Fishpond Bottom - Wootton Fitzpaine and River Char

Roy Davenport

You need to log in as a member of Walkingworld to access the details for this walk and have an active subscription. Please join, or log in above if you are already a member.

Coney's Castle is one of a series of fortified Iron Age hill-forts in this area. It is 702ft above sea level and linked by road and footpath to Lambert's Castle a mile to the north. Dating from around 300–500BC, this hill-fort was built by local farming communities, perhaps to give protection in a time of political unrest.

Whitchurch Canonicorum lies in Marshwood Vale in the west of the County of Dorset. The very ancient church of St Candida and St Cross is unique in being the only parish church in England containing the bones of its patron saint. The saint's relics are in a stone altar. There is a chapel of ease at Fishpond Bottom dedicated to St John the Baptist and a Congregational chapel at Morecombelake.

Catherston Leweston's small church was built circa 1858. The walls are of Blue Lias in what Pevsner calls a 'crazy-paving pattern'. Canon Raven (1904) reports that there is one bell with a diameter of 17", cast from a piece of brass cannon taken from the Russians at Sebastopol during the Crimean War. The River Char runs a few miles from Bettiscombe to Charmouth, passing Pilsdon and Whitchurch Canonicorum.

The Liberty Trail is a 28-mile walk from Ham Hill to Lyme Regis. In the early summer of 1685, villagers from throughout Somerset and Dorset were making their way to the coast at Lyme to join the Duke of Monmouth, who was expected to land at Lyme to lead a rebellion against the king with the rallying call of 'Liberty to the People of God'. The Liberty Trail guide is based on the stories of some of the men who joined the Monmouth Rebellion. With green sprigs in their hats to mark their support for Monmouth and using farm scythes for weapons, some of them may have walked to Lyme to join Monmouth along the same paths that you will follow.

Monarch's Way is Britain's second-longest signed walking trail, a meandering route following the flight of Charles II after his defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651 and including many sites of historic interest. From Worcester it first turns north to Boscobel, south via Stratford-upon-Avon, the Cotswolds, Bristol and the Mendips to Charmouth, then east along the South Downs to Shoreham, where Charles finally escaped to France.

England - South West England - Dorset - Countryside

Features

Ancient Monument, Birds, Butterflies, Church, Flowers, Great Views, Hills or Fells, National Trust, River, Sea, Wildlife, Woodland
10/29/2015 - Valerie Monaghan

One correction to my recent Comments (I can't tell left from right): Point 19: the walk can be shortened by walking up the access road to Swainslane Cottage and turning LEFT at the top to pick up the walk at Point 21.

10/26/2015 - Valerie Monaghan

We did this excellent walk on a bright October day and, apart from a short stretch near Charmouth, it is all rural tranquility. We did take one wrong turning by car trying to find the start of the walk at Coney's Castle! In general, it was fairly easy to follow the walk guide. Our GPS measured the walk at 10 miles (and we shortened it at Point 6!). Some points: Point 4: at the bottom of the field, note that there is also a path straight on, but you need to take the path on the right. Point 6: turn right just before the farmyard and then take the next right, through a gate, signposted 'Liberty Trail' - we didn't and walked down the farm track towards a ford, where we picked up the route again at the two stiles show in the photo at Point 7 (took LH of these). Point 9: the 'kissing gate in front of the main road' is to the left of a gate, slightly hidden from view. Points 12 - 15: most (if not all) of the stiles have been replaced by steel gates. Point 19: the walk can be shortened by walking up the access road to Swainslane Cottage and turning right at the top to pick up the walk at Point 21. Point 20: an alternative (and shorter) route is to continue along the road and turn left at the junction back to the car park. Point 21: this takes you to the road near where the name 'Long Lane' is marked on the map. Point 22: this is in the guide, but not on the map!

1/5/2011 - Walkingworld Administrator

Thanks to Roy Davenport. This walk has been updated, January 2011, taking into account Judy's comment. Adrian (Admin)

4/27/2010 - Judy Brua

We did this walk in April 2010. It is a very interesting, diverse walk with great views on the way down, and they have made the return uphill relatively easy by following various contours.

7/14/2008 - Walkingworld Administrator

Thanks to Roy Davenport. This walk has been updated, July 2008, taking into account Grahame's comment.

7/3/2008 - Grahame Calladine

Great walk but on the last direction number 21 we could not find any stile under an oak tree on any of the three sides of the field, i suspect it as been removed for there was no visible trace of an opening in the perimeter of the field.