Despite a cold easterly wind, we enjoyed a rather sunny 8 mile+ circular walk today on mostly flat terrain.
We began in the beautiful village of Charminster, crossing the ancient bridge over the River Cerne, we then took pleasant tracks and lanes, edged with a profusion of cow parsley, across the water meadows of the River Frome, towards the charming hamlet of Stinsford. There, we found the graves of the Dorset novelist Thomas Hardy, and the Poet Laureate, Cecil Day Lewis, at the lovely church of St Michael's. This was a pleasant spot to enjoy our picnic lunch.

We then crossed further water meadows, with the still visible ancient sluice gates, arriving at Fordington to stop at the beautiful village green and it's fine houses, to admire the rather grand St George's Church. We then followed the River Frome with its pleasant walkway through a quiet backwater of Dorchester, past an array of allotments and fields carpeted in bright yellow king cups, arriving at the Sun Inn on the edge of town. Then, crossing farmland, we could, at a distance, admire the remains of the Roman aqueduct, that once supplied 'Durnovaria'(Dorchester), with fresh spring water from Maiden Newton, a considerable distance away. Circling the ancient Wolfeton Manor, we then arrived at Charminster once again, to complete our walk;
And there we took refreshment at the 3 Compasses Pub!
This was a beautiful walk today with carpets of wild flowers everywhere, thanks to all the continuing sunshine!

Report by Andre R
Created by Stephen C
Photos by Andrew & Stephen
https://www.goc.org.uk/event/watermeadows-of-the-frome-valley-2/