Upwey to Bere Regis

Upwey to Bere Regis

 

For detailed descriptions of the Trail with maps, see the booklet The Dorset Jubilee Trail - A Rambler's Guide © Dorset Area of the Ramblers' Association 2008.  Ordnance Survey Explorer OL15, 117 and 118.

 

Upwey to Winterborne Came (SY707884)
6 November 2012

A linear walk taking in a section of the Jubilee Trail from Upwey to Winterborne Came (approximately 6½ miles as walked).  Easy walking along field and woodland paths and farm tracks, with some stretches along country lanes.  One moderate climb at the beginning.

 

Parked the car in rough lay-by beside the unclassified road just off of the main Dorchester to Weymouth (A354) road at Winterborne Monkton (SY682882).  Caught bus (10) to Upwey, bottom of Ridgeway Hill to the start of the walk.

 

I had an old map which did not show the new Weymouth Relief Road, so I started on the wrong track!  From the bus stop I followed the the road under the railway bridge towards the junction with the A354, under the new road and left just before reaching West Farm, up the pathway to join the old road near Down Farm, turning right towards Bincombe Barn to rejoin the Trail at Bincombe Down (SY682857).

 

The correct route runs north from Elwell (SY669849) to the top of the hill where the Jubilee Trail meets the Wessex Ridgeway; the Trail crosses the new bridge before turning south (just before reaching Down Farm) down the hill; turning left (east) at the signpost at SY673856.

 

The Trail, however, is clearly way-marked; I followed the Trail to Warren Barn, Cripton Barn and Came Park (SY707884), where I carried on in a northerly direction, turning left along the unclassified road back the car through Winterborne Herringston.

 

Winterborne Came to Crossways (Redbridge)
29 November 2012

A linear walk from Winterborne Came to Redbridge (Crossways) (approximately 8½ miles as walked). Easy walking along field and woodland paths, farm tracks and some stretches along country lanes. Little ascent or descent.

Parked the car at roadside near Crossways Five Crossways. Caught bus (101) to Whitcombe Church for the start of the walk. 

The shortest way from the bus stop at Whitcombe Church is to follow the Trail east to Winterborne Came (SY707883).  From Winterborne Came, I returned along the Trail back to the church and on to West Knighton, Black Hill before meeting the B3390 Warmwell to Crossways road.  Leave the B3390 near Moigne Combe Farm, follow the trail towards Holly Cottage eventually reaching Redbridge Road, where the Trail turns left (northerly direction).  At Redbridge, leave the Trail to return to Five Cross Ways.

Redbridge (Crossways) (SY787884) to Moreton (SY804893)
11 January 2013

An easy circular walk from Redbridge (Crossways) to Moreton (approximately 4 miles as walked). Easy walking along  a track and country lanes. Little in the way ascent or descent.  The track East from Redbridge can be rather wet and muddy after rain.

Refreshments at the Tea Rooms in Moreton.

 
Parked the car at roadside at the start of the walk at Redbridge.  An alternative would be to commence the walk at Moreton and park there.

From Redbridge the walk follows the track in an easterly direction towards Broompound Dairy.  Turn left where the Trail meets the road and take the road to Moreton.

 

In the village, follow the road to the left, pass the Tea Rooms (or stop for refreshments there!).  At the first fork, take the left turn into Station Road and again, left at the second fork.  Continue along the road back to Redbridge.

Moreton Church

Moreton Church Interior

Moreton (SY804893) to Briantspuddle (SY819932)
24 January 2013

Another easy circular walk with a short stretch from Moreton to the point where the Jubilee Trail leaves Moreton Drive (SY808898) covered both at the beginning and end of the walk.  One moderate climb up to the road at Cull-peppers Dish.  Parts of the Trail can be very wet and boggy after heavy rain.  Walk distance approximately 6 miles.

Car parking beside the road in Moreton; refreshments available at the Tea Rooms in Moreton.

From Moreton follow the clear waymarks of Jubilee Trail over the River Frome at the footbridge alongside the ford.  Shortly after the crossing a smaller river on a trackway bridge, the Jubilee Trail leaves Moreton Drive, heading in a northerly direction towards Briantspuddle.

