Muddy footpaths were a dominant feature when, on Sunday 13th March, Paddy Yerburgh led 16 members of the Westbury Walkers on an eight mile ramble from the picturesque village of East Knoyle.
The village was the birthplace of Christopher Wren whose father had been rector at the village church when he met and married a local girl.
The rain had fortunately ceased as the group followed quiet lanes and footpaths to Milton, the first of four hamlets each with charming stone-built thatched cottages. They passed the stables of Clouds House en route and eventually descended through woodland on Haddon Hill to Sutton Bottom and the next hamlet of Upton. From there they joined the Monarch’s Way as they followed the lower flanks of Cleeve Hill before reaching Manor Farm at West Knoyle.
They continued on the long distance path towards the village centre and across fields for a further mile before re-entering the village from the west.
The walkers then turned right in the centre of the village into Puckwell Coppice and headed eastwards along waterlogged woodland paths to a high point, which provided the driest place on the walk so far for a lunch stop which was enjoyed in warm sunshine.
They eventually joined Martha’s Lane which took them down past the Fox & Hounds Inn on The Green towards Windmill Hill where they paused to talk to a family who are in the process of restoring the windmill into a weekend retreat.
From here they enjoyed fine views over Blackmore Vale into the heart of Dorset before descending along Wise Lane back to the start of the walk.
Report by Paddy Yerburgh
