Walk 2565 - Littlebredy from Abbotsbury

    
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West Dorset offers many fine walks and this route is no exception. Starting from the village car park in Abbotsbury (Grid ref. SY579852), go across main road and up the lane straight across. Reaching a T-junction turn left and after 150 metres turn right between houses at a signpost.

Walk up path that heads directly up the hill, the MacMillan Way, enjoying good views to Chesil Beach and Abbotsbury Swannery. Go through gate and the stile straight ahead, then take the right fork in path up to the Inland Coast Path on the ridge. At the stile turn left off that path and walk north over the brow of the hill keeping the fence on your left.

Go through the gate and down a track to reach a road. At the road turn left down to Gorwell Farm, which originates from the 15th Century. After last house turn right up the foot path (Grid ref. 561888). Keeping the hedge on your right, continue until a bridleway is reached. Turn left briefly then angle right across the field in a northwesterly direction keeping the Kingston Russell Stone Circle on your left.

Cross the stile and angle right to a second stile before continuing down a fenced grassy path to a farm track. Turn left for a short way towards farm before going right off the track through gate into the copse. Note that the gate is not very clear from the track. Go through the copse then angle right across the field and in the middle go through a large gap in the hedge.

Follow the path eastwards towards Little Bredy village. Cross River Bredy and walk up to village. A visit to the beautiful Church and Lych Gate is well worthwhile as is Bridehead Lake (just past the church), which makes a good place for a picnic. Return to road through the churchyard and turn right. At the first road junction take the right fork and walk down to the cricket pavilion.

At the pavilion turn right up the hill following the clear path to Topparts Dairy farm. Don't forget to stop on the way up the hill to see the superb view of Bridehead House, the lake and the church. At the farm continue along a track south to reach the Martinstown to Abbotsbury road, taking time to enjoy the superb views over the Fleet and Chesil Beach to Portland. At the road turn right downhill towards Abbotsbury then go right onto the Inland Coast Path. Continue along the ridge westwards enjoying the splendid coastal views, which include 'Golden Cap' the highest cliff on the south coast. Rejoining your outward route, turn left down the path to Abbotsbury village.

Suggested Maps

It is recommended you take a map with you when following a walk route. The preferred scale is 1:25000 used by the Explorer series.

	OS Explorer	1:25,000	Sheet OL15
	OS Landranger	1:50,000	Sheet 194

Note : If two maps are listed at the same scale then either (a) both are required for full coverage of the route or (b) the route is covered on both maps.

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