A sunny day greeted our band of 17 plus 2 dogs as we set off along the west walls then across Wareham Common to reach the banks of the River Piddle. Following the river bank we emerged back onto the walls at the tiny church of Saint Nicholas (built into the old walls) where we surveyed the medieval wall paintings and the tomb of Lawrence of Arabia (his remains being moved here during WW2 after the church at Moreton was bombed).

We continued to follow the walls walking on top of the earth ramparts then descended into the woods towards Bestwall House where we picked up the course of the Piddle again as it emptied into Poole Harbour. A short trek through the reeds skirting the edge of Poole Harbour led us to the Frome Estruary where we admired the yatchs moored on this navigable river.

Skirting Bestwall Lake (a flooded gravel pit turned nature reserve) we trekked through pine woods to re-emerge at the walls. Walking again on top of the ramparts we continued through the war graves cemetery to reach Warehan Quay for a picnic or pub lunch.