Dorset walk: Ashmore Bottom and Stubhampton Bottom.

At 700ft above sea level, Ashmore is Dorset’s highest village. It stands on a high spur at the head of several valleys which were carved out of the high chalk downs thousands of years ago by snow, rain and spring water forming streams, some of which made their way towards what is now the River Tarrant valley. Now, these valleys are dry. The Tarrant doesn’t appear until Stubhampton village. It then flows for 10 miles before joining the Stour near Tarrant Crawford. On this circular ramble, we first explore Ashmore Bottom, then a short unnamed valley on the Wiltshire border, then Well Bottom - a small settlement which existed in 1333 at the head of Ashmore Bottom - and finally Stubhampton Bottom.

The Walk

1. From the multi-gated open area, walk south along the road (fenced field left, trees right). At the field’s end, take the left bridleway-signed ‘Ashmore Barn Farm’ track. Past the right thatched white cottage and the left bungalow, keep to the gently ascending shallow valley track between fenced fields, then with trees right, and ignoring all side gates. In ½ mile, go through a facing farm-gate and keep straight on with mowed verges and specimen trees. Meandering along the right hedge around Ashmore Barn Farmhouse, rejoin the farm track along the low valley, with right hedge and left fence, to facing 1½ un-arrowed gates. Through, the track forks left up to some barns. Don’t go there! Instead, continue along the valley floor’s grass track to the bridleway-gate by right cattle pens. Through, continue past the left wood and up the valley.

Bridleway path strewn with beech nut shells. (Image: Edward Griffiths) 2. Approaching the edge of facing Ashmore Wood, 1¼ miles from Stubhampton road, and you’re joined by a back-right track from Manor Hill Farm. Go through the facing gate and half-gate into the wood. Turn right up the ‘Tollard Green 1½’ bridleway-path strewn with beech-nut shells. Narrowing into coppice with fields both sides, continue rising, with distant views glimpsed right. On the level top, meet a left bridleway-arrowed oak at a bridleway-signed T-junction. Go right on the track to another left bridleway-arrowed tree. Ignoring right and left gates, join the bridleway-path. Follow the enclosed path between left trees and right field with long views over the next valley. Keep straight on, passing right and left gates, and descend onto the valley floor where follow the fenced path left at the bridleway and Wessex Ridgeway post. Behind the left hedge, the O.S. map shows ‘Gallops’. With rising valley fields on both sides. The Gallops is probably the most level stretch of land in this area long enough to exercise horses at a fast pace.

The 'Gallops' viewed over the path-side gate. (Image: Edward Griffiths) 3. At the right field’s end, with a right Rushmore Estate bridleway-arrowed fencepost, enter the wood. At the instant-right bridleway-posted T-junction, keep straight on along the reduced path inside the wood, rising very slowly along the valley floor with the Gallops outside left. On leaving the wood at the long right field, the left private half-gate overlooks the Gallops behind the hedge. Keep following the path with the flinty right field. In about another ¼ mile, when the large wood at the end of the right field draws ever nearer, at an angle, don’t miss the left footpath-stile where the Gallops end. Go over the stile and follow the green track up the valley-side field against the right trees/hedge, noting the ‘Dogs on leads’ sign. Up to the facing gate and into the mowed area, don’t go anywhere near the ‘Private’ drive. Go through the ‘Footpath’ signed and arrowed half-gate in the right wooden fence and follow the enclosed footpath inside the wood’s edge, passing the house and gardens outside.

View back to Wiltshire fields from 'Gallops' fields in Dorset. (Image: Edward Griffiths) 4. Then, through a facing gate, continue along the hedge-enclosed lawn to the lane, footpath-arrowed back. Onto the lane, turn left and pass left barns and right brick/flint house. When the Tarmac ends, take the right footpath-gate into the field with trees. Follow the right hedge down. Then, before the open-fronted shed, be careful to find the right footpath-stile, probably labelled ‘Footpath to Well Bottom’. Over, go half-left to the footpath-gate at the far end of the left wooden fence by the hedge. Through, continue down by the right hedge, through another gate, and another onto Well Bottom Cottage’s drive. Go right and through the gate onto the lane with Spring Farm opposite. Turn left down to Well Bottom with Well Bottom Cottage left. At the bridleway-signed fork, take the right barriered rising bridleway-track. Notice Ashmore Bottom’s valley end below left and dark pinewood right.

Deeper into Ashmore Woods. (Image: Edward Griffiths) 5. Past a right path, continue south-west deeper into Ashmore Wood, meandering but fairly level for ½ mile, then widening through beeches to a bridleway-signposted T-junction. Go sharp left on the minor south-south-east path into mixed woodland, signed ‘Great Peaky Coppice 1½’. Right is ‘Ashmore 1¼’, back is ‘Well Bottom ½’. Meander through bracken and brambles, passing a bridleway-post on the way and widening into a predominantly beech wood. Through to the bridleway T-junction on the wood’s edge with long views over Ashmore Bottom, turn right for ‘Great Peaky Coppice 1¼’. Left is ‘Tollard Green 2’, back is ‘Ashmore 1½’.

6. Keep following the path inside Ashmore Wood’s edge, soon it’s all downhill to Stubhampton Bottom with a side valley down to your right. Through coppiced hazel, a remnant of the vast area of ancient coppice, you and the side valley meet Stubhampton Bottom bridleway T-junction at the bridleway-arrowed fence-corner post. Turn left, level and fenced along what was the upper extent of the Tarrant valley. Continue along the track through woodland, then emerge between fields, hedge left and ‘Private’ field right. Pass several side gates and, after many meanders between steep left slopes and right Earl’s Hill, arrive at the multi-gated parking area where you started, sign-posted back ‘Washers Pit 1¼’.

COMPASS POINTS

Distance: 5½ miles/8.75 km

Time: 3½ hours

Exertion: Not strenuous with intermittent ascents

Start: Limited off-road parking in open area by roadside chevrons immediately north of Stubhampton on Tarrant Gunville road, keep clear of farm gates (Grid Ref: ST913143)

Map: OS Landranger Sheets 195 and 184

Public Transport: None

Dogs: On leads where livestock or when requested. Follow The Countryside Cide.

Refreshments: Compton Abbas Airfield for breakfast, lunches, tea and cakes