Spring by the Stour

Sat 29 Mar ‘25. DH, RW, PC, PCL, DL, JS & Scrumpy

With all the dry weather we have been having these last few weeks and with a favourable forecast I decided it was time we headed back to Sturminster Newton, for a walk along the banks of the River Stour upstream of the town. Sturminster Newton was recorded in the Anglo Saxon charter in 968 as Nywetone at Stoure and in the Domesday Book as Newentone. Newton is a new farm or estate and Sturminster refers to a church (minster) on the Stour. Although the RV was 0900 at the town car park, by the time both cars had arrived, payed for parking and everyone was ready to go it was already 15 minutes into our precious walking time. We headed west past our eventual breakfast location and along The Row towards the river, where at the end we took a steep drop of around 10-15 metres down from the escarpment on which the town sits safe above the river. Safely down at river level we passed through a small wooded area which was obviously frequently flooded looking by all the grass and small branches caught up on bits of fence and around the tree bases and came to the rivers edge by the old cast iron Colber foot bridge, where we turned right to start our walk upstream along the eastern bank.

After just a short distance we could see the old bridge which used to carry to S&D railway line towards Stalbridge and beyond which strangly had the central sectioned removed as part of the general demolition of the line and buildings in this area following the Beeching cuts of the 1960s. We past under one of the remaining arches and onto a section of boardwalk keeping us well out of the muddy areas before coming out into a large field, with properties on the ridge above us and the river opening up in front of us. We climbed a bit to get round an inaccessible area before dropping right down to the river bank, where three swans were enjoying the sunny morning and we had views back to the damaged bridge.

As we passed over another small bridge we saw our first sign for the Stour Valley Way, a 64-mile walking route that follows much of the course of the River Stour (as closely as practicable). The route passes through some varied and beautiful landscapes as the river winds its way from Stourhead in Wiltshire to where it flows into the sea at Hengistbury Head in Dorset.

Although this a predominately flat route, there are some hills to contend with, but the views are worth the effort: Hambledon Hill leading onto Hod Hill in North Dorset, Dudsbury Iron Age hill fort in East Dorset and finally Hengistbury Head itself over-looking Christchurch harbour. Maybe a walk we could complete in stages once we are all retired!

The next field we entered was all fenced in for livestock but again it was interesting to see all the grasses and straw which had wrapped itself around every single fence post in the recent floods. (the fence post are on the river side, not to be confused with Johns short hairy legs on the right side of the photo).

Our path followed the river around the wide bends and it was good to see and hear plenty of wildlife on it. As we passed a field full of fluffy pregnant ewes, we could see in the distance on the far bank a tall bird standing still. Although we stopped and our chatter turned into a whisper, it quickly spotted us, and although it stood for a few seconds assessing its options, the heron eventually took off. Just below it in the river it startled a white slim bird, which also then moved from its spot onto the bank. I’m no ornithologist, but best bets are that is was an egret. We reached a suitable low spot of the river bank and stopped briefly for this weeks groupie. By now it was 10 o clock and we weren’t quite at half way so we pushed on through a riverside wood, where we saw lots of primroses and also our first bluebells of the year, and towards our turn back point by Cutt Mill, where Deryck kindly distributed the usual weekly lollies.

Our return leg took us up from the river and through the top of the copse before we cane out with great views southwards towards Sturminster and the high ground of the Wessex ridgeway and Bulbarrow. We were now entering the fields and exercise area of well known equestrian, William Fox-Pitt, although it was quiet on the training track as we made our way acrross the cushioned surface. We passed close by the yard and then headed downhill back to the first meadow area we had crossed some ninety minutes previously. 

With time getting very tight, we managed one last push over the boardwalk again, to get us out of the vally and back in to town by 11.00. We paused briefly to look, very carefully, as the eclipse before heading into the Stur of the Moment cafe, where we had our usual table in front of the window, right by the old typewriter. With no stiles and very few gates to negotiate toady we had pushed along at around 2.3 mph, completing the 4.35 miles in 1 hour fifty minutes. We were quickly attended to and orders placed and after one coffee mug was delivered, the five of us having tea were served two large China teapots between us, with accompanying China cups. It wasn’t too long before the Moments, the small breakfasts, were delivered, with a variety of choices or extras including black pudding and some bubble and squeak for Pete, although ersonally I went for the light scrambled eggs with smoked salmon option, and a side of black pudding. It had been almost a year since we last came her, so apart from the cold plates the food and the refills of the teapots all went down exceptionally well as usual. The only slight deviation from our normal, was that Deryck opted to not visit the bakery today, as he had been to the one in Cary only the day before. Well you can only have so much cake!