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Beaminster to Stoke Knapp Farm Circular Walk
...to the west of Beaminster up the hills to the north, across to Stoke Knapp Farm and back to Beaminster via Gerrards Hill and part of the River Brit Valley Trail...
Distance:
Time:
Difficulty:
Start Point:
6½ miles
3 Hours
Moderate
Beaminster Square DT8 3AX
Pub/Restaurant:
1. Leave Beaminster Square by Hogshill Street. At first major junction fork left into Clay Lane to industrial estate, turning right into St James’s beside former Clipper Tea factory. Take first left past industrial units and on to unadopted road past Sunnyview, Cuckrood Farm etc. on right, between two barns and a metal gate. Follow grass track to right, keeping wood and later fence to right, until find stile on right.
2. Cross this stile to rough track. Turn left, then left at ‘T’ junction, then around right angled turn, uphill through bridlegate by a horse trough, keep to right hand hedge, ignore gate (right), bypass small copse, ignore stile (right). Go through bridlegate, bear left across concrete area, and up steep rise into woodland. Ignore gate (right) & stile (left) to follow path upwards between trees. At end of woodland ignore gate (left), follow steepening path to join Common Water Lane and turn left.
3. Continue along Common Water Lane for ½ mile, take track on left to road. Cross road, through gate opposite. Veer right, through bridlegate, through gateway in far corner by hedge. Walk through two fields by hedges on right and through next field by hedge on left. Veer left in next field, leading to Stoke Knapp Farm.
4. Go through gate ahead and sharp left up track to pair of gates, through right-most, along left hand side of fields, through gates, then on track to Chart Knolle Farm. At farm ignore first bridlegate on left and go through second to walk below fence on right up to stile and across field to gate in the corner by hedge. Go on up through gate to group of beech trees on top of Gerrards Hill. Follow footpath downhill, over stile, cross track, then go over second stile. Drop down to lone tree and further down over stiles to footbridge over stream.
5. Through the plantation, over stile into meadow up to double stile in hedge and across the field to stile beside white painted gate near farmhouse. Keep to right of way down private asphalt road to join public highway. Turn right, cross, then almost immediately left on to bridleway leading to stile beside gate. Cross this field and take left gate onto track. Veer left, go down track through another gateway.
6. Go through entrance to field straight ahead and keep to right of its boundary hedge. Through gate and down few yards to bridleway across field.
7. Turn left along bridleway to gate, where a track joins from the right , keep ahead along the track and the residential road, St. Mary Well Street. At ‘T’ junction with Church Street turn right into Beaminster Square.
