I couldn't get as good a photo of the bigger hill fort, Eggardon, as this (not tall enough) so I borrowed it off Megalithic.co.uk You can see what a remarkable place it is. I didn't walk to the top but 1,700ft of climbing today was more than enough. As usual, the Komoot tour summary is here.
Today's walk was about heading inland, getting some more map-reading practice and braving the mud. Also climbing a bit more as the SWCP will have plenty of that so there's not much point in my practising on the flat but I hadn't reckoned on climbing quite that much - still, a good day all round.
Heading out from Litton the path rises steeply and quickly up the side of the vineyard towards the A35. My photo of the vineyard got lost but this shows it in summer, looking back on the village:
I wrote about it before but you can find more at http://bridevalleyvineyard.com/ including the history and where you can buy their produce (Liberty Wines). The Times wrote this month of the 2014 Blanc de Blancs "a tongue-tingling, steely, zesty, preserved lemon of a chardonnay fizz" so if that sounds like your kind of thing it might be worth a try.
Along Chalkpit Lane it got a bit chilly which I hadn't been expecting but a beanie and gloves kept me toasty. Managing temperature is a vital skill on long walks. Get too warm and you'll be sweaty, and then chilled when you stop. I'm generally too warm on all my walks, even in winter, but I find I can control it well with zip-fronted tops and vents in my trousers and jackets.
Across the A35 and down into Stancombe Farm. This looks like another old manor house but I couldn't find any information about it. It's set in a lovely sheltered location right down on the valley floor and looks like it's been there for yonks. In the hills above Stancombe there is a small private airfield that I have long envied but I discovered that it was the site of a fatal crash in October 1993 and in truth I haven't seen any flying from there for a while.
The thing about being in the valley is that of course it meant another climb out. More beanie, glove and zip work. I was conditioned as a boy on long walks in the Alps that for any descent "we'll have to pay for this" and so it proves. At the top of the climb (3ft higher than Eggardon according to the map, so bragging rights to me) there are 3 radio masts which I presume are for local radio hams but there's no sign of nearby buildings. The reward for the climb is a wonderful view to Eggardon and around to the West across the Marshwood Vale
I wrote about it before but you can find more at http://bridevalleyvineyard.com/ including the history and where you can buy their produce (Liberty Wines). The Times wrote this month of the 2014 Blanc de Blancs "a tongue-tingling, steely, zesty, preserved lemon of a chardonnay fizz" so if that sounds like your kind of thing it might be worth a try.
Along Chalkpit Lane it got a bit chilly which I hadn't been expecting but a beanie and gloves kept me toasty. Managing temperature is a vital skill on long walks. Get too warm and you'll be sweaty, and then chilled when you stop. I'm generally too warm on all my walks, even in winter, but I find I can control it well with zip-fronted tops and vents in my trousers and jackets.
Across the A35 and down into Stancombe Farm. This looks like another old manor house but I couldn't find any information about it. It's set in a lovely sheltered location right down on the valley floor and looks like it's been there for yonks. In the hills above Stancombe there is a small private airfield that I have long envied but I discovered that it was the site of a fatal crash in October 1993 and in truth I haven't seen any flying from there for a while.
The thing about being in the valley is that of course it meant another climb out. More beanie, glove and zip work. I was conditioned as a boy on long walks in the Alps that for any descent "we'll have to pay for this" and so it proves. At the top of the climb (3ft higher than Eggardon according to the map, so bragging rights to me) there are 3 radio masts which I presume are for local radio hams but there's no sign of nearby buildings. The reward for the climb is a wonderful view to Eggardon and around to the West across the Marshwood Vale
Eggardon is truly a remarkable place. A Guardian article on great walks gives a good description of it for when spring will have sprung - This is Thomas Hardy’s Dorset – a folded, green landscape of wooded coombes flooded with bluebells, contrasting with the high, chalk ramparts of Eggardon Hill. It’s an evocative place, where the sound of the wind thrumming over grass mixes with endless lark song. You might see buzzards and ravens wheeling and tumbling above the escarpment.
It's actually easy to get to by car, should you wish to visit, and was for many years the site of an annual kite festival. When Karen and I went last, the winner of the highest kite reached over 4,000 ft. Hopefully air traffic were notified. Less recently it was originally an Iron Age hill fort and there are also two Bronze Age barrows within its ramparts. To quote Megalithic.co.uk "Field boundaries, and a huge octagonal feature run across the interior, but are well disguised by taller grass, thistles and nettles in summer. The octagonal feature has been described as an arboretum, or coppice, and was also used to give navigational assistance to seafarers." The whole place is only half owned by the National Trust, the other half is privately owned. Imagine, owning half a hill fort.
