SEE

ON PAGE 61 estuary. There is a passenger northern side of the Avon and lie on the century Pilchard Inn. stop off for a drink at the 14th- can walk the footpaths and open to residents, but you and Noel Coward. It’s only who stayed and wrote here, visitors include dominates the island; notable in. The famous Art Deco hotel ride the sea tractor when it’s across when the tide is out or high tide. You can either walk mainland, covered daily at a large sandy beach from the Burgh Island, separated by the South coast is tidal FEATURE metres km 20 0 40 0 60 0 0 0 Bigbury-on-Sea on Situated opposite FIONA BARLTROP CHOSEN BY… 01 u Distance: 4⅔ miles/7.4km u miles/7.4km 4⅔ Distance: 2 BIGBURY-ON-SEA DEVON 4

6 in more of the South West Island. Longer options taking coastline, with a visit to Burgh circuit sampling a little of this for families, combines a short cliff scenery. This walk, ideal wonderful stretch of unspoilt nearby , it’s a tide. Apart from Bigbury and crossed by fording it at low the north-west can only be coastline a few miles to bookends this stretch of while the , which to the end of September, but it only runs from April ferry across the River Avon, 1 Coast Path are worthwhile too. R along Coast Path. Follow and at road turn immediately GR ADIENT PROFILE Exit car park at eastern end Start Views along the coast 8

Time: 2½-3 hours u hours 2½-3 Time: from Burgh Island. 10

12

Grade: Moderate Grade:

FIONA BARLTROP FIONA PHOTO: 14 Landranger 202 Maps OS Explorer OL20; (0300 0120179) on-Sea, Tally Ho Coaches from to Bigbury- limited bus service 875 Public transport Very Public (01548 810514) Pilchard Inn, Burgh Island choice at Challaborough; (01548 810205); 810141); Journey’s End Inn, Bigbury-on-Sea (01548 Refreshments Venus Café, & Nearest PLANNING Stiles 1 Island well worth a visit ups and downs). Burgh optional extension (more and downs. Out-and-back and inland field paths, ups Is it for me? Grassy coastal grid ref SX651442 Bigbury-on-Sea, TQ7 4AZ, car park (pay & display), Start/parking Long stay ROUTE PLAN YOUR WALK toilets At start 16 towns

18 20 ➥

SOUTH WEST ✁ en route, as is the medieval its name did not. All are abbey that gave the village Dissolution, whereas the which survived Henry VIII’s and the abbey tithe barn the church, the Ilchester Arms of historic buildings, including built villages, with a medley attractive and historic stone were among later 18th and early 19th centuries, very active on this coast in the shipping. No doubt smugglers, served as a daymark for commissioners because it was also spared by Henry’s a magnificent viewpoint. This St Catherine’s Chapel, metres km 20 0 40 0 60 0 0 0 of Dorset’s most Abbotsbury is one ROBERT HESKETH CHOSEN BY… 02 u Distance: 6½ miles/10.4km u miles/10.4km 6½ Distance: 2

4

ABBOTSBURY DORSET

6 1 Follow road around R into along Chesil Beach. Castle and the WWII pillboxes chambers) around Abbotsbury the tumuli (prehistoric burial reach the horizon. Look out for hills and patchwork fields east. Northwards, rolling green west to Portland Bill in the stretching from in the coastal sweep appears, extensive ramparts a huge stimulating walk. From its the highest point on the Castle (215m) – at 710ft as does Iron Age Abbotsbury gives magnificent views too, South Dorset Ridgeway, which a long, steady climb to the beneficiaries. We begin with Abbotsbury and the coast. GR ADIENT PROFILE Turn L into Rodden Row. Start

8 Looking down onto Time: 3¼ hours u hours 3¼ Time: 10

12

Grade: Moderate Grade:

ROBERT HESKETH ROBERT PHOTO: Ilchester Arms into Street. Back Market Street. Turn R opposite 14 Inspiring Places, 2018 Robert Hesketh, Smugglers’ Walks, More Walks Dorset Landranger 194 Maps OS Explorer OL15; www.travelinesw.com route, Monday-Saturday Weymouth/Axminster Public Abbotsbury and point 6 Public seasonal café at point 6 in Abbotsbury, plus choice of cafes and pubs Refreshments Wide Nearest PLANNING Stiles 6 descent One long ascent and footpaths and bridlepaths. Is it for me? Well signed SY579853, DT3 4JL end of village, grid ref car park, signed at eastern Start/parking Abbotsbury ROUTE PLAN YOUR WALK X53 transport X53 toilets Back Street, 16 town Dorchester

