WALKS IN DORSET at STURMINSTER NEWTON & FIDDLEFORD (the RIVER STOUR) [4K]

This is another video in my series “Walks in Dorset” accompanied by my Whippet (Logan). In this episode, I visit the town of Sturminster Newton (8 miles North West of Blandford Forum) and surrounding area.

My 4 mile circular walk starts at the Sturminster Newton Mill (where I park my car in the free car park) which is located to the South of the town just off the A357. I head North following the banks of the River Stour, passing by a cottage that Thomas Hardy lived in for a couple of years in the 1870's.

I find “Colber Bridge” where I recite one of Hardy's poems “On Sturminster Footbridge” before continuing along the river bank to the old railway bridge. I then head in to the town and pay a visit to the church before heading out East (again following the River Stour) to Fiddleford Mill.

Alas Fiddleford Manor (owned by English Heritage) was closed so I could only view it from a distance before turning South, over the A357, and in to Piddles Wood where I got to enjoy the most wonderful display of bluebells in the golden Spring sunshine.

After passing through the settlement of Broad Oak, I walk along the side of a meadow, back over a stream and finally back to Sturminster Newton – viewing the ruins of a 14th century fortified manor house located on top of an iron age hill fort just towards the end.

A super walk with two mills, an enchanting river, a pretty town, an exquisite bluebell wood , an iron age hill fort and some stunning landscape views.

PS I am sorry if the audio appears a little "distorted" at times during the video. I was having issues with my microphone!

Information Sources: Wikipedia, Dorset Churches, Historic England, British History Online & Dorset OPC.

Historic Maps NLS Maps 'Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland'  https://maps.nls.uk/index.html

Map courtesy of Google Maps.
Aerial pictures courtesy of Google Maps.
OS Maps. Media License.
Music from the Youtube Audio library.
For further videos in the series, please go to:    / @daveford   or my website at https://daveford5966.wixsite.com/website

My Facebook page is:   / davescountrysidewalks  

I use a GOPRO HERO 7 Black Action Camera (sometimes with a Gimbal) & a Rode microphone (either a “Shotgun” or a Rode Wireless Go) together with a Canon Powershot SX530 HS.