Walk 5. Maiden Newton circular walk

Distance approx. 3 miles

Start point. Maiden Newton Railway Station. This station is on the Bristol Weymouth line and has a number of trains each day. For train times visit www.thetrainline.com

Description The 'figure of eight' walk has a pleasant section along the bank of the River Frome, a section along the disused Bridport Railway route and a short stretch of quiet country road.

Details

1. Leave the station by the main exit and head downhill along the road, passing the village hall. Where it joins a road from the right, keep going in the same direction. At the staggered crossroads turn left and continue to the war memorial, where you turn right into Church Lane (Turn left at the war memorial to visit Maiden Newton village with P.O., pub, shops etc).

2. Just past St. Mary's church, where the road goes right into a new housing development, go over the stile on the left. Keep the flint/brick wall to your right and then cross the field, aiming for the left of the telegraph pole. Go down the slope and through the trees, then go left over a wooden bridge and immediately right alongside the River Frome.

3. After a while there is a sluice gate (mechanism manufactured 1857). About 10 m before this, take the footpath to the left and go through a gate and under a bridge. (Later on this walk we will be going over this bridge). Keep the river on your right for the next 0.5 km or so. The path twists in parts to follow the course of the river. The footpath then splits (not very clear) and you take the left hand fork. About 10 m along this path you will see a 'Wessex Ridgeway' footpath sign on a thick tree branch on your right. If you miss the turn, in about 30 m you will come across a fence that comes down to the river and  shortly after this the footpath ends. Turn round and go back 30 m to the footpath now on your right.

4. There is another footpath sign to your right (often hidden in the undergrowth). The path forks (just before the telegraph wires). Take the right fork and just after you go under telegraph wires go over a stile (marked Wessex Ridgeway). Keep going along the right hand edge of the field looking out for a stile on your right (marked Wessex Ridgeway and Macmillan path). Ignore the gate directly opposite and head diagonally across the field to a stile in the left hand corner. Go over the stile and follow the direction of the arrow to go round the right hand edge of the churchyard and through a gate to come out to a road.

5. Turn left at the road and follow this road through the village of Chilfrome. Just after Brook Barn, turn left along the road (sp Maiden Newton). Leave the village and continue along the road for about 1km until the road forks. Take the left hand fork. and continue along the road until you come across a 'No footpath for 410 yards' sign (not that there had been one before anyway!). Approximately 30 m after this sign, turn left through a small metal gate and keep to the right hand edge of the field. Take the footpath to the right (just before the telegraph wires) leading to a gravel path. This is the route of the old Maiden Newton - Bridport railway (axed by Mr Beeching!). This path leads directly back to Maiden Newton Railway station.

We hope you enjoyed the walk. Back to walking index