Ashmore Woods

Sat 18 July '26 DH, PC, PCl, JB, Tilly & Ralph

The hot weather showed no sign of breaking so I searched long and hard to find a wooded walk, where hopefully we could keep a bit cooler this week. Knowing there was a cafe at Compton Abbas airfield that we have certainly not been too since Covid, I managed to find a suitable loop around the tracks of Ashmore Woods, a large wooded area just a couple of miles south of the airfield. The normal route would have been through the narrow roads of Melbury Abbas but as the road is currently closed for safety reasons, we had to approach via the A350 south of Shaftesbury and then head up the ridge from Fontmell Magna. The RV was small parking area called Washers Pit, in which thankfully we managed to park with ease.

Once we were all ready we found the small path that would take us up the eastern side of the area, and started the slow steady climb. It is said that being under the shade of trees brings the temperature down by about 10 degrees, so we certainly appreciated that as we climbed over 50 meters in about 400 metres. (1 in 8 by my reckoning)? At the top of the climb we stopped for a shortbreather and then headed deeper into the woods. i had planned on taking a track that would lead us around the area called Great Morris Chase, but unfortly at a multi track juction turn only half left, not the sharp left needed. we followed our chosen path and when we didnt come to the edge of an open area I knew we were a bit off track, but kept goining anyway. The track started going downhill and soon we arrived at a well worn wider track.

At this point both John and myself started pouring over the maps on our phone and our GPS position on our maps. my GPS had us just short of a the major track from the car park and entrance showing clearly on the google map as a long white line, where as JBs showed a position about a track back from the main one. Trusting Johns live position on the OS maps app rather than mine, we turned left and arrived at a bend in the track, where we turned down a very small path into a long valley going by the name of Stoney Bottom. This was a lovely area with close native trees on the slopes both sides of the path as we made our way to join the main path in Stubhampton Bottom. we reached this point in about sixty minutes and so after a brief chat we opted to go further down Stubby Bottom to the point where it reaches some open countryside again.

Throughout the walk we had been lucky to see quite a few butterflies and had tried getting some good photos of them, but in an area just before the end of the track there was an abundance of bright orange ones as well as many others. Pete did some googling and identified at least some meadow browns, Siler wash fritillary, orange tip and red admiral, amongst many others I'm sure.

We turned around and started our return up through Stubby Bottom, on a nice wide track, although at times due to the suns height and angle we were exposed to it in places. keeping an eye on the maps I eventually worked out that the main track which is visible on Google maps, does not in fact follow the same route through the woods as the bridleway marked on the map. A reminder to check as many things as you can when navigating, and also try to prove yourself wrong rather than right when working out a location purely using visual things ie tracks!

We made good time on our walk back to the RV and arrived in good shape having completed 3.8 miles in just under two hours.

A quick boot change and then up to Compton Abbas for breakfast.

The car park was busy but thankfully I had booked a table in advance and we were pleased to see that it was right by the window. Our stunning view out past the outside tables and fence was a wing walking plane and the iconic Tiger Moth, which was being prepared for flight. With hands washed and food ordered we had time to watch a light aircraft take off before getting stuck into our food. overall impressions were very good, although I personally thought the Bubble & Squeek squares were very dry. Once their sausage sandwiches were demolished, Ralph and Tilly took the opportunity to wander around outside (but always in view) to get closer to the aircraft.

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Having completed our meals we all stood outside and watched a couple more planes take off, to the east today due to an unusual wind direction. Certainly a cafe to revisit at some point soon.