From there it's back down the hill towards South Eggardon farm. This is a listed building, dating back to the 16th Century or earlier, and looks well cared for. It would be a truly lovely place to stay but I've no idea whether that's possible. This is as close as I could get:
From there it's through the muddy paths to North Eggardon farm and there you'll have more luck as the 18th century stables have been converted into accommodation - called North Eggardon Carthouse (It is also now home to Chalkbarn joinery run by a squash buddy of mine, Jeremy Snell.) The website for the Carthouse is here.
It used to be owned by the famous smuggler Isaac Gulliver whose wikipedia entry makes fun reading. He not only faked his own death (face covered in white powder, lying in a coffin when the Excise men came calling) but was wealthy enough to build a number of houses. One of these, Howe Lodge near Bournemouth, had a secret room that could only be accessed through a door 10 feet up a chimney. He was also church warden of Wimborne Minster where he was finally interred. Latterly he had become a 'respected citizen and banker' following a Royal pardon for smugglers. A true establishment figure.
We've had a lot of rain and snow lately so it was no surprise really that the fields here were pretty waterlogged. I'd decided not to bother with gaiters up to this point and by now it was too late. I'd been well spattered though at least I hadn't got wet feet. Next stop was the Spyway Inn, my first pub stop on any of these walks. TBH I was embarrassed to go in, in my dishevelled state, but talked myself into it, had a quick pint and, as is my wont, a chat with some random strangers. Perfect interlude before getting back on the trail.
So if you've been counting, that's one hill fort and one pint. Next up (and I do mean up) was Shipton Hill which Karen and I had often talked of walking up but never found anywhere near enough to park. Another stiff climb and glorious views although the visibility wasn't great.
It used to be owned by the famous smuggler Isaac Gulliver whose wikipedia entry makes fun reading. He not only faked his own death (face covered in white powder, lying in a coffin when the Excise men came calling) but was wealthy enough to build a number of houses. One of these, Howe Lodge near Bournemouth, had a secret room that could only be accessed through a door 10 feet up a chimney. He was also church warden of Wimborne Minster where he was finally interred. Latterly he had become a 'respected citizen and banker' following a Royal pardon for smugglers. A true establishment figure.
We've had a lot of rain and snow lately so it was no surprise really that the fields here were pretty waterlogged. I'd decided not to bother with gaiters up to this point and by now it was too late. I'd been well spattered though at least I hadn't got wet feet. Next stop was the Spyway Inn, my first pub stop on any of these walks. TBH I was embarrassed to go in, in my dishevelled state, but talked myself into it, had a quick pint and, as is my wont, a chat with some random strangers. Perfect interlude before getting back on the trail.
So if you've been counting, that's one hill fort and one pint. Next up (and I do mean up) was Shipton Hill which Karen and I had often talked of walking up but never found anywhere near enough to park. Another stiff climb and glorious views although the visibility wasn't great.
I don't know if this actually was a hill fort, though it does look like one. Flint arowheads from excavations suggest it was once an ancient village.
Now to get back home. I had two routes, either along the lanes or cross-country so of course I chose the latter. If it had been muddy before, this was on an altogether epic scale. Frequent map checks required and one top tip: carry some small binoculars. Mine fit in the hip belt pocket of my pack and were invaluable for finding hard-to-spot stiles.
Through Chilcombe, which dates back to Domesday and has a an 18th century farmhouse and a few buildings. In 2013 it had an estimated population of 10. You'd think with so few they wouldn't have had to estimate, they could surely have just counted everyone. The farmhouse is the home of the famous landscape painter John Hubbard (http://www.johnhubbard.com/) and one of the outbuildings is the workshop of furniture designer Petter Southall (https://pettersouthall.com/) whose work sells in Sladers Yard in West Bay. He specialises in steam bent wood, drawing on his expertise from boat building, and makes some quite beautiful pieces, like this:
From there I splashed my way across to Lower Coombe and on to Pins Knoll, a site on the corner of Litton's Chalk Pit Lane that has had settlements dating back to the Iron Age. Excavations have turned up remains from then as well as the Durotriges tribes and the Roman eras.
Home now, for a cup of tea and some home-baked sodabread. I hope you vicariously enjoyed the walk. It's just one week now to the start of the SWCP proper!
Peter
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