The Trail joins a lane about 200 yards south of the cross-roads in Briantspuddle, where it turns right.  To continue this circular walk, ignore the Jubilee Trail waymark, but continue along the lane, turning right at the footpath at the eastern end of the village, in a southerly direction.  Follow the footpath for about ½ mile and cross the road, follow the footpath sign to the second road.  Turn left and follow the road through Throop Heath to the road junction and turn right.  Follow this road to the 'T' junction; cross the road and continue in a south-westerly direction along Moreton Drive, eventually retracing steps to Moreton village.

 

Briantspuddle (SY819932) to Beer Regis (SY847949)
07 February 2013

An easy walk with a moderate ascent north of Turners Puddle and a short fairly steep descent from the ridge towards Bere Regis.   Walk distance approximately 4 miles.

 

Briantspuddle: Flooded Jubilee Trail

I walked the Trail after a long period of heavy rain resulting with the the groundwater level being very high.  At the beginning of the walk the footpath was totally submurged so a diversion was necessary.  Instead of following the Jubilee Trail from the signpost in the main street, I followed the lane to Throop where I followed the bridleway in a north-westerly direction after crossing the bridge to join the Jubilee Trail at SY825935.

 



From the bridge at Throop (above)
and the Bridleway from Throop to SY825935



 

This bridleway proved to be rather wet underfoot and I decided to wade through ankle-deep running water and I got rather wet feet, heading, nevertheless heading on towards Turners Puddle.

 

Turners Puddle Church



Restored Barn above Turners Puddle

The Trail follows in a northerly direction from Turners Puddle towards Bere Regis with a sharp right turn at the top of the lane, following in a south-easterly direction along the top of the ridge and entering an area of heathland before following the permissive path through the Black Hill site of Special Scientific Interest before entering the outskirts of Bere Regis at Shitterton.

Shitterton, Bere Regis

Bere Regis and Briantspuddle are linked by the regular 387 bus service.  I parked the car in the free car park just off Manor Farm Road and caught the bus from Bere Regis to Briantspuddle.  Refreshments are available at The Drax Arms, Bere Regis.  There is a  Post Office and Community Shop at Briantspuddle with limited opening hours.

 

Black Down (Kingston Russell) to Upwey

Black Down (Kingston Russell) to Upwey

 

 

 

 

For detailed descriptions of the Trail with maps, see the booklet The Dorset Jubilee Trail - A Rambler's Guide © Dorset Area of the Ramblers' Association 2008. See Ordnance Survey Getamap for mapping.

31 May 2012

This is a linear walk, mostly along field and country paths with short stretches on rural lanes.  Moderate ascents; some care with navigation may be needed.  Walk total approximately 10½ miles.

Refreshments at Upwey or Elwell at the eastern end of walk.
I took the bus from Bridport to the Kingston Russell Turn for the beginning of the walk.  There is an hourly bus service from Weymouth, Dorchester, Bridport, Lyme Regis and Axminster, Monday to Saturday, with a less frequent service on Sunday.  In order to avoid having to walk along busy A35 main road from the Kingston Russell Turn to Black Down (SY589907), follow, instead, the Macmillan Way in a north-easterly direction past Kingston Russell Farm and turn right (south-east) onto the Jubilee Trail at SY585918 (underneath the power lines).

At the end of the walk, I took the bus from Upwey to Bridport, changing at Dorchester.

Parnham Park (Beaminster) to Black Down (Kingston Russell)

 

For detailed descriptions of the Trail with maps, see the booklet The Dorset Jubilee Trail - A Rambler's Guide © Dorset Area of the Ramblers' Association 2008. See Ordnance Survey Getamap for mapping.

Parnham Park to Coombe Down & Gold Hill (Round)
29 January 2012

A circular walk along farmland path- and bridleways with a stretch on Whitcombe Road (B3163),  There may not be any way-marking at Gold Hill, so careful navigation may be needed between SY490997 and ST491003.  Walk distance approximately 3½ miles.

Car parking is available in the lay-by where Jubilee Trail crosses A3066 (ST478003) or in Beaminster (car park charges may apply).  Refreshments and shops in Beaminster.

Beaminster is served by regular bus services to/from Bridport, Crewkerne, Crewkerne Station and Yeovil.

Gold Hill to Mapperton
11 June 2011

This section was covered in a round walk from Beaminster to Mapperton returning to Beaminster via Storridge Hill, Whitcombe Farm and Whitcombe Road.

Walk published in No Through Road: first edition copyright © 1975 Drive Publications Limited, Walk 19.

