Hampton Hill & Roman Aqueduct

Edward Griffiths has a Boxing Day walk that offers views, wildlife and ancient history

- Edward Griffiths

THIS walk takes in beautiful woodland and high downs where redwing and fieldfare feed; country estates and valleys where long shadows are cast from winter sun. Then there’s the gin-clear chalk stream and the site of the Roman dam and reservoir which fed the aqueduct to Poundbury hill-fort at Durnovaria (Dorchester), nearly five miles away. What more could be crammed into a mid-winter holiday walk? Wrap up and take your time and enjoy it.

THE WALK

1 From the car park, walk up the lane, instantly passing a right footpath and a left ‘Steppes Farm’ bridleway. Pass right Lambert’s Plantation woods with another right footpath and three-way signpost at the other end. Continue along the hedged lane for ‘Longlands Farm’. Levelling and signed ‘Roman Road’ meaning the one which runs parallel with the A35 Bridport road, go straight through the farm. Keep left of the open barns, through any closed gates, to a hedged two-way choice. Take the facing bridleway-gate onto the descending hedged rough grass track with mud after rain. Joining the parallel track, continue down, becoming hedged again. Now with lovely smooth valley views all around, the track swings left down to the valley floor.