Walk Reports 2026/1
Mileaters off in search of pastures new.
After a record-breaking May heatwave, 15 Mileaters were fortunate to enjoy cooler conditions, escaping the fierce temperatures of recent days.
The village of Thornford, near Sherborne, was a destination unfamiliar to most of the group, many of whom had neither heard of it nor visited before. Richard, our walk leader, described the route as moderate and, despite an initial steep climb, stretches of long grass, and deeply rutted tracks, it proved to be very manageable.
We set off from the village pub at 10:00 am, having already ordered our lunch, and made our way to Lillington for a coffee stop in the delightful churchyard of this beautiful hamlet.
Lunch at The Kings Arms pub was exceptionally good and we thoroughly enjoyed dining al fresco in the garden.
29th May 2026
MARTINSTOWN MILEATERS
14 MAY 2026
It’s not every walk that aims to take Mileaters to somewhere officially described as one of the “worst sites in Europe” – at least not deliberately. But parts of Wareham Forest, on the Sika Trail, were once waterlogged and described in this way by forestry experts – presumably for tree growth, rather than for wildlife.
But there are plenty of trees there now, along with plenty of tracks and paths on the map to choose from – something that twelve tolerant Mileaters and “Molly” soon discovered. Along with pine trees, and stumps, and gorse, there were meadows with fifty or more cows feeding contentedly with their calves – often on the path. Overhead we were lucky to see a Seafire - the naval version of the iconic Supermarine Spitfire fighter. In the pools we saw sundews – a stunning carnivorous plant, and in the distance a Cuckoo was calling, the first of the year for most of us. The elusive “lookout” that hid from us on the way out, was visited by some on the way back.
Maybe we went slightly further than had originally been planned, but compensation came in the form of an excellent and tasty lunch at the Drax Arms in Bere Regis – served speedily after we arrived.
All in all, definitely not a “worst site” at all.
David and Barbara.
Mileaters Walk 30th April
We were very blessed with fine sunny weather for our walk from the delightful small village of Plush. There were 12 of us walking on a relatively short walk of 4.5 miles. There was, however, a lengthy climb at the beginning of the walk which got us up to a height of about 800 ft. The view was certainly worth the climb with vistas over Whatcombe Bottom and beyond. We also passed through a number of woodland areas with beautiful displays of bluebells and wild garlic. We found a delightful spot to have our coffee break, sitting down on a banked area with views over the valley. We were also treated to sight of about six deer crossing one of the fields below. After a steepish descent, we made our way back to the pub, where the very friendly and efficient landlord soon had our meals served. The food was excellent and the pub is to be commended for that. Another successful and enjoyable Mileaters walk
Mike Beesley
