In a large car park at one of the highest points in Dorset, eleven of us met for a hilly walk of around 9 miles, not counting a bit of road walking at the beginning and end, which added an extra mile or so. It was perfect walking weather, mainly sunny, with temperatures tempered by a gentle breeze.

The first bit was mostly downhill to the pretty village of Hilton. Over the next hill we stopped for a break at the beautiful little historic church of Bingham's Melcombe. According to some locals, Lord Lucan (a member of the Bingham family) visited this place briefly before disappearing completely.

Then it was onwards and upwards to the Dorset Gap and Wessex Ridgeway where we picnicked atop the ridge with views for miles in every direction. One more valley to cross, and some walkers looked aghast when the ridgeway path appeared to have become a muddy river. Fortunately we had just had a dry week which meant that, after such a wet spring, it could have been a lot worse.

Having been warned by Gareth that "what comes down must go up" walkers braced themselves for the long haul up, with red kites soaring above us, to the Iron Age hill fort at Bulbarrow and a return to our starting point. We then made the short drive to the Fox Inn at Ansty, somewhere in the middle of our circular route, to wind down the day with some long cool drinks.