Badbury Rings

 

Geoff and I enjoyed a fabulous walk around Badbury Rings this morning. What a spectacular hillfort this is, you don't imagine it to be as prominent a natural feature as it is, although once you're up there the views over the Dorset landscape are as impressive as they are expansive. 

Eggardon Hill

 

Eggardon Hill, an Iron Age multivallate hillfort belonging to our local Celtic tribe the Durotriges. A nicely preserved example of a hillfort, set in the most picturesque of landscapes, Eggardon is imposing perched up on an exposed chalk upland. Positioned where it is Eggardon is both visible for miles and has some spectacular views out into the channel, over west Dorset and the surrounding counties. Well worth a visit.

Hambledon Hill

 

Dorset is home to some magnificent Iron Age hillforts, some of the country's finest if not most emblematic examples, and one of the finest is Hambledon Hill set in the county's Blackmore Vale region. The hill rises majestically from the surrounding landscape and was a focus of activity long before the hillforts' construction. During the Neolithic two causewayed enclosures crowned the summit, overlaying an earlier enclosure, the site also includes a couple of long barrows, most of this activity has been overlaid by the ramparts, ditches and interior of the later Iron Age hillfort, or levelled by time. I've not walked here for years, and it was only by chance that we found myself over this way today, and with an old friend; a perfect day to return. Even though I've visited this site innumerable times over the years it never fails to solicit a visceral response,  you can only imagine how the architects and users of these monuments must've experienced the sites and surrounding landscape. 

Round House

A small Iron Age roundhouse reconstruction in Church Bottom, a nicely executed example too. Very cool indeed.

Badbury Rings

Locally we're blessed with numerous Iron Age hillforts, many of them notable examples of their type. Badbury Rings is one of them, an exceptional site in fact. The site has been the focus of human activity for over 4000 years; beyond the Iron Age hillfort itself you've a scatter of Bronze Age barrows, a confluence of Roman roads, a Romano-British temple, a nearby Roman-British town, a post Roman stronghold, a suggested site of the fabled battle of Mount Badon, the meeting place of The Clubmen in 1645 during the Civil War and the site of a large transmitter mast in World War Two; today though it's a quiet romantic spot, a jewel in the rolling Dorset landscape, and a haven for wild flora and fauna. Well worth a visit.

Cranborne Chase

 

It was destination Cranborne Chase this morning, an early start too, and it was glorious; a 14.7 mile traverse of the Ebble Valley in the best early spring has to offer; we were out early enough that we didn't see another soul until nearly halfway through our walk, and no more than a handful throughout our journey. I value all the seasons and their varied aspects, though for me the it has to be spring and autumn that I most enjoy and connect with; the energy of spring is particularly tangible, and visible in every corner of the landscape. Following ancient droves, tracks and paths we wound our way down through, across, and up the other side of the beautiful Ebble Valley. By the time we reached Chiselbury Camp Iron Age Hillfort on the Old Shaftesbury Drove the sun 's warmth had wrestled victory from the early morning chill, and it felt as if all nature rejoiced; I certainly did. Sat on Chiselbury camp's defencive bank we had clear views across the lovely Nadder Valley, Salisbury in one direction Shaftesbury in the other. Above us in a clear blue sky half a dozen birds of prey circled gracefully as they eyed breakfast, most striking though was the Skylark song which filled the air above the camp and surrounding grass downland. We could've sat here all day, it was a perfect English rural scene; though we weren't finished, and it was back down to Broad Chalke and a welcome dip in and drink from the Ebble for Geoff, then the long climb back up to the Ridgeway and journey's end. All achieved before midday; nice. 

Ferny Knap Barrow

Jack had been busy in the forest overnight, the moat of Ferny Knap's larger Iron Age Round Barrow was frozen solid, and the heather and browned bracken which cover and surround in were dusted crunchy white. A stunning winter world.  It's been a long while since we've seen the forest like this, too long in fact. This is premium walking weather, and rare enough for it to be really savoured and enjoyed.

