On a brilliantly sunny autumn day our band of 16 set off across pretty water gardens to the Stour flood plains and over to Keynston Mill where we toured the newly created perfume garden.

We continued around the remains of an old vineyard to view the medieval church at Tarrant Abbey with its original frescos. A trek uphill along high hedgerow lined paths led to commanding valley views and then down through the Bishop's Court Dairy to the hamlet of Shapwick.

Here we picked up the Stour Valley way along the river to reach ancient Crawford Bridge whose turrets provided a convenient picnic spot.

We joined the track bed of the old Somerset & Dorset Railway to view the partially restored station at Spetisbury, a brave few detouring up through the brambles to view the Iron Age Rings before retreating to the Clapcotts Farm for tea.