The Times - UK (2022-01-01)

the times Saturday January 1 2022

6Weekend

11

Powerstock and Eggardon Hill,

Dorset

How hard is it? 7 miles; moderate

EGGARDON

HILL

start

Powerstock

Nettlecombe

South

Eggardon

House

Disused

railway

Marquis of

Lorne Inn

Spyway Inn

ThreeHorseshoesSt Mary’s

500 metres

DORSET

Bridgwater

Bournemouth

Exeter

Ranmore Common and Polesden Lacey, Surrey

13 How hard is it? 5¾ miles; easy

Fork left to cross weir (774451). In 450m,

left (770451) to Clare Priory grounds.

Return through gateway, follow Stour

Valley Path for 3½ miles back to

Cavendish via Church of St Peter and

St Paul in Clare (770455), A1092

Cavendish Road, Harp Lane (773454),

Houghton Hall (785466) and Mumford

Cottages (796468).

Getting there Bus 236 (Haverhill-

Sudbury). Road: Cavendish is on A1092,

between Long Melford (A134) and

Haverhill (A143).

Lunch Bull Inn, Cavendish

(01787 280245).

Information visitsuffolk.com

A bridleway leads west along the Stour
Valley, on to the Norman castle remains
at Clare. From here, follow the Stour
Valley Path, with great views of the river
valley, to return to Cavendish.
Map OL Explorer 196, 210
Start Cavendish Memorial Hall, Suffolk
CO10 8AD (OS ref TL811465).
Walk Cross A1092; down Pentlow Lane;
cross Pentlow Bridge. In 300m, right
(812461) on bridleway via barn at Bower
Hall (800455) and on to roadway from
Paines Manor (749449). Right downhill;
follow bridleway west to road at
Hickford Hill (777447). Right; in 200m,
right (fingerpost) to cross river (775450).

12

Cavendish and Clare,

Suffolk-Essex border

How hard is it? 8 miles; easy

A walk for a chilly morning, with frost

edging the fallen leaves and fine views

across the Surrey Weald between the

bare trees of Ranmore Common.

Through the beautiful parkland of

Polesden Lacey, down rutted old

Hogden Lane, and back by the North

Downs Way.

Map OS Explorer 146

Start Denbies Hillside car park,

Ranmore Common Road, Dorking RH5

6SR (OS ref TQ142504); National Trust

members free.

Walk Cross road; right on path to

St Barnabas Church (145505). Left; in

100m, left (bridleway fingerpost) north

for 1 mile. Just before Bagden Farm, left

by shed (148520), through gate and on.

In ¼ mile, through gate (144517, blue

arrow); left; in 30m, right (gate 33,

“Run England” red arrow). Follow

“Polesden Valley Walk”/PVW. Just

beyond Polesden Farm, right (135519,

PVW); at top of slope, cross track

(gates); ahead on permissive path.

In 300m, through gate numbered 20

(132522, yellow arrow); south on

Hogden Lane for 1¼ miles to cross

Ranmore Common Road/Pilgrim’s Way

(126502). Ahead (south) to North Downs

Way (127497, fingerpost); left to car park.

Getting there Train to Dorking West.

Road: M25 Jct 9; A24 to Dorking;

Ranmore Road west for 1 mile to

car park.

Lunch The Duke of Wellington, East

Horsley KT24 6AA (01483 282312;

dukeofwellingtoneasthorsley.co.uk).

Information nationaltrust.org.uk/

denbies-hillside

the Spyway Inn. Left (530932) up drive.

At South Eggardon House, right on

bridleway up to road (545939). Left; in

350m, left (546942) for circuit of

Eggardon Hill. Back at “National Trust”

gate (544945), left (gate) across field to

lane (546946); left. In ¾ mile, lane bends

right (536952); ahead here (green lane).

In ½ mile, track bends left (529955);

ahead (yellow arrow/YA) to cross old

railway (523956). In 200m, right

(522956, stile) downhill. At bottom

dogleg left/right (521956) over

footbridge. Streamside path, then lane

up to road (520960). Left to Powerstock.

Lunch The Marquis of Lorne,

Nettlecombe (01308 485236);

Three Horseshoes, Powerstock

(01308 485328).

Information visit-dorset.com

A classic winter walk through the heart

of Thomas Hardy’s Dorset, to stride the

Iron Age ramparts of Eggardon Hill.

Breathtaking views far and wide across

rolling green vales, hills and cliffs of the

Jurassic Coast, then back to the cosy

pubs of Powerstock and Nettlecombe.

Map OS Explorer 117

Start St Mary’s Church, Powerstock,

Bridport DT6 3TD (OS ref SY517961).

Getting there Powerstock is signed

from A3066 (Bridport-Beaminster).

Walk Pass the Three Horseshoes pub.

In 100m, right downhill (“Nettlecombe”);

path to road (517956). Left past inn; in

100m, right past No 3; in 50m, left across

playing field. Cross road (520953); cross

field to bench; down woodland path;

cross old railway (520950). Field track

for 1¼ miles to road (528933). Left past

500 metres

River

Stour

SUFFOLK

ESSEX

start

CAVENDISH

CLARE

A1092

B1063

Bull

Inn

Pentlow

Hall Farm

Pentlow

Bridge

Mumford

Cottages

Houghton

Hall Stour Valley

Path

Church of

St Peter and

St Paul

Remains

of priory

Hickford

Hill

Harp Lane

Bower

Hall

Paines Manor

Cambridge

Norwich

Ipswich

RANMORE COMMON

Ranmore

Common

Road

Pilgrims’

Wa y

Ranmore Road

St Barnabas Church

North Downs Way

Dorking

West

Station

Polesden

Lacey

Polesden

Farm

Hogden

Lane

Bagden

Farm

start

P

500 metres

Brighton

London

St Barnabas Church