No photos to start with as the whole place fog and mist bound. Heavy going but Komoot says I went at something like 20mph at around the 20 minute mark. Don't remember that, must have drifted off. The route went just east of north this time out of Litton, past Baglake farm up to the A35 and straight over onto what felt almost like moor tops. I'd thought these hill tops might have drained off the rain of the last couple of days (water goes downhill, right?) but no such luck. Huge fields but all waterlogged. At least today I'd got the gaiters on. A lot of conservation work going on here with tree replanting and high, anti-deer fences. Not a soul in sight but some wildlife, and I gave a few deer a fright. Some evidence too of badger setts but there have been extensive culls hereabouts recently as farmers and DEFRA try to control bovine TB so I think the setts may well have been empty.
Over the old Roman road into another huge field where any evidence of a footpath stops after the initial fingerpost. First need for the compass, which gave me the direction for the over the hill and out of sight gate which (doh!) I then ignored for some reason and struggled along the field boundary instead of the track, by now the other side of barbed wire. Eventually passed what looks like a dew pond, though I wouldn't have thought there was a need here in soggy Dorset, near Compton barn.
The barn is actually a collection of them, largely for drying grain, as evidenced by the dedicated 3 phase electrical supply. Oh, and the sign saying 'Grain Drying'. Rather cutely, they seem to have named one of the barns - after a favourite son/lover/trans, or maybe James is the name of the manufacturer. I'll never know.
From there down a 1 in 7 (14% in EU speak) hill into Compton Valence. I know I'm going to pay for this downhill section. I was interested to see the village here as I'd never been but the main house was very shy - no chance of getting a good picture. As is common in these parts it is a rather splendid place. Most villages have one, usually the old estate house but in this case it's a rectory, grade 2 listed and dating from about the 17th century although this particular building was moved here and rebuilt in 1872. Sale particulars from Knight Frank are here and show just how grand it is - even the separate grooms cottage is 1,500 sq ft. It may still be for sale if you'd like 40 acres of prime Dorset countryside.
There are many links with Little Bredy whose then owner Sir Philip Williams used to own this village as well but sold most of it in the 1950s to a farmer in nearby Wynford Eagle. It's renowned locally for its displays of snowdrops: I should've come last week. Henry Moore's daughter (Mrs Mary Spencer Moore Danowski) lived in the village. Maybe still does.
Despite skillful compass bearings and reverse plotting on the OS map I managed to get completely off track here and came out of the village on a different route than planned. However, the road out gave a wonderful view of the village and its setting. This is the kind of rolling country that Karen and I both loved. It is a lot steeper than it looks by the way.
From Compton back over the Roman road and down into Kingston Russell (not to be confused with Kingston Russell House, in Long Bredy) but not before startling a couple of deer and a few buzzards.
This is now rather unkempt (as you can see from a couple of photos in the Komoot summary) but must have been quite important in its day. The farm is rather unloved to look at and clearly the emphasis is now on horses as there's a new rink, if that's the right word.
From there lorry-dodging back over the A35 through Long Barrow Farm. My interest here is the adjacent Martin's Down. Not much to look at but fame on the Ordnance Survey at last.
Quick chat with the farmer who explained that his 13 year old sheepdog was supplementing the dog biscuits by eating the lambing afterbirth. Nature in the raw (literally) - I'll spare you the picture.
The route now goes up and over the down, and takes a marvellous hollow way down into Long Bredy. These are generally ancient drovers' tracks where it is supposed that time and the animals have worn the path down well below the height of the surrounding land although sometimes they have been made by creating artificial embankments. I like to imagine the ghosts of shepherds and flocks being taken to market.
On a previous walk I came into Long Bredy from the other side, but this route goes past yet another splendid property, Langebride House. Yours for £1.75 million, particulars here. This is only a 'village house' (actually the old rectory) but it's Georgian and grade 2 listed, with tennis court and orchard so not too restricting. There really are some fantastic houses and histories in my immediate area and it's been fun finding out about them.
Now it's onto the road back into Litton Cheney but from the East this time which takes me back past Baglake farm. This is yet another grade 2 listed building, there's a lot of that round here. One curiosity is its thatched wall, I've never seen another one and I believe it's quite unusual. The house itself is beautiful but I don't have much information about its history or background. Despite its location on the edge of Litton Cheney village it's actually in the next door parish of Long Bredy. Why is lost in time, at least to me.
So, back home after just 8 miles and despite my navigational errors still averaging just over 2 mph, useful to know for the SWCP. And as a welcome back, at least one of the gardens starting to look colourful. I'll have to spend some time in mine soon.
As ever, hope you enjoyed this. Next blog should be after the first leg of the SWCP proper, from Fowey to Par. See you there. Woohoo!
Peter
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