Soak up the scenery as you walk with retired Dorset rights of way officer Chris Slade.

Start at the church, which is worth a visit (not only because you can pick up a copy of this Magazine in the porch) and then walk a short distance east to the pub, the Milton Arms. It’s on the junction with the main road, the A354. Follow it eastwards crossing two branches of the Winterborne then going uphill towards Blandford until the houses run out. Then take a footpath on your left, heading north in a straight line along fairly level ground for nearly a mile. You’ll see pleasant views of the Winterborne valley and Lower Whatcombe to your left and woodland past the fields to your right.

When the path dips down to the road, join it and follow it round the bend to Higher Whatcombe. Then join a bridleway that leads you west for a mile through wood and parkland, passing an imposing mansion, Holway House. At the end of the woodland the bridleway turns left, south, and takes you steeply uphill along the parish boundary.
When you reach the top there is a junction of ways. Turn left and follow the footpath south eastward alongside a wood. There are good views over distant countryside to the south. After nearly half a mile the path joins a farm track taking you downhill to the east to meet the road to La Lee Farm. Turn right and follow the road downhill southward back to the village.

When you get to the School and the Village Hall you might like to divert briefly to the Field’s Close housing estate to look at the tree that has recently been planted to commemorate Her Majesty, the late Queen.
Then return to the road past the playing field an back to the church and your car.