Here are a selection of walks, starting and ending in Martinstown Dorchester Dorset England
A Brief history of the village -- In 1268 Henry II granted a charter to Martinstown, (also known as Winterborne St. Martin which allowed the village to hold an annual fair within five days of St. Martins Day. The fair, which in times past was a leading horse market and amusement fair, has been revived but the old-time custom of roasting a ram was replaced with a 'badger roast', during an event in the 1960s. The 80lb badger was caught in a snare and many villagers thought they were eating goose.After a hundred years silence, bells in the church rang out in 1947. Five new bells were hung as a village memorial to those who died in the war. An earlier peal had been sold to defray debts.
The village fights to retain its rural charm. In 1980, the villagers were 'up in arms' because the vicarage was built in brick. Despite opposition, housing estates have now been built too.
The village now boasts a pub - The Brewers Arms, a village shop and a host
of B&B's
Walk
1.Martinstown - Maiden Castle - Dorset Inland Coastal Path - 7 1/2 miles
Walk 2.Martinstown
- Dorset Inland Coastal Path - 4 1/2 miles
Walk 1.
Martinstown - Maiden Castle - Dorset Inland Coastal Path - 7 1/2 miles
A wonderful walk that takes you round Maiden Castle, where you can explore
the remains of a Roman Temple (AD 380). Before heading up towards the
ridgeway
for wonderful views across Weymouth & Portland.
The Walk
1. Maiden Castle. Park beside the church and follow the main road
eastwards for 25
yards, passing the large houses Rylestone on your left & directly opposite The Chantry, turn left up the
farm track for about 50 yards. Turn right through the small gate and
follow this path through the next gate and straight down to Bats Lane. Turn right
and you will see a gravel track on the opposite side of the road.
Carefully cross the road and head up this track to Clandon Farm (notice on
your right, the first of many ancient barrows (Clandon Barrow)). When you reach the
farm turn right and then a left past a house on your right. You will turn
left then right, past another house on your left and you will be back onto
the gravel track. You should now have fine views of Dorchester, especially
Prince Charles's new development, the Poundbury Estate. As you start to
drop down you will also get your first views of Maiden Castle. At the next
gate you will be at a crossroads of two paths, turn right and head
towards the castle up the bridle path. When you reach the gate, turn right
and head up this *bridle path until you come across a small gate to your
left. Go through here and join the well worn path towards Maiden Castle.
Keep walking until you go through a small wooden gate that will take you
into the inner circle of the castle. You can now walk around the
castle either direction, making sure to visit the roman temple that's
located in the far left hand corner. When you have completed this head
back to the *bridle path, once through the small gate, head left.
2. The Ridge Way - Follow this
path down through the valley to the gate at the bottom. Through here turn
right onto
the road , walking on the right hand side past the Martinstown Cricket
field. Keep straight on toward Weymouth & Upwey, passing the right
turn to Martinstown. This road now joins the main road from Martinstown to
Weymouth, so carefully cross over heading left towards the farm track on
your right, into Higher Ashton Farm. Passing the aptly named Pooh Corner!
Walk down past the houses and keeping the farm buildings to your right,
through several gates, heading up the hill walking parallel with the
overhead power lines (Do not pass under the power lines). Passing
through a gate at the top
of the field following the Dorset County Council blue
rights of way signs.
Follow the fence line on your right
to the top of this field and pass through the third gate. Travel diagonally
across this field and again across the next field, to the gate in the opposite
corner. At the finger post, ignore the path to Martinstown, turn left and
follow the one to Friar Waddon and
join up with the Dorset Inland Costal Path. Turn right, keeping the ancient
dry stone wall on your left. You will now have fine views of
Weymouth and Portland beyond. Keep heading west towards Hardy's Monument.
3. The Return - Keep walking west between two more barrows and past several more on your right. Take the next right, sign posted to Martinstown. Through the next gate and down. (Great Hill) Half way across this field you should bear left to the small gate, once through the gate bear right, diagonally down towards the far left hand corner of the field. Through this gate and follow the farm track, keeping the hedge to your left and the step hill to your right. Through the next gate after about 30 yards bear right off this track. Do not go through the gate (private property), keeping the fence on your left and head along the valley to a wooden gate. (Grove Hill Bottom) Through the gate which leads up through a newly planted copse, to the next gate. Straight across this field to the last gate, that leads you out onto a farm road. Turn right down the hill back to your car outside the church.
A walk that takes you up to the ridge way for fantastic views of Weymouth and as you descend back down into Martinstown, more views of the Dorset country side.
1. Martinstown - Park beside the church and directly opposite head over the bridge which takes you up a road (big hill) towards Grove Hill Dairy. As you go up take time to look back over and enjoy the view of Martinstown. At the top the take the bridleway directly in front of you, do not turn right towards the farm. Go straight across this field and through another gate into a small wooded area of young trees. Head down this path and through a gate into the valley (Grove Hill Bottom). Keep straight on keeping the right hand fence on your right.
2. The Climb - At the end of this field bear left and follow
the farm track, keeping the hedge on your right. Through a gate and now
bear right, diagonally climbing the hill towards a single gate. Once
through this gate bear right keeping the barrows on your left and heading
for the gate. Through this gate and follow the track to the ridge way.
Hopefully the wind won’t carry the smell of the pigery that’s between
you and Hardy’s Monument.
3. The Ridgeway – Here you join the Inland Coastal Path,
how can you have an inland coastal path I’m not sure, but this is it!
Turn left and you will have a great view of Weymouth and Portland beyond.
It’s all down hill from here! Keep walking to the end of this field,
where you will need to turn left and through the gate on your right. Here
you will go between two barrows, keep walking until you reach a sign post
directing you left down towards Martinstown.
Last Updated Thursday, March 12, 2009 13:37