18

20 ➥

SOUTH WEST DATE WALKED TIME TAKEN YOUR RATING

© Country Walking October 2020

OCTOBER 2020 OCTOBER

2

START 3 IN ASSOCIATION WITH 4¼ miles/6.7km On the summit of lfto.com/cwroutes 1 OS MAPS ONLINE: ONLINE: MAPS OS VIEW ON THE WALK then down to Challaborough Challaborough to then down park is a bit of (holiday Bay anda blot on the landscape!) Either Bigbury. back to thence the sand or take across walk Burgh to over the sea tractor way your Island and make top. side and up to west round 5 island is what was once a once was island is what a lookout huer’s hut, where over watch keep would shoals of fish. for the bay car park. to steps Retrace

5

4

2½ miles/4km CP uphill, L and follow Turn

1¾ miles/2.8km R) pub (on from Continue OPTIONAL to church and L to the and L to church to Inn. Journey’s 13th-century 3 4 and bear R at next junction, next and bear R at end At Cove. signed Ayrmer on bridleway of lane continue main (NT). The cove to down the follow turns L to route back here from Path Coast but if you Bigbury-on-Sea, to worth well the time it’s have some of the coastline walking although it is of here, west as far (go up-and-down quite and turn round). want as you and Westcombe Both Ayrmer along cove Beach, the next good for are the west, to than and quieter swimming, and Bigbury. Challaborough Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop

DEVON BIGBURY-ON-SEA ¾ mile/1.1km turn L at the top At OS Explorer map OL20 u

waymarks which lead you which lead you waymarks and Sharpland Point round Path Coast B3392. back to on other side of road continues (permissive R up the grass to route) off-road access 2 Mount Folly Farm. Farm. Folly Mount the T-junction, leaving the leaving the T-junction, level Follow Path. Coast track/footpath to gate/path gate/path to track/footpath direction Maintain intersection. down and head northwards track cross slopes to grassy and carry on the bottom at on Continue stile/lane. up to descending the other side, hillside footpath, the grassy via footbridge stream cross and head back uphill. Bear L at the junction joining the the junction L at and road leading to track Bear R village. Ringmore u 01 021/20 MEDIA SURVEY. ORDNANCE 2020 COPYRIGHT ©CROWN

SOUTH WEST ✁ DATE WALKED TIME TAKEN YOUR RATING

© Country Walking October 2020

OCTOBER 2020 OCTOBER START 1

8 2 IN ASSOCIATION WITH 5¾ miles/9.3km When the path divides, the path When lfto.com/cwroutes OS MAPS ONLINE: ONLINE: MAPS OS VIEW ON THE WALK keep ahead for ‘Abbotsbury’. ‘Abbotsbury’. ahead for keep and a stile crosses path The a wood. beneath passes waymark Path’ ‘Coast Bear R at Chapel. Catherine’s St and L for Continue steps. your Retrace R. Turn Abbotsbury. ahead into Ilchester to the street Follow steps your Arms. Retrace the start. back to 8

7

6 4¾ miles/7.5km car park, divert Reaching 3¾ miles/5.9km beach, turn L Reaching 5¼ miles/8.5km R, footpath second Take R up duck boards for a view a view for R up duck boards of Chesil Beach. Retrace steps. Follow Coast Path R Path Coast Follow steps. along back of beach. Ignore R. path (permissive) first the farm as signed. the farm and over stile. Cross second second Cross stile. and over diagonally L across Cut stile. Bexington East field towards around path Follow Farm. 5 6 7 signed ‘Swannery’. onto parallel tarred track. tarred parallel onto 3

Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop

4 DORSET ABBOTSBURY 5 Turn L at fingerpost ‘Chesil fingerpost L at Turn 2¾ miles/4.4km 2¼ miles/3.6km along ramparts path Follow ¾ mile/1.2km When track divides, keep divides, keep track When OS Explorer map OL15 u

u After 200m, turn L up broad 200m, turn L up broad After signed ‘Blind Lane Hill track, Fort’. 2 3 4 Beach’. Follow path downhill downhill path Beach’. Follow L ‘Hill Fort’. Continue uphill Continue L ‘Hill Fort’. L Keep gates. two through ‘Hill Fort’ at next path division. path next at ‘Hill Fort’ to ridge path Follow hill fort. Abbotsbury’s and down to road. Cross and Cross road. to and down ahead, signed path follow 200m. for Bexington’, ‘West 02 021/20 MEDIA SURVEY. ORDNANCE 2020 COPYRIGHT ©CROWN

SOUTH WEST