| Date: Location: Walk Leader: Participants: Distance: Parking: Lunch: | 10 May 2017 Tarrant Gunville Ray Ray, Clive, Peter 8.4 miles Opposite the village hall Coach and Horses Wimborne ★★★☆☆ |
It was quite chilly when we left the car heading south east down the road before turning up towards the church. We then turned left to follow the path that runs more or less parallel to the road until it crosses it just before Earl's Hill. It looks easy enough to keep on the path but it is more difficult than it seems and it is a bit too easy to do what we did and follow a path that takes you too far up the hill. At the junction with the road we did a sharp right turn and then left on to the track that leads to the Wessex Ridgeway.
It's not too hard to guess that Hanging Coppice is quite a bit lower than Great Peaky Coppice and it is actually about a 200 foot climb. It seems to have taken quite a bit out of Clive! On the other hand, at this time of year at least, you are surrounded by bluebells all the way. We even managed to find some lovely wild orchids too, the early purple variety I think. Surprisingly they had enough puff left to - well you can see for yourself!
It's not too hard to guess that Hanging Coppice is quite a bit lower than Great Peaky Coppice and it is actually about a 200 foot climb. It seems to have taken quite a bit out of Clive! On the other hand, at this time of year at least, you are surrounded by bluebells all the way. We even managed to find some lovely wild orchids too, the early purple variety I think. Surprisingly they had enough puff left to - well you can see for yourself!
 Are We Nearly There?  Well I'll Be Blowed! |  Wild Orchid - Early Purple I think  Is That A Bluebell? |
 Call Me Mellow Yellow | We stopped for our usual refreshments in Heron Grove Coppice surrounded by bluebells - all English! It was not really warm enough to get much of a scent from them which was a shame. The route we took is straightforward but ... the path shown on the map from Pimpernel Long Barrow to Home Farmdoes not seem to exist and we were told several years ago that it had beee re-routed. Battling through fully grown fields of rape would not be much fun either. Luckily the farmer has provided an excellent path. |
If you feel like a cup of tea or buying some local produce you could take a short diversion to Home Farm and visit their shop or tea room. On this occasion we chose to walk the shortest distance we could back to the car as we had already walked a bit further than usual.
Still no teapots at the Coach and Horses.
A very pleasant day out in spite of there being rather more cloud than we had expected.
Still no teapots at the Coach and Horses.
A very pleasant day out in spite of there being rather more cloud than we had expected.
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