A walk to Alderholt.

A walk to Alderholt this morning. This is a lovely route take up behind Stephen's castle, through the barrier and along the main track until you reach a junction of bridleways marked by blue arrows.

Turn left and continue on this until it crosses a main track. The blue marked bridleway is on the opposite side of this track.

Here it is just a very small path leading through the woods(sometimes it can be muddy here). The path come to a small gate.

Go through the gate and down the hill onto the common. Cross the common on this path. At the bottom of the common is another gate go through this a stay on the wide track to reach Alderholt. If you want refreshments,

The Churchill Inn is to your left when you reach the road. A good place for lunch or a drink with a garden at the back.

You can also cycle or ride a horse on this route. Takes about 1 hour from Verwood centre.

Plumley Wood, Ringwood Forest circular walk

I know it was rather dull today but the walking was lovely anyway. Out in Ringwood forest for 3 and a half hours. Coffee and a short picnic stops included. From village centre up beside Stephens castle(barrows lane) then right up the hill and into the forest. Stay on the main track past the telegraph mast and along the ridge to the electricity pylons and turn left. Follow this track to the end. You will pass a small pond on your left. 

When you get to the place where the track splits at a rise you can either go left to walk beside farmland or right to continue on the stony path. If you go left you will come back to the small pond to the right makes a circle in the other direction. Having taken the left hand route myself and coming back to the pond I then crossed the main track and took the one opposite beside the conservation woodland and then back to the far track near Somerley. 

3 hour walk from Verwood

Beautiful walk today. Up to Stephens castle, Ringwood forest on to Cranborne/Alderholt common, Sleepbrook, Plumley wood, Somerley, Ashley heath forest, Ebblake, Pottern wood and back home. About 3 hours.