LIFETIME of WALKS by DEREK HARWOOD

From Thomas Hardy’s market town and back, via two mills.

Sylvia was in the car reading a book. The walk began with the threat of black clouds and it wasn't long before it started to rain, but luckily the heavy rain was while I was walking through Piddles Wood. It was aptly named, but there were plenty of huge trees to hide under. I passed pleasant houses and a church from the car park kissing gate at '2', not stile. From the town to Fiddleford Mill were lush meadows. There was a large puddle on the path near the first bridge to Fiddleford Mill. There were no double stiles at '5'. Although I took a wide berth around the puddle, I couldn’t avoid getting my feet wet; I should have taken the other side. Over the weir by the mill there was an impressive new bridge. The river was swollen after plenty of recent rain. On the mill wall by the door was a very neat inscription but I couldn't read the Old English words. There was no activity round the mill or the manor. At the fork in the road at '6', I continued ahead over a small bridge but ignored the road to the right, past the entrance to the manor car park. Care was required crossing the bridge on the main road at '8', as there was no footpath. There was a delightful cottage by the footpath at '8'. The phone box still existed. There were good views of fertile countryside from the entrance to Piddles Wood at '10'. The path in the wood was fairly obvious, but don't be tempted to take one of the many side tracks used by bikers. There were no stiles in the wood. From Broad Oak Village were good views across the Lydden Valley. There was no gate in the middle of the field. There was a steep ascent to the bridge over the brook at '14'. Care is required after the brook from '14'. At the road turn immediately right after the house gate. The description is correct. Watch for a steep and high drop from the path to the house. After the stile at '15' keep the hedge on the right, through the gate, over the stile to steps at the far right corner of the field down to the track by the road. A sign at the bottom of the steps says 'path closed to footbridge' but no footbridge was found. On the path to the mill footbridges are behind the mill. There's a good car park by the mill. It was easy to find the way back to Market Square car park. There were full and half size football pitches on the recreation ground. .

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Parking in Sturminster Newton

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