WALKS IN DORSET at HAMBLEDON HILL, CHILD OKEFORD & SHILLINGSTONE RAILWAY STATION (4K)

In this episode of my series “ Walks in Dorset”, I take a walk in & around the village of Child Okeford before heading up Hambledon Hill and back to Shillingston Railway Station.. Once again I am accompanied by my Whippet, Logan.
I park my car at the free “Trailway” car Park just o the North of the village of Shillingstone and begin my 5 mile circular walk by heading North across a meadow, crossing the River Stour, to the village of Child Okeford.
After a quick look around the village, including a visit to the church as well as the Saxon Inn (where Logan met the resident “pub” Whippet (Reggi), I headed along a bridleway to the West of Hambledon Hill.
I was trying to find some stone circles but took a wrong turning and was unsuccessful - I later spotted them from a distance when I was halfway up Hambledon Hill!
My route then took me to the top of Hambledon Hill - once an Iron Age Hill Fort and now a nature reserve owned by the National Trust - for some stunning views across the Dorset countryside.
After “bagging” a trig point, I headed back downhill towards Child Okeford and then across fields (and over the River Stour again) to join the North Dorset Trailway - a section of the old Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway that closed in the 1960's.
My final destination was the restored Shillingstone Railway Station which is now looked after by the North Dorset Railway Trust & operated as a “living museum”. There is a cafe and toilets & it makes a great way to end the walk. It was not too far back to the Trailway car park.
NB: There were a number of fields with livestock (cattle) so dogs need to be on lead where appropriate. There was still plenty of opportunity for “off lead” running for dogs during the walk.
The River Stour does flood after heavy rain and so sections of the walk (near the river and in particular by the two bridge crossings) can be muddy so the best time to visit is in the “dry / Summer” months!
Map courtesy of Google Maps.
Music by Original Spruce (Copyright owner). Permission for me to use this track has been given to me by the copyright owner. 2022. Tracks (in order of appearance in the video): 1) Pembrokeshire, 2) Eko Eko, 3) Nicely Stone , 4) Open The G, 5) Martin Down, 6) No Time For Lillies, 7) Marching The Moors & 8) Pemrorkeshire. (.To download these tracks & other music by Original Spruce go to: spruce1.bandca... Note: The music track for “Whippet Zoomies” & the “harp” in the church were not by Original Spruce.
For further videos in the series, please go to: / @daveford or my website at daveford5966.w...
My Facebook page is: / davescountrysidewalks
I use a GOPRO HERO 7, 8 or 10 Black Action Camera (sometimes with a Gimbal) & a Rode microphone (either a “Shotgun” or a Rode Wireless Go) together with a Canon Powershot SX530 HS.

[@edmundwest5636]

Ex-pat - grew up in Tarrant Hinton, now living in Connecticut - love your videos, bring back memories from an 81 year old who used to ride the Sand D. Thanks for what you do.

[@DaveFord]

Thank you Edmund & indeed thanks for watching.

[@susantaylor927]

Thank you Dave and Logan!😊 Beautiful walk and so interesting! We love your videos! Great to see Shillingstone Station! They have done a fab job and how lovely being able to sit in the carriages with your cuppa! Wonderful views and wonderful watching Logan!😊

[@DaveFord]

Thank you Susan. It is great to see what they have done to Shillingstone Station with all the restoration.

[@jerrygale1994]

Another fab video. Thank you for creating and sharing

[@DaveFord]

Thank you Jerry. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@vickyrolls4730]

Thanks

[@DaveFord]

Thank you Vicky. That is very kind of you. :)

[@houseofharmony7307]

Another lovely video. It was a good job that there wasn't a bull in that field! 😂

[@DaveFord]

Yes indeed! Thanks for watching.

[@rachelt-s]

Many thanks Dave. Have you visited Badbury Rings on the Kingston Lacy estate. It's a lovely place with impressive views across Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight on a clear day. Well worth a visit. 🙂

[@DaveFord]

Thanks Rachel. Yes, Logan & I hope to film a walk at Badbury Rings some time in the future - looks a great place to explore.

[@RAX1Music]

Another lovely video, Dave. I'm missing my spring walks (due to back injury in March!) so these videos are giving me a taste of springtime!

[@DaveFord]

Thanks Kev. I hope that you recover from your injury soon. All the best.

[@KimBuckie]

Thank you Dave and Logan. We would have never known about this without your kindess. My wife, I, and our dog Nola enjoyed the walk. Keep posting these invaluable videos.

[@DaveFord]

Thank you. Glad you had a great walk!

[@craigmarsh3221]

Good morning Dave yet another beautiful video so very enjoyable to watch I did like the heritage railway

[@DaveFord]

Thank you Craig.

[@JimNicholls]

Another great walk, with the railway being a bonus at the end. Many thanks!

[@DaveFord]

Thanks Jim. Yes, Shilligstone Railway Station made for a great final destination.

[@keithjoseph5671]

Amazing walking tour of the English countryside with wonderful fields

[@DaveFord]

Thank you Keith. :)

[@dafadowndilly8919]

How do you know if you are safe crossing a field with cows in? I enjoyed this. walk but would be alarmed if I saw cows in the same field. Ah I should have waited 'till near the end. Thanks for the explanation.

[@TonyTony-zd6is]

Great video Dave, really enjoyed it. I'm particularly facinated with the hill forts. Give my regards to Logan. Cheers Tony in Brixham

[@DaveFord]

Thank you Tony. I hope to be filming at least another couple of walks in Dorset that include iron age hill forts later on this Summer so do look out for those! Thanks for watching.

[@charlesfulcrum3170]

Another great video Dave. I know Child Okeford and Hambledon Hill well and it was good to see you pop in the Saxon Inn and meet Reggie - lovely pub. The paragliders were probably flying off Bell Hill above Belchalwell, where Jack Hargreaves used to live.

[@DaveFord]

Thank you. Logan enjoyed meeting Reggie. I had a lovely chat with the owners of the pub as well.

[@SlipdeGarcondeJour]

I walked up here recently with the sole purpose of proposing to my partner of 28 years... it's taken me this long to get her to climb the damn thing 😅

[@DaveFord]

What a splendid place to make a proposal! Well done ....I hope she said Yes?

[@eldred1809]

Great video Dave, a real two-pinter 🍺🍺what with all that uphill. I walked up from Iwerne Courtney years ago, combined this hill with Hod Hill. I thought you resembled the Pied Piper of Hambledon when you were walking through the cattle field! If you taught Logan how to operate the camera, do you think there'd be any chance of some Dave zoomies? Look forward to next week's.

[@DaveFord]

Thank you. Alas, my days of "Zoomies" are long gone!

[@mikelove6502]

Fantastic views across the Blackmore Vale from there. Logan doesn't say much, does he?

[@DaveFord]

Just trying to keep my costs down. Apparently under the rules of the Actor's Trade Union (Equity), I would have to pay Logan more if he actually speaks in a video!

[