Robust Rambles

Greatstone-on-Sea to Gillingham(Dorset) Robust Ramble

Section 58 final

Motcombe to Gillingham

Walk Details
Walk Instructions

Greatstone to Gillingham Robust Ramble

Section 58 Out

Motcombe to Gillingham

Map: OS Explorer 118 Shaftesbury

Distance: 3.5 miles/ 2.5 hours

Start: The Village shop is open most days but currently not between 1.00 and 2.00pm. Parking on street or a bit further up the road at the village hall and playing field.

Comment: Although a walk of moderate distance the going can be slow as all the countryside is pasture and prone to be very muddy after rain. This is a bridleway all the way back but not always evident across grassy           meadows.

With the village shop behind, turn left, up the road. Just before the church on the left, turn left down a drive for ¼ mile. Just past a workshop on your right and opposite a farm on your left, turn right, on a brudleway through the hedge.

Follow a gravel track as it zig-zags left then right. At the top, turn left over a bridge, then immediately right, still on the bridleway. On approaching trees turn left at a junction of paths, onto a bridleway going between fence on left and trees on the right.

Enter a very marshy field and bear diagonally left across the corner to a gap and gate in the far hedge.

Go up a grassy way to a metal fieldgate at the top. Go on through a gate and then left across to a further metal fieldgate.

Continue diagonally right across a large pasture to a metal fieldgate and metal swing gate in the corner.

Join a rough gravel track. Keep on for ¼ mile, going up by wood on the right. Some very muddy stretches.

Half way up the wood turn sharp left along the field edge and fence, and follow the hedge on your right to double equestrian gates. Enter a field and go up by the hedge on your right.

At the end of the hedge, go on through a metal fieldgate and on by fence on the left to a metal fieldgate and equestrian gate.

Go through and turn sharp left, along by the hedge on the left. Pass the remains of a palace on your right. Keep on to reach a bridge on your left and a junction with a cross path.

Turn left over the bridge to follow the outward route up Kingscourt Road to a T-junction at the top.

Turn right up the road to traffic lights just before a railway bridge. Turn left along a road. Just after a left bend, turn right down Brickyard Lane. In 150 metres look for a concealed entrance onto the platforms of Gillingham railway station.

This is the end of the section and the end of the Greatstone-on-Sea to Gillingham Robust Ramble.

Completed by Colin & Rosemary Bridge on 9th. April 2024.

Congratulations to all who enjoy this adventure.

Greatstone to Gillingham Robust Ramble

Section 58 Return

Gillingham to Motcombe

Map: OS Explorer 118 Shaftesbury

Distance: 4 miles/ 3 hours

Start: From Gillingham Railway Station. Local parking.

Comment: Although a walk of moderate distance the going can be slow as all the countryside is pasture and prone to be very muddy after rain.

Leave Gillingham Station from the far end of Platform 2 by a wicket gate. Climb up to an access road.

Turn left on this, up through business units to reach a main road. Turn left on this up to a T-junction by a railway bridge.

Turn right, downhill, and eventually cross the Lodden River Bridge. Immediately turn left up Kingscourt Road.

At the end of the road, cross a bridge and go straight up the track ahead (ignore bridleway off right).

In some distance, cross a railway and keep on in the same direction, down the field to the farm below.

Go through gates in front of the farm and turn right as indicated (OS maps do not show this diversion around d the farm).

At a T-junction with a byre ahead, bear right and follow track up field edge. Look carefully in the hedge on your left for a set of two stiles in the hedge leading into the field on the right. (This section was excessively muddy and needed some improvisation to stay on the route).

Cross this field to a gate and stile in the opposite corner.

Cross a double stile and go up the edge of the next field with a hedge on your left.

Go forward through three more hedges.

Through the final metal fieldgate, go straight on across the centre of the field ahead, going down towards a farm.

Reach a corner of hedge and go on down to a metal fieldgate. Go through and bear right towards Wolfridge Farm.

Go through a wooden swing gate and on across a paddock to a metal fieldgate. Go through and forward on a farm track.

Continue around the farm and on down the entrance drive past the farm for 50 metres.

Turn right through a metal swing gate and go diagonally right across the paddock to a metal fieldgate in the far opposite corner.

Go through the fieldgate and immediately bear left through (or over) double metal fieldgates. Turn sharp right along the edge of a large pasture and continue  along with a fence and hedge on your right.

In the bottom corner, bear right over two stiles into the adjoining field and then left down the field edge to a stile and railway crossing in the bottom corner.

Over the railway go forward to a metal swing gate in the hedge with a farm beyond.

Through the swing gate turn diagonally left, aiming to the right side of a house ahead. Join a drive and continue past the house and on for a ¼ mile to a T-junction by the Coppleridge Inn.

Turn right at the junction for a short distance down to a left bend. Bear right off the road down a bridleway to the left of a drive.

At the bottom cross a bridge and continue on with a stream on your left.

At the very end turn left over the stream and immediately right on a gravel way (ignore gate on left).

At a corner follow the path left. At the next corner turn right and pass through a hedge to reach a fam drive.

Turn left on this for some way. Eventually reach a T-junction with a main road by a church on the left.

Turn right on the road to reach the village shop in Motcombe and the start of the section.