And did those feet?

And did those feet in ancient time, walk upon England's mountains green? You bet they did, and they left plenty of traces of their passing by too. England's quite small really, so it's no surprise that the landscape is so abundant in the relics of foregone times. Again today we found ourselves walking the rural byways of Dorset and as if to perfectly illustrate my opening statement, through time. We parked up at the Kingston Lacy end of the 700 tree Beech Avenue created in 1835; past the Bronze Age round barrows of King Down (above); on past a really rare Romano-British barrow (35m diameter and 6m high, surrounded by a partially filled ditch); on past the architecturally fantastic farm buildings of Hemsworth with it's origins in the 16th century; past the earthen remains of a an earlier medieval settlement, listed as Hemedeswordes in the Doomsday Book; past the site of a 4th Century Roman Villa famed for it's fine mosaics; past woodland hiding the foundations of wartime accommodation; across the World War Two airfield of Tarrant Rushton from where, on D-Day, the gliders took off for the famous attack on Pegasus Bridge, the first allied troop in occupied Europe; along the Ackling Dyke Roman Road; below the ramparts of the majestic Iron Age hillfort of the Durotriges, Badbury Rings; and finally back to where we began. And that doesn't take into account the history I don't know, or that which remains hidden. A real walk through time I'm sure you'd agree.    

Flowers Barrow

Sunday again means Purbeck, and once again we found ourselves in the Kimmeridge/Tyneham region of the Jurassic Coast. This time we parked at Povington Hill, high on the Purbeck Ridge above Tyneham. The drive out had been through moderate rain and I was beginning doubt the weather wizards, though I kept faith and as we approached the Isle of Purbeck the rain eased, clouds began to dissipate and by the time we reached the ridge old Sol was making his presence felt. I knew, as Bill Withers had prophesied,  it was ''gonna be, a lovely day...lovely day''. Walking down towards the ruinous Tyneham Village not a soul stirred, the access road down was still closed (we were out early again) and we had the valley to ourselves. It was the type of morning where you breath a bit deeper, your gait has extra bounce and you really feel the land and the elements you're walking through...you feel alive. Not a bad feeling. It wasn't long before we were down on the coast at the tout, looking at formidable hill rising before us and wondering if I'd made the right choice of route. We are were we were though, so upward then. Geoff's in his element out here, he loves his walks, though seems to really enjoy our Purbeck missions. The climb up to Flowers Barrow never gets any easier (why I think it would be is beyond me), it's not the steepest in Purbeck, although it's up there. A deceptive slow burner, and before you realise it you're engaged in a real steep slog, a muscle draining, lung stretching, slog. Although on reaching the summit and Flowers Barrow your reward for taking the challenge is clear, with majestic 360 degree views of nature glories. Whilst out I usually take the opportunity to connect with a bit of chanting or meditation, today was no different, standing, I take the traditional three element connected breaths. Today they really resonated, I was standing on the ancient earthen ramparts of the Iron Age hillfort built on cliffs spanning 185 millions years of geology, high in the sunny sky being caressed by a gentle fresh breeze, looking out over a beautiful clear blue sea which stretched clear to the horizon. Far out. I soaked up as much of the views and atmosphere as I could before we moved on. Flowers Barrow is sited towards the far eastern end of the Purbeck Ridge which starts way over on Ballard Down, our return route along the ridge will be far less arduous than our outward journey. It's all gently rolling ridge top trackway, a route that will have been utilized for millennia, down Rings Hill, on which Flowers Barrow is sited (hence the hills name), the over Whiteway Hill with its trig point marking its status, and finally back up Povington Hill,  and all the way along great views over Tyneham Valley and Povington Heath. Another magnificent Purbeck walk.  

