We walked this route in June 2006. It was the first time we had been in this area and proved to be a good walk with lots of variety. It is however not suitable for a group with several cars.
Turn off the A352 by the church just before Stokeford. Just down the lane you come to a level crossing. It is somewhat unusual as it is kept closed until a vehicle arrives when the crosssing attendent will immediately appear and open the gates by hand.
Just past the crossing there is a very small layby with room for only one car. Walk down the lane over two streams until reaching Soil Mechanics. The land here is quite damp and Ragged Robin could be seen alongside the ditches in the fields. After a few more yards there is a signed footpath on the right. Keep along this path across one or two styles and through some pretty meadows where we saw horses, cows and a wonderful display of buttercups. There is also a small pond at SY 866 866 where there were some dragonflies.
On your right you will see East Stoke Fen Nature Reserve. You can either follow a path along the edge of the field or enter the reserve and follow an alternative path through the woods. Both routes bring you to a small wooden bridge crossing a tiny stream. We then followed the path diagonally across the field to a gate at the far side and turned left onto the road. Here we saw a rook diving at a buzzard until the buzzard decided to move away to an easier hunting ground. We left the road on a path towards Belhuish house which is quite a way off the other side of the B3071. The path became rather indistinct but meandered through the woods and back to the fileds with markers indicating we were on the Hardy Way. After about 300 yards we turned left along a clearly indicated path (on the map) though not shown as a right of way. This leads to Park Lodge where there are some large towers with gates. There does not seem to be an easy way through the gates although a finger post with direction arrows can clearly be seen in the field the other side of them. We turned right and found a rough path that took us back into the field but we did have to cross a low barbed wire fence. The Weld Arms served Ringwood beers and very large portions of Hadock and chips for £8.95.
Leaving the pub we followed the road looping back to the north past the cemetry and towards Shaggs. On reaching what could well be another entry to the Lulworth Estate we turned right along a well made up track towards Home Farm. As we left the woods and moved onto the open ground the edges of the path were lined with masses of Comfry. We then followed the fence along the edge of the ranges onto the open heath area where there were a few sundews. We then rejoined the road and followed this back to the car.
Turn off the A352 by the church just before Stokeford. Just down the lane you come to a level crossing. It is somewhat unusual as it is kept closed until a vehicle arrives when the crosssing attendent will immediately appear and open the gates by hand.
Just past the crossing there is a very small layby with room for only one car. Walk down the lane over two streams until reaching Soil Mechanics. The land here is quite damp and Ragged Robin could be seen alongside the ditches in the fields. After a few more yards there is a signed footpath on the right. Keep along this path across one or two styles and through some pretty meadows where we saw horses, cows and a wonderful display of buttercups. There is also a small pond at SY 866 866 where there were some dragonflies.
On your right you will see East Stoke Fen Nature Reserve. You can either follow a path along the edge of the field or enter the reserve and follow an alternative path through the woods. Both routes bring you to a small wooden bridge crossing a tiny stream. We then followed the path diagonally across the field to a gate at the far side and turned left onto the road. Here we saw a rook diving at a buzzard until the buzzard decided to move away to an easier hunting ground. We left the road on a path towards Belhuish house which is quite a way off the other side of the B3071. The path became rather indistinct but meandered through the woods and back to the fileds with markers indicating we were on the Hardy Way. After about 300 yards we turned left along a clearly indicated path (on the map) though not shown as a right of way. This leads to Park Lodge where there are some large towers with gates. There does not seem to be an easy way through the gates although a finger post with direction arrows can clearly be seen in the field the other side of them. We turned right and found a rough path that took us back into the field but we did have to cross a low barbed wire fence. The Weld Arms served Ringwood beers and very large portions of Hadock and chips for £8.95.
Leaving the pub we followed the road looping back to the north past the cemetry and towards Shaggs. On reaching what could well be another entry to the Lulworth Estate we turned right along a well made up track towards Home Farm. As we left the woods and moved onto the open ground the edges of the path were lined with masses of Comfry. We then followed the fence along the edge of the ranges onto the open heath area where there were a few sundews. We then rejoined the road and followed this back to the car.