Price: £7.00
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- Distance: 7 Miles
- Date: Wed 10th December
- Time: 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM
- Location Name: Old Parlour Car park, Clapcotts Farm
- Address: Model Dairy Farm, Spetisbury CofE Primary School, High Street, Spetisbury, DT11 9DF, United Kingdom
- W3W: shrimp.tweezers.folders
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Walk Description:
From The Old Parlour carpark we will take a short river section to start our walk, then over a bridge
crossing the beautiful river Stour which flows for over 61 miles through the heart of Dorset.
Climbing up to the North Dorset Trailway we will take our time up to the Spetisbury Rings to enjoy the
beautiful views over the village of Spetisbury and the floodplain of the Stour valley.
Spetisbury Rings are an Iron age fortification with a single rampart and ditch.
It was a stronghold of the Ionia people before the Romans came along.
On excavation it was discovered that Romans and Britons lay side by side by in graves.
This discovery was made during the construction of the Somerset and Dorsest railway in 1857 of around
120 skeletons. They could have been victims of the Roman invasion.
Spetisbury Station was opened in 1860 but due to economy measures was closed in 1956. Then the
whole railway was closed to passengers in 1966 as part of the Beeching Axe.
From here we decend off the rings and cross fields which recently have been cut of their crops.
There are more great views in every direction.
A short quiet road section, then across another field for the second half of our walk. This takes us
through woodland until we reach another quiet road downhill to Charlton Marshall.
Back onto the trailway where there is an interesting history board about the railway which first opened in
1928. It was used for Clayesmore Preparatory school until 1963.
Two carriages from Waterloo ran to Charlton Marshall at the begining and end of school term.
Within the parish boundary there is evidence of human habitation for at least a thousand years.
Then a level walk back along the trailway and a welcome cup of coffee at The Old Parlour.
Park in the free carpark which as you approach towards Blandford is at the end of the very long village
on the right. This used to be called Marcia's farm and The Shack but recently changed hands.
They serve bar drinks, excellent coffee, brownies and homemade cake. Also sausage rolls and scotch
eggs. All the food is locally made. Toilets in the pub. (The ones in the yard are closed.)
They have themed food nights with a food truck outside at weekends.
Be prepared for increasingly wet and muddy conditions on this walk as the season moves forward.
Around 6.6 miles. Plenty of time is allowed for this walk to make the most of the scenery and takes
about 3 hours.
Location Notes:
The turning into Clapcotts Farm is opposite Spetisbury Primary School. It is at the far end of the village if you are coming from Wimborne on the right hand side on A350. There is a large car park. (CP)
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