Water Lilies

I thought how the 'Head' has changed over the years as I walked through memories and time there this morning.  It feels as if Hengistury Head has always featured in my life.  Childhood days out with kites, or Noddy Train rides and the beach.  A favoured adventure land in my young teens, skiving school, jumping the Noddy Train, being chased by the Noddy Train drivers as well as the first place I wild camped. It appeared much wilder then, it was much wilder then, more removed, that said, it's still wild-ish now. It became a different type of adventure land in my later teens, substances ensured that. It's always been somewhere I've walked too. When I worked in the engineers department at the local authority we'd survey the Head regularly to record the rate of erosion, it took a couple of days, and we did that a few times a year. Nice work as I remember. Halfway down the harbour face of the Head are ponds above the waste tips created by quarrying in previous centuries. These, now thriving wildlife ponds, used to be near lifeless murky puddles, in fact the whole landscape had a tangible post industrial feel to it as I remember, a bare nakedness beyond first colonisers and invasive flora. So many memories connected with this place, I'm connected with this place. And, I know I'm just one of many over the centuries to have felt that connection. Hengistbury Head has been the focus of human activity for millennia, 14,000 year ago Upper Palaeolithic hunters utilized the headland, as did the our Mesolithic ancestors, the Bronze Age saw the harbour developing and the promontory was a focus of Round Barrow burials, the Iron Age saw the harbour port continue to develop as an important centre for trade, this continued throughout the Roman period. Later centuries saw smuggling, quarrying and defence all feature, in-between long periods of pastoral obscurity. So I'm not just walking through my history, I'm walking through the history of the country, human and natural, and I just love that. 

Badbury solstice

I'd pondered over the last few days as to where to watch the sunrise this summer solstice. I wanted to take Geoff for his first sunrise, and I fancied going for a dawn walk too; so didn't fancy the palaver of a site with lots of people where Geoff would certainly get too excited, nor any site that may restrict exploration or necessitate driving too far. Badbury Rings came to mind as the perfect choice, in a perfect wandering landscape, and that it was.  The sky was lightening quickly as we made our way up a drove towards the deep ditches and huge ramparts of Badbury's Iron Age defences, as we were serenaded all the way by an very vocal pre-dawn chorus. Geoff was loving the early morning country smells, I knew he would. Just being out here this early in the morning, the day yet properly birthed, is a magical experience in itself, prompting that perennial thought 'I should do this more often'.  Of course, the chances are the next time I'll be up this early and thinking this thought wont be until lughnasadh. Still, the intentions there. Reaching the ramparts I could see a scattering of like minded folk had already taken their positions, we exchanged solstice blessings as we passed, before finding a suitable spot and waiting in meditative peace for Bel. Mists hanging in the pre-dawn Allen Valley only added to the magic of the moment, as slowly an orange hue developed on the horizon, then on cue Bel showed his face. It was beautiful, man, a perfect sunrise, and I felt my spirit lift; if there's one thing we all need, it's to have our spirits lifted and our life affirmed more often.  It's quite a thing to see the sun come up, you don't imagine it would rise so quickly, though it really does. Before long the hillfort and its surrounding landscape were bathed in glorious golden sun light, the longest day was here, and it shone brightly, casting long shadows through the hillfort's tree filled interior. Walking around the rings we enjoyed a continuous panorama over the patchwork landscape of rural Dorset, with the Chase to the north and the Purbeck coast to the South, and it all shimmered with life. Our world is a wonder. Solstice blessing y'all beautiful people.

Whitsbury Castle Hillfort

We were back over Whitsbury Hill this morning, it's a glorious landscape of mixed farmland, grassland and woodland, criss crossed by shaded tracks and secluded paths. It's on the border of Cranborne Chase, Sumner country, and a landscape incredibly rich in archaeological heritage and monuments. Above the village of  Whitsbury is Whitsbury Castle, a good sized multivallate hillfort dating from the Iron Age. I've visited most of the hillforts in the region over the years, though never this one, and was surprised by it's size and the impressive nature of its ramparts and ditches, which remain (for the most part) in wonderful condition. Here's a link to its Historic England listing. Sadly it's in private hands and public access is only around the periphery, though I'm wondering if it might not be worth my while putting my archaeological hat on and seeking permission from the land owner to have a wander about.  I'd love to have an explore.

Townley's view

A harsh wind raked the ridge around the Kimmeridge bowl this morning as we made our way along it towards Tyneham Cap, and although the sun shore brightly, it was no match. A bright cold day indeed, great for walking, and we did at quite a pace. On reaching the Cap one of the Jurassic Coasts many spectacular vistas comes into view; in the foreground Gad Cliffes, beyond, a sweeping view across the Tyneham Valley and Worbarrow Bay, over the ramparts of Flowers Barrow Iron Age hillfort, across to Mupe, and Portland on the horizon. Quite something. The Jurassic Coast at it best. No wonder Townley Shenton loved this view.

Cranborne Chase and Winkelbury

The wrinkled landscape of Cranborne Chase is never boring, so wide ranging and varied as it is. It's a country landscape, of fields and hedgerows, scrubby woodland and coppice sheltering in its combes, rising above them exposed chalk grasslands reach for the skies, little changed in centuries, I'd imagine. Today was a good day for a walk in the chase, clear skies, an unseasonally warm feel, walking with an old friend who I don't see enough off (in fact the last time I saw him was last year, when we wandered the Chase). Our route was an undulating one, up through Garston Wood, with it's well managed Hazel coppice, down through Mistleberry Wood, up into Chase Woods following the Shire Rack, past Cuttice Lodge and up on to the Ox Drove, with it's fantastic views over four counties and on a good day as far the Isle of Wight. Man, it's always amazing to be up here, but on a clear day like today, it's something else.  We took a slight detour to wander about Winklebury, an Iron Age Hillfort positioned on a promontory overlooking the Berwick St John at the head of the Ebble Valley. It was excavated by Pitt-Rivers at the end of the 19th century who found evidence of Iron Age occupation, though I question whether it was a finished hillfort, it's defensive ramparts and ditches lack uniformity in nature and appear incomplete. The most striking features are the two linear outer ramparts and ditch defences some way from the main enclosure, which cut off the promontory.  The Chase is jam packed with archaeological features, it's always been a popular landscape. We made our way back down through Chase Wood, this time following the ups and downs of Chase Avenue, a neglected veteran Beech avenue, back through Mistleberry Wood with another Iron Age 'fort' which appears either incomplete or simply not a fort (I do wonder about some of the old Ministry of Works definitions of archaeological sites, several in the area appear suspect), before finally returning to Garston. Fantastic walk, longest I've done in a while too (12 miles of walking and talking), I've been slacking of late, must try harder. 

Badbury

We made our way up towards the hilltop along a colourfully lined drove, all the colours of autumns palette were represented in the tight hedges that channelled us toward our destination. The multivated hilltop and former stronghold of the Durotriges of Badbury Rings is still this morning, not even the sheep huddling around the trees who now hold tenure of the defended hill were stirring. It was lovely.

Cursus's end

The Dorset Cursus would have been a magnificent monument and expansive feature in the Neolithic landscape. Comprising of two joined sections, the Cursus is a linear feature of two parallel banks and ditches running for 10 km north east/south west across the undulating north Dorset landscape. For the most part nothing of this vast monument remains visible above ground. Though some of the associated features still remain visible. The earliest of these features are the Long Barrows, the focus of collect burial, these monuments pre-date or are contemporary with the Cursus, with one being incorporated in the bank. At the north eastern terminus of the Cursus are several Long Barrows, a couple of which are tree crowned, and when approached from the right direction create a striking silhouette on the rise. I love walking these archaeologically rich landscapes, and they don't come much richer than Cranborne; although the Cursus and Long Barrows are Neolithic, all the ages are represented. Bronze Age Barrows, earthworks and enclosures, Iron Age settlements and earthworks, a Roman road, right up to the mid 20th century military firing ranges, and evidence of the hunting and farming practices in-between. Fantastic. I really feel I'm walking in footsteps of the ancestors, in their landscapes, their monuments and activities come to life in my minds eye.

