Saturday 25th March ‘23 DH, RW, PC, PCL, DL, Sully & Scrumpy
After horrendous heavy rain and hail only the day before, it felt almost inevitable that todays walk would be a wet and muddy one. Thankfully there was very little evidence of the floods as we drove out to meet at Poyntington village hall. Originally there were six of us out today, but after an early morning exchange of WhatsApp messages and the protocol 3 emergency procedure (Covid) invoked by Trevor, it was just the five of us who with waterproof trousers and gaiters, coats and hats on headed off for a climb up the ridge which runs along and above the eastern side of the village. Scrumpy fresh from her birthday grooming was sporting her birthday rosette, and Sully was doing his normal excited dance around everyone. In the centre of the village, a wide junction with refurbished finger post points to nearby villages of Osborne and Sandford Orcas, whilst the the 14th century All Saints church leads up a narrow lane behind it. Although not time to go inside today, the church is in the Decorated English Gothic style, and has elements including the font carved from Ham Stone dating back to the 12th century, a recumbant knight (14th century) with his basinet helmet, low belt and head resting on a great helm and pews from the 16th century.
We headed eastwards past the grand nine bedroom Manor House, which sits in 6 acres of formal and informal gardens - available on line to rent at the very reasonable rate of £15-20, 000 per week! The small stream, which flows down the side of the manor and onwards into Sherborne as the River Yeo, passes under a stone arch in the wall to flow right through the manor gardens. Heading up the hill and looking back, the manor really is a very impressive looking building.
As we headed out of the village, the heads of a delightful drift of small delicate daffodils bobbed about in the light breeze and as we took a gate off the lane the climb increased up a muddy track, with plenty of evidence of sheep being recently in the area. With good views ahead and with no signs of any in the immediate vicinity the dogs were eased off their leads. The pathway continued to climb through small trees and bushes and once out of them the view down to the village opened up and unsurprisingly the higher we climbed the more the wind picked up. Sully seized his opportunity whilst we were looking at the views to do his Saturday morning roll, unfortunately though he selected a patch of grass on which a sheep had also left its fresh deposit.
As we made our way northwards along the ridge, I don’t remember there ever being such happiness about being in a new area of the local countryside as I witnessed today. The views around, as we straddled the county boundaries was magnificent over all 360 degrees, across the Dorset hills from Shaftesbury around to Sherborne and numerous Somerset green valleys and fields for as far as the eye could see. We eventually caught up with the roaming sheep and had already got dogs already back on the leads well before we got to them. It was a clear indication that spring has finally sprung as in the adjacent field, mums and their young lambs we’re also enjoying the mornings fresh air.
Reaching the top corner of the first leg and as we passed the first mile marker we took a right turn and headed eastwards along the edge of another field and towards a dilapidated barn. The pre recced route gave us a choice of paths at this point but looking at the state of the field ahead we opted to turn right again and onto a main track that ran between fields. Although there were many large and dirty puddles for Sully to investigate along the track, the grass edges were mostly wide enough for the non ‘4 by paws’ to walk on, even when lined with large black round bales of last years harvest leftovers. Conversation is always varied and interesting on our weekly walks and this weeks subjects ranged from the exploits of a novice train driver to the origins of English Bank Holidays. Clearly Derecks explanation of his time as ‘Ivor the engine’ was far more interesting than the origins of the extra days holidays, but with no firm answers to the latter, the point soon became focus for the whole group. As promised, a bit of info here although as always I am not responsible for the accuracy of external website information.
The track continued southwards for a good mile and as we dropped down towards a road we took the opportunity to take a breather for our weekly sugar fix and open our coats and remove headwear as the temperature had increased significantly now we were out of the wind. Once refreshed we turned right again opposite Three Arches bridge and onto a minor road that runs alongside the main line between Templecombe and Sherborne stations, deep at the bottom of a cutting at this point. The track angled away from our road slightly and in the distance we could see vehicles on the A30 and further away the ruins of Sherborne old castle. Dereyk at this point spotted a ‘bumpy’ hillside and as if he was back in the classroom in front of a class of a few spotty adolescent kids, he proceeded to explain the formation of the bumps was actually a well known geographical process known as “solifluction”. This break in the walk was a great time for the first of this weeks group selfies, and as we turned off the road and starting heading back north again, with a cold south westerly wind picking up, we paused for a second time this time with hats back on. With the village of Poyntington now visible in front of us, it was just a case of dropping back down off of the ridge, and as time was getting tight for our table booking I decided a route down to the road would be quicker than staying on the ridge line for longer and also save us gaining extra height than we needed to, so with the prospect of a suitable route visible at the bottom of the hill we lost height rapidly and followed a slight pathway alongside a hedgerow. All was going well until we encountered a barbed wire fence, but by this time there was either the option of climbing back up to the ridge or pushing on through. So in good Saturday tradition we sent Dereyk through first and although there were a few brambles that snacked the feet and legs it was a successful crossing for all which allowed us to drop down to the river, perfect for Sully to take a quick dip to clean himself off, and then it was over a small bridge and out onto the road. Looking back we could now see the route we should have taken down the hill, maybe we’ll try that option next time!
In the field opposite our exit point were a few goats and their young kids and further along the road a patch of wild flowers which took Richard interest. (Subsequent investigations suggest they may have been either Butterbur or Common Butterbur). Passing by the end of the refurbished Tithe Barn and it’s very pleasing windows in the wall end, we were soon back at the cars, and with boots swiftly changed it was then just a 5 minute drive through Osborne and onto the A30 for our breakfast in Blackmarsh Farm, also known as the Toy Barn. Todays walk had been one of our longest for a while at 4.3 miles and with the addition of 100m of climb, completed in just over the 2 hour mark. Surprising how much faster we can walk without the constant climbing of stiles that we encounter on many other routes.
On arrival at the cafe our table was waiting for us and with limited choice of menu and no table service, orders were placed at the counter for 6 of the finest (thanks Pete), no messing with fancy avocado this week! Drinks were quickly made and delivered but the wait for food was not so rapid, although when it did arrive, and after unraveling the issue of who was fried/white, scrambled/granary etc, we were soon all quickly into the good old bean discussion once again. To be honest none of us had read the menu that closely and must have missed the ‘homemade beans’ bit, so the sight of a heap of different beans in a mix of tomato sauce, basil and other herbs on the plates did send one of two of the group into a bit of a spin, although Phil was quite happy to help clean a few plates of them. However despite the split opinion , overall a good breakfast and certainly a suitable breakfast location for any future walks in the Sherborne area.
And for those of you planning on being like Johnny, take heed of this childhood advert
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