 

Mapperton to Kingston Russell (from Melplash)
12 April 2012

A Linear walk from Melplash (The Half Moon) to the main A35 road at Kingston Russell (via Mapperton and Toller Pocorum) (14½ miles).  The route follows country lanes, field and woodland paths and rural trackways.  There is one steep climb at Wynford Wood.  Some careful navigation may be needed.

 

I caught the bus from Bridport to the start of the walk in Melplash, which is served by regular bus services to and from Bridport, Beaminster, Crewkerne and Yeovil.  At Kingston Russell I returned to Bridport by bus.  There is a Monday to Saturday hourly bus service to Dorchester and Weymouth (east) and Bridport, Lyme Regis and Axminster (west).

The walk could be split at Toller Pocorum, where there in a limited bus service. Careful planning is necessary to do this option.

 

Refreshments may be available at the cafe at the Kingcombe Field Study Centre; the public house, however, at Toller Porcorum was closed when I did the walk and there was no sign that it would be reopening within the foreseeable future.  There are normally no refreshment opportunities between Toller Porcorum and Kingston Russell.

Forde Abbey to Parnham House (Beaminster)

The Dorset Jubilee Trail

 

The Jubilee Trail was established in 1995 to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the Ramblers' Association.  It follows a 90 mile (145km) course across Dorset, from Forde Abbey on the Somerset county boundary in the west to Bokerley Dyke in the north-east on the Hampshire county boundary.

Since moving to Dorset in 2007 it had been my aim to walk the whole length.  This is an attempt to document my progress with this.  Many of the sections of the trail have been completed in short sections: some in 'round' walks; some linear, using public transport and/or car to get to the beginning and end of the day's walk.

 

For detailed descriptions of the Trail with maps, see the booklet The Dorset Jubille Trail - A Rambler's Guide © Dorset Area of the Ramblers' Association 2008.  See Ordnance Survey Getamap for mapping.

Forde Abbey to Parnham House (Beaminster)

Public transport is probably not practical for this section.  If you need to use buses, very careful planning and studying of timetables may be necessary.  I used the car to get to convenient places on the Trail and did a number of circular walks.

Forde Abbey and Thorncombe
8 January 2012

Forde Abbey to Holway and Thorncombe; return to Forde Abbey via section of Liberty Trail (Circular walk: 8.5km/5¼ miles).

Easy walking along field paths and country lanes.  Very limited car parking at roadside near to Forde Abbey: please keep well clear of Abbey entrance.  Alternatively, it may be possible to park in the Abbey car park (fees may apply) and take the opportunity to pay a visit to the Abbey, where refreshments may be available.
 

Holway (Thorncombe) to Specket Cottage
14 August 2011

A Jubilee Trail & Wessex Ridgeway figure-of-eight walk from Holway, Cole's Cross and Specket Cottage (Pilsdon Pen) (9 km/6 miles).

Mostly easy to moderate walking along field paths with some country lane stretches.  Fairly steep climb up to Specket Cottage and then from the Cottage to join the Wessex Ridgeway.

Car parking may be available at layby on B3165 at junction with Wessex Ridgeway (ST397021); alternative options: roadside parking near Cole's Cross or at Venn (ST390039).

No refreshments en-route.

 

Specket Cottage to Stoke Abbott
20 January 2012

Specket Cottage to Stoke Abbott: Jubilee Trail circular walk with a return via section of Wessex Ridgeway.

Easy to moderate walking along field paths with some country lanes.

Car parking options: The New Inn, Stoke Abbott (refreshments) or in layby at Lob Gate (ST414009) on the B3164.  Distance walked from Lob Gate: 13.7 km/8½ miles.

 

Stoke Abbot to Parnham House (Beaminster)
23 January 2012

A circular walk on field paths, trackways and a short stretch on the road in Stoke Abbott.  Easy walking; some careful navigation may be needed when following non-waymarked paths.

Car parking: layby where Jubilee Trail crosses A3066 (ST478003), at The New Inn, Stoke Abbott (refreshments) or Beaminster (charges may apply).

Buses serve Beaminster from Bridport, Crewkerne and Yeovil.  The walk from Beaminster Square (shops and refreshments) (ST480013) follows the footpath to the Jubilee Trail, in a south-westerly direction, west of the River Brit, joining the Trail in the field above the gate into Parham Park (ST475006).