Flowers Barrow

For the most part Purbeck appears to exist in timeless isolation, though its quiet façade hides an often rough and dramatic history. Purbeck's rugged coast and cliffs were worked by fishermen and quarrymen alike, its hills made for hard farming and harder toiling beneath them, whilst a smattering of military defences are testament to important Purbeck in our history. The land is layered with the relics of our past activities, with some sites showing a continuity in use which spans millennia. With its extensive views Flowers Barrow, high on the Purbeck coast, is one such site. With its impressive Iron Age ramparts and ditches, its Second World war pillbox, an observation post, rusting tank hulks and target markers (it's currently within the Lulworth firing ranges), Flowers Barrow has a distinctly military flavour. And although, its ancient ramparts may have half slipped into the sea, with its World War Two monuments slowly following them, it still commands this stretch of the coast and remains a predominant landmark. I could easily just sit up here and watch the day go by, especially on day as beautiful as today.

Winkelbury

Winkelbury Hillfort is a simple univallate fort situated on a high spur jutting out from Cranborne Chase's chalk hills above the village of Berwick St John. It looks to me as if was never finished (it's not unknown).  The ramparts and ditches are fairly well defined on the hill end of the spur, where an unusual 2 entrance affair is going on, though even here both are unsubstantial really. Whereas the further out along the spur you go, the patchier the rampart and ditch becomes, being hardly noticeable in places. The also appears another fainter, and very ephemeral, bank and ditch crossing the enclosed area, maybe evidence for a smaller fort first being marked out before being enlarged. The site has a pleasant vibe to it, especially in the sun. An the views! Man! Positioned as it is sticking right out from a long snaking escarpment, the views, both east and west are spectacular. Staring out, picking up the details in the undulating landscape, you loose yourself in fantasy imaginings. I experience the deceleration of time until it goes in reverse, as I imagine the hedgerows returned to break up the the large fields, see the tracts of woodland expand, and peel back the layers of time to wonder what this landscape looked like in centuries past.  Still, I can't hang about much longer as it's off to the local metropolis of Shaftesbury for a gig.

Badbury Rings

The magnificent ancient earthen edifice of Badbury Rings Iron Age Hillfort.

Bindon Hill to Flowers Barrow

Not a long walk at 9 miles, though a punishing walk as it was virtually all hills. Park in Lulworth, up the steep side Bindon Hill and along it's hogs back ridge with its prehistoric banks and ditches, followed by a descent in to the small bay of Arish Mell where the waste water pipe from Dorset’s atomic energy establishment site at Winfrith, then directly the citadel heights of Flowers Barrow Iron Age Hillfort rose before us, an arduous climb later the payback was glorious views along the Jurassic coast. That was the out route. After a short rest and time to absorb the beauty before us, it was the return route.  Over ancient ramparts and back down to Arish Mell, past the rusting hulks of cobbled together mutant tanks used for target practice, then up the really punishing rise to Bindon. We then turned towards the sea and down the slippery grass slope with its loose tracks to the rocky bay of Mupe.  With it's rock stack, buckled geology and secret smuggler cave (a proper one!), Mupe Bay is straight out of an adventure story.  It's hard going, the coast here is jumbled rocks, some stable, some not. Once up from the bay it's along the coast to Lulworth Cove, with a quick detour to the fossil forest, described as "one of the most complete fossilized forest of any age", now closed to the public due to access problems, still do-able though. Finally Lulworth Cove and back to the car. Lulworth Cove's great, though a tedious walk (as pebbles always are), especially at the end of a walk, and a notorious honey pot, especially on good days. A great walk, taxing, though well worth the inevitable aching to come.