The Pitchmarket - In Old Cerne Abbas.

Starting near Cerne Abbas, this walk has two long steady climbs and one steep one. Also, except in very dry conditions, has plenty of muddy stretches (though mostly fairly short). If you are regularly walking in Dorset, you will have to get used to its mud - there's a lot of it about. So come prepared.

Distances 5 or 8 miles.

From the main street of Cerne Abbas leave to the east by Long Street (S.P. Buckland Newton) up a steep hill. Just before reaching the top road see a small space on your right. There is just enough room for one vehicle, so park there (G.R. 680021). Walk up to the main road, and straight across to track crossing field (take care in crossing the road - you cannot see very far to your left, and the traffic fairly belts along). Through gate and then downhill, keeping to track on left hand side of field. In front of farm buildings swing to the left through gates, then turn right to continue on the track, heading roughly east. You are now on the Wessex Ridgeway, which you stay with until reaching Folly. The track comes out on to a road north of Alton Pancras.

Turn left, and in a few yards turn right through right hand gate. The path goes up a narrow gully, almost always very muddy, so climb up a little to the right, then go up the hill parallel to the gully and left hand hedge. Here you are heading approximately north-east, but then the hedge swings almost due east, so follow that instead of going straight on. Past a large barn, then through another gate to come out into a large grassed area ( G.R. 711035 .the track stops here). If you have had enough, turn right here, keeping close to the hedge on your right (distance about 5 miles). Otherwise continue roughly east keeping close to the hedge. But when the hedge turns sharply left, continue straight ahead, heading for a gate in the distance, passing a small dewpond on your right. Through the gate on to a rough (usually muddy) track into a small wood.

At the end of the wood (S.P. Folly), through into field. Keep left along the hedge. More gates as the track goes downhill, becoming deeply rutted, and muddy lower down. Emerge on to a minor road, where you turn right. This is Folly, where you leave the Ridgeway path. Continue along the road to Plush, and turn left at the 'Brace of Pheasants' on to the Dorchester road. However, in about 100 yds turn right through wide gate (S.P. Alton Pancras), and head up the hill. After two gates come out on to a grassy slope. Here turn 45 degrees left, and head uphill between clumps of gorse toward group of large trees on the skyline, to reach another gate. If you have taken the short cut, this is where you will join from the right. Through the gate, along the edge of a muddy field then downhill toward Alton Pancras.

About 200 yds short of the road, and just past a water trough, turn off left down a grassy gully. Through a tatty gate, past a bungalow on your left, then turn left on reaching the road. In 100 yds turn right up a gravel track, passing a large house on your right. Up the hill, pass a large barn on your left and eventually reach a hedge running north-south. Here go through two gates close together, then along the right hand side of a field (no proper path here) to come out on to a main road. Here turn right and in 100 yds turn left to reach your car.

Try the Cerne Abbas website which gives a useful potted history of the village, including a reference to the Pitchmarket pictured above.

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