The last walk we managed before Covid lockdown 1.0 was a tried and tested variant of a much walked route around the East Knoyle area, birthplace and home of Sir Christopher Wren, one of the countries leading designers of London’s iconic skyline.
Having started the first time within the village of East Knoyle, all subsequent walks in the area, and there have now been 6-8 occasions, have all started from the parking and view point by the Windmill, near The Green. However for our first visit we parked in the village of East Knoyle which was the birthplace of one of England’s finest architect, Sir Christopher Wren, ( 1632-1723) most famous for the iconic St Paul’s Cathedral, but also for the Royal Hospital Chelsea and the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. As the walk takes us past his former home in the rectory, a substantial property with some great architectural features it is clear where his early interest was developed.
From the car park by the village hall, we walked an anti clockwise route (blue), taking us past the lovely village shop, up a small path before heading towards Clouds House, the infamous drug rehabilitation facility, much frequented by the celebrity “VIPs”.
The windmill set back on the ridge and now no longer functional provides a simply stunning view over the top of the Blackmore Vale, with views across to Shaftesbury to the left swinging right round to Alfred's tower on the right side. Good quality Dorset, Wiltshire & Somerset farming land, as far as the eye can see. Shame there not so many cattle as you would expect these days, the price of the importation of too much cheap foreign milk. Maybe post Brexit might see a return to large herds of milking cattle In the fields!
There are a multitude of options available but most commence with a descent, either through the woods to the road below, (yellow) or if walking in a counter clockwise direction, (blue) a short stroll to the Green and the Fox and Hounds. From the pub and it’s delightful green the walk continues North on the road until meeting a track, Martha’s lane on the left. This track takes you past a lovely post card cottage before heading into the woods before turning 90 degrees left onto Upton Lane. About half way down Upton Lane, a crossing of paths allows for a short cut back to the Windmill, by going through fields and then a steady climb through the woods. The route is waymarked and last time we were there new gates were being fitted so it should be easier to walk once completed.
At the end of the lane, a right turn onto the road takes you back up a steady, then steep climb back to the top of the ridge, with options top go through the woods from the base of the steep hill or follow the road. (Yellow route)
On our very first visit here, having parked in the village we took a right turn half way up the road (Blue route) which brought us through fields and a suitable cow trough for Sully to have a bathe in, before walking back through the village from the south wester corner. On a separate occasion we walked from the windmill to the village on the blue route and then returned on the red, so as the title of this blog page says - "spoilt for choice".
