A Walk Through The Ages | Discovering Dorset's Iron Age Hillforts

[@pwhitewick]

Ah, what a great day. Absolutely stunning Dorset Landscape 😊

[@walkingthewyrd]

It was great fun. Those hills though 😐😆

[@pwhitewick]

I was close to death.... twice!​@@walkingthewyrd

[@walkingthewyrd]

@@pwhitewick 😆

[@timstradling7764]

For 5 years in the late 60s Hambledon Hill stood in the distance as a symbol of escape and freedom from the bounds of my boarding school. We frequently walked or cycled to it on a Sunday afternoon and marauded on its earthen ramparts. Hod Hill too had amazing ramparts, but with less spectacular views from the top. The whole of Cranborne Chase and its outliers still gives me a sense of connection to the ancients.

[@walkingthewyrd]

I love that! The idea of Hambledon being a sanctuary from your boarding school is so wonderful! Thanks for sharing.

[@davidhookway514]

Would that be Bryanston School?

[@timstradling7764]

@@davidhookway514 Certainly not ! Clayesmore, within eyesight.

[@davidhookway514]

@@timstradling7764 I was attending Blandford Forum Grammar School at that time. 🙂

[@timstradling7764]

@@davidhookway514 So lucky you could go home at night. The sight of Hambledon Hill was always a constant whatever else was happening.

[@radiosnail]

Followed Paul's recommendation. Glad i did too. Thankyou

[@walkingthewyrd]

Thank you and welcome!

[@DaveFord]

Some great drone footage there Nic. Dorset is such a brilliant county for exploring hillforts for sure (and good for keeping you fit with the climbing involved!).

[@walkingthewyrd]

Yes, that ascent up to Hambledon hill was something else, Dave! Thanks for watching 😊

[@RotGoblin]

Came here from Paul's video, great little docu-video! I love the idea of them as waymarkers and temporary markets rather than settlements. Lets face it, no-one wants to hike all the way up and down these hills several times a day just to get fresh water and supplies. I see them essentially as the early examples of a motte and bailey design, people live in and around the surrounding hillside, and can retreat up to the fort if needs be. Also, shots of cows are important to!

[@walkingthewyrd]

I'm glad we have some cow appreciation here 😄 I agree, the climb up and down for water and other supplies would have been challenging. The Motte and Bailey theory is a sound one!

[@PanakaNL]

What beautiful, it really can't get any better now, or..... you know how to outdo yourself every time. Thank you Nic, it was a pleasure again, as always . 😃❤

[@walkingthewyrd]

Hi Panaka! I hope you're well! Thank you for your kind comment. Glad you enjoyed the views! 😊💗

[@AdamLambourn]

Lovely collab between yourself and Paul, really enjoyed it. I was hiking up Old Winchester Hill last weekend which has another amazing hill fort, including a couple of burial mounds. I hiked up from the village of Exton which proved to be quite a climb in the heat. 🥵

[@walkingthewyrd]

Ooh that sounds interesting! My kind of place! Thank you for watching 🙂

[@Shashu_the_little_Voidling]

Just reading the name of this channel tells me exactly what to expect, and I think I might stick around for it

[@walkingthewyrd]

I hope you do! Welcome

[@katep23]

Thank you both very much. Gorgeous places on another lovely day.

[@walkingthewyrd]

Thank you so much, Kate! 😊

[@sneekylinux]

I live around 10-15 minites away from these places and when the kids were younger we used to go all the time.

[@sirlancelot4777]

❤ I used to live near there. Walked both of those hills many times. Great Vista's in all directions and fresh air. Fabulous and I miss the place. ❤❤

[@sarahhartstone6314]

Great video as always 👏, i hope to be spending Christmas morning on Hamledon Hill this year 😍

[@walkingthewyrd]

But how will santa find you? 🥲

[@jovice9867]

Hello Nic and Paul. Great vlog as usual, and what fantastic views. This is a must watch channel. 😮Thank you.

[@walkingthewyrd]

Aww thank you so much for your kind comment!

[@MrDonmarks]

Paul suggested your channel and I’m glad he did, great video!

[@walkingthewyrd]

Thanks so much for stopping by!

[@iainmelville9411]

Brilliant, as usual. I find this place in history fascinating. Thank You so much, Blessings. ❤

[@walkingthewyrd]

Hi Iain! Thank you kindly, I'm glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@johnriddell5822]

I have just subscribed to your channel. I followed a link from Paul Whitewick. Really enjoying.. Thanks.

[@walkingthewyrd]

Thank you, John and welcome!

[@helenswan705]

Such amazing fortifications, the WORK that must have involved. Also yes, wonderful landscapes

[@walkingthewyrd]

Quite agree! It's mind-blowing!

[@meglomania2001]

A good place to build loads of new houses😊

[@buzsalmon]

Nic it is good to see you both! I wonder if either of you have been to Kingston Lacy? I didn’t know you and Paul worked together Nic. What a great video!

[@walkingthewyrd]

Thanks! And yes, I've been to Kingston Lacy. Lovely place.

[@arthuredeson3824]

Lovely video! The Dorset Hills look very beautiful

[@walkingthewyrd]

Thank you!

[@marktroiani5401]

Very good video

[@12TribesUnite]

Such a fascinating location ! 😍Thank you for sharing ! Come see some interesting stuff over here as well.. Regards and all the best! ❤

[@walkingthewyrd]

Thank you for watching, I appreciate it!

[@hedleythorne]

Great video - I very nearly went to Hambledon Hill the other day, after watching this I wish that I had! Good to see my mate Paul in your video!

[@walkingthewyrd]

Hi Hedley! I've seen some of your collabs with Paul. He is a top fella. Thank you for checking out my video 🙂

[@MythosParanormal]

Very cool

[@walkingthewyrd]

Cheers Mythos! 😊🙌🏻

[@inguzwulf]

Hmm, "poor, silly creatures..", the attitudes of those above to those below doesn't seemed to have changed much over the centuries🤭 That said I enjoyed this. It's nice to see people with a genuine interest and knowledge of a subject making a vid that doesn't keep repeating the same thing in order to build up 'tension' that is completely unnecessary. Kudos to you both! Encore👏

[@walkingthewyrd]

Thank you very much! I'm glad you enjoyed it. 🙂

[@scottfw7169]

Hey there; came here from Paul's video. 🙂 Talking about the round huts and living on the hill gives rise to a question, water, where did the hill dwellers get their water from? 🤔

[@walkingthewyrd]

Hey Scott! Thanks for coming over here. In the case of the two hillforts I explore in this video, they have the river stour running directly at the south and west of them, which is believed to be where these people got their water from.

[@davidberesford7009]

What an interesting thing to have in your neighbourhood, I am amazed by how sharp the edges of the ditches still are. Did you take a picnic?

[@walkingthewyrd]

No picnic on this occasion 😄

[@Dead-Cold]

Crackin vid Nic, my goodness that ditch was dug out well on Hod Hill, so straight and deep. Lovely drone footage of the beautiful countryside as well 👍

[@walkingthewyrd]

Thanks, Mark! Such amazing work carried out by these people, really inspiring!

[@joegall7591]

Paul whitewick sent me to this channel.

[@walkingthewyrd]

Welcome! And thank you for checking my channel out!

[@serviustullus7204]

More than a status symbol. “Water-trade” tribe = three waters/rivers tribe. The Gallo-Welsh heritage deserves its respect.

[@davidg31820]

Fantastic video Nic! I love hearing about remains of old settlements and how the work done to the landscapes still show shapes and layouts of what they once were. Reminds me of the Ancient Apocalypse series on Netflix - truly fascinating stuff.

[@walkingthewyrd]

Thanks Mr DSC! I agree, it's fascinating stuff!

[@orif9607]

I always try to forget modern county boundaries when exploring these hill forts, they stretch across Dorset into Devon along the coast and inland. So many of them seem to be conveniently located as potentially markets for livestock and goods. When you overlay a map of drove roads and sunken lanes they all connect, there would be no reason for that if they were seperate places with no interconnections.

[@davidhookway514]

Back in the day, lived in Dorset. Hod Hill yes. Hambledon, never climed it. General Wolfe trained his soldiers on Hambledon before going to Canada. Badbury Rings also. and Spetisbury Castle .

[@Gemma_J]

I love your drone footage. Great video 🙂

[@walkingthewyrd]

Thank you, Gemma! 😊

[@_the_wessex_nomad_]

Very good video. Dorset is blessed land indeed.

[@walkingthewyrd]

Thank you kindly! Liking the look of your channel! 🙂

[@david_v2.1]

I'm guessing that it would've taken a pretty sizeable population to properly defend a hillfort as large as Hambledon Hill. Cool video Nic!

[@walkingthewyrd]

Hey David! I reckon you're right there! Glad you enjoyed 😊

[@RyanJ_]

Hambledon Hill by Gordon Haskell is a nice song about the hill

[@astrostufftomtrubridge7915]

Hi, beautiful views, we've always had an interest in hill forts, our local fort is Old Winchester Hill in the Meon Valley, with its commanding views of the Solent and IOW.. We are lucky to have a permanent caravan sited at Canonicorum Whitchurch in West Dorset, the church here is St Candida and Holy Cross in Whitchurch, it has a history that dates back to 881 AD. The church may have been named after St Wite, a local saint and holy woman, There are some beautiful walks here called the Hollows, track ways where the roots of trees exposed in ancient tracks, they feel kind of haunted, maybe the thousands of souls that have passed through. There is a local hill fort with tree hollows in the ramparts sadly I forget its name, but has beautiful views of the Marsh Vale with few people knowing its existence even locals!! , one of my interests is dowsing hence ancient land features have a special interest for me.. The drone footage certainly does justice to these.. May your journey continue regards Tom & Julie.

[@walkingthewyrd]

Wow, that church sounds fabulous! That's not a part of Dorset I've explored, but I'll make a note of it as it sounds wonderful. Thank you!

[@richardmorgan9273]

@@walkingthewyrd The church at Whitchurch Canonicorum contains the shrine of St. Wite (aka St. Candida), one of only a tiny number to survive the reformation - you can insert your limbs into holes below the shrine if you need a cure! It's a place that would be well worth you investigating. For more info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitchurch_Canonicorum. Incidentally, I found your channel from Paul Whitewick's link, so I think you'll gain quite a few subscribers and views from that collaboration.

[@serviustullus7204]

Likely, the fort defended the tin trade in Dorset, Dorchester, Cornwall.

[@simbachuggz]

Nice job again

[@walkingthewyrd]

Thank you!

[@davepangolin4996]

Described as Iron Age I thought of them as Roman invasion era … but they were clearly built in a much earlier time … let’s face it when a chieftain builds one word gets around and the chieftain next door builds one … maybe for no immediate reason as construction would take a year or more … A time of Ancient Willy Waving that got out of control is my guess

[@walkingthewyrd]

Ancient Willy Waving....😆😆 That cracked me up!

[@TerminusVox]

'We think it's more built up on this side because it's flatter on the other side'...???

[@walkingthewyrd]

Yes, I didn't articulate that very well.

[@rialobran]

I'm not totally against the 'status symbol' of hillforts theory, but the white walls only work in the chalk lands. Here further west many of the hillforts wouldn't particularly stand out in the surrounding countryside, in fact I'd go so far as to say some appear to be hidden from view.

[@walkingthewyrd]

A very good point!