Take a Hike

The routes we feature have always been created and walked recently by ourselves, so you know you can trust them - we aim for unpopulated routes with as little road and as many views as possible! You can always see the route and follow it yourself via the free Outdoor Active app - see all our routes here. Win Green Down, the highest point of the Cranborne Chase, is just outside Shaftesbury and always worth a visit; on a clear day you can see The Needles. There are many walks from the top; or simply stick to the Ox Drove itself for constantly spectacular views, it is one of the longest and most ancient routes in the country. But our favourite is to drop off the Drove to create a circular route through the Rushmore Park to come in the back of Tollard Royal and then a stiff climb up from beautifully peaceful Ashcombe Bottom on the Wessex Ridgeway.

Get in touch - editor@ theblackmorevale.co.uk - if you’d like to request routes in certain areas, or of particular lengths.

Following the ancient track down into Tollard Royal (you can just make out the church ahead). There were a lot of Yew trees on this track - am I the only person to greet them with “Hello Yew!” and a gentle pat as I pass? - Ed

CLICK THE MAP TO SEE THE INTERACTIVE ROUTE ON OUTDOOR ACTIVE

The quiet airy valleys of the Rushmore Estate are always a pleasure to stroll through, even on a flat grey March day

The waymarkers on Rushmore Golf Course are not easily spotted (far right of picture) - check your map and be confident. And simply follow the fence line!

The route is a straightforward loop on well-maintained paths, taking in ancient tracks and the Wessex Ridgeway. Parking is easy on Win Green, but also available at points along the Ox Drove: you could also start at Tollard Royal (finishing with a pint in the King John post-lockdown!), which would mean a downhill finish rather than the sharpest climb at the end. The photos are from a dull March day - it’s still a pretty route, but in summer this walk is utterly glorious.