are graded from easy to challenging. Distance and a short description of the terrain are also provided. Clear route directions are provided together with simple sketch maps. The book is well illustrated throughout with colour photographs. The handy size also means it will slip easily into your pocket, protected by the tough cover.

The walk locations are:
Up Sydling and Batcombe - 7 miles
Cerne Abbas and Up Cerne - 6 miles
Godmanstone and Nether Cerne - 6 miles
Buckland Newton and Cosmore - 5 miles
Alton Pancras and Piddletrenthide - 6 miles
Piddletrenthide and Plush - 4 miles
Dorsetshire Gap and Bingham's Melcombe - 5 miles
Milton Abbas and Bulbarrow - 9 miles
Okeford Hill and Turnworth - 3 or 5 miles
Winterborne Stickland and Houghton - 7 miles

ISBN 9780857100214 Pages 64 (2011) 160mm x 116mm