3. Out of Town and Into Farmland

Walk - approximately 3 ¼ miles

N. B. This walk can be muddy! Please remember you will be crossing farmland so dogs must be kept on a lead and all gates left as you find them. The majority of the stiles are unconventional being strengthened sections of fence with low stone steps. Dogs may need to be lifted over. There are some medium inclines.

Starting from the High Street, standing with your back to the Town Hall, turn left and go down the passage by the Oxfam Shop on to Park Walk.

There are glorious views on your left over the parish of St James and the Blackmore Vale to the hills beyond. (There is an interpretative panoramic dial about three-quarters of the way along Park Walk.)

Fork left at the end down the part-cobbled old pilgrims way, (Stoney Path), to Laundry Lane. Turn right and go straight ahead up Tanyard Lane, across St. John’s Hill and into Breach Lane.

Turn left almost immediately down Raspberry Lane into Foyle Hill (originally Foul Hill) opposite St. James' Church.

Turn right down the hill to Church Farm on your left. Outside a house called “Westholme”, go up the verge and over a stone wall with an iron rail on top.

Walk in the direction of the footpath arrow a quarter left across the field to the post and rail crossing point which comes into view as you descend.

Cross this, then go half left to stile to the right of the pond

Cross and go straight ahead uphill towards the power lines on the brow of the hill. Go through a metal gate (way-marked) to the right of this pole.

Turn left along the hedge until it bears left, then go straight ahead to a post and rail crossing point beside a water trough.

Continue straight across the next field to an iron gate in the hedge opposite, and on downhill to an old wooden stile facing St. James' Common. Turn left, and left again up the Shaftesbury road.

Opposite the second turning right, signposted 'Twyford' cross the grass on your left and climb over the way-marked fence to the right of a field gate.

Keep by the left hand hedge, then follow the path across the field and up to a post and rail crossing point to the right of the gate.

Cross the next field to a post and rail crossing point in a wire fence by an oak tree.

Cross the stile and go straight ahead towards two cottages which will come into view. (You may notice on your left the stile you crossed earlier in the walk.)

Go through a gateway to the lane, cross and climb over a metal 'fence' (way-marked on gate post), to the right of the cottages.

About ten metres up the track climb the bank on your right and using the waymarked post on the right as your guide, walk ahead up the field to a small metal kissing gate left of a row of holly trees in the hedge.

Go through this and make your way through a belt of brambles, etc. to Breach Common. This is open land with a number of tracks across it and you should make your way uphill keeping on the track until you meet the lane.

Turn left down the lane, and at its junction with Breach Lane, by Ridge House, cross the road and climb the stile opposite.

Take the right hand path, which soon bears left between gorse, elder, etc and goes steeply up on to Castle Hill.

Go through the kissing gate and continue along the path, which has a panoramic view to the left (see dial half-way along). The open space is the site of King Alfred’s Saxon town.

Turn right at the end along the path to Bimport. Turn left along this road to the T-junction. Turn right here, and the Town Hall will soon come into view on your right.

Map3. Out of Town and into Farmland