Horton & Hinton Martell

This lovely winter walk takes in three delightful country churches as well as some fabulous views

- Edward Griffihs

Complementing the outstanding views from Chalbury Church and Horton Tower, and several high fields in between, there are three delightful churches on this walk: St Wolfrida’s in Horton is basically Georgian with an unusual pyramidal tower of 1722; white-painted All Saint’s on Chalbury’s hill is mostly 13th century with fine 18th-century box pews; and stone-and-flint St John the Evangelist in Hinton Martell is mid-Victorian, possibly with Thomas Hardy assisting the architects.

THE WALK

1 Below the church’s east gates, cross to the footpath-signed stile opposite Old Rectory House. Follow the grass path between houses to the facing ‘Private’ fenced yard and go left/right to the gate into a field. See Horton Tower to your left. Follow the field’s edge and young trees along the right fence, then round to the left. In 50 yards, take the right stile (note ‘dogs on leads’ sign) into the next field. Follow the right hedge path up the long field to the top two gateways. Over the little copse’s two footpath stiles, or through the gate into the next field, cross ¼-left up towards the facing wood’s left end. Over the footpath-stile, cross half-right to the footpath-gate. Through, walk up through trees and continue up near the right wood. At the top, go through the right gate and walk through scattered trees, swinging left up towards the top right house.