top of page
Dorchester to Kingston Maurward Circular Walk

...a gentle circular walk from Dorchester along river banks and through fields to Kingston Maurward college returning by footpath

Distance: 

Time: 

Difficulty:

Start Point:

5 Miles

3 hrs

Easy

Lubbecke Way, Dorchester, DT1 1QL

Pub/Restaurant:

Image-empty-state_edited_edited.png

1. Parking in Lubbecke Way near Kings Road, follow the river bank next to Lubbecke Way walking out of Dorchester (away from Kings Road) until you reach a bridge crossing the river on your left. In springtime you will see Ducks, Swans and Moorhens among other wildlife nursing their young on the river.

2. As you cross the river on the bridge, take the right hand fork and follow the path under A35 road bridge and round to the left.

3. Continue straight on a bridleway flanked by hedges until you emerge in an open field with a river ditch running to your right. Several old bridges cross the ditch creating tunnels - now disused and blocked at one or both ends.

3. Cross the field following the footpath and, next to a river monitoring station, cross a small footbridge into a wooded area, continuing to follow the stream ahead.

Image-empty-state.png

4. Follow the path through the woods to emerge to the right of a bridge where the river widens - at this point you can take route (a) to return to Dorchester or exntend the walk through Kingston Maurward (b)

5 (a) Turn left over the bridge and continue on the footpath. A short diversion on your right is signposted to the village of Stinsford where Thomas Hardy's heart was buried in 1928 next to his wife Emma. Continue for around 1.5 miles on the footpath, passing under the A35, passing through a gate and eventually emerging on the main road and bridge into Dorchester.

6 (a) Turn left, crossing the bridge and turn left again into Kings Road, passing a large open park on your left continue to return to Lubbecke Way on your left.

Image-empty-state.png

5 (b) Turn right and follow the path for 0.5 miles until you reach a path signposted to the left. Here you enter the grounds of Kingston Maurward agricultural college.

6 (b) Pass through a gate on your left and follow the edge of the lake before turning to the right to rejoin a path taking you through the college buildings and onto a road passing in front of the main house/college building. Take the road to the far left, passing agricultural buildings on your left continue to follow the road to the right until you reach a T junction.

7 (b) At the T junction, turn left and shortly, left again onto Church Lane and follow this down to Stinsford Church (see 5a)

8(b) Return up Church Lane, taking the footpath next to a small car park on your left. Follow this path until you pass through a gate, returning to the footpath back to Dorchester to the right.

Image-empty-state_edited.png

Email : Walk.Dorset@gmail.com
Facebook: Walk-Dorset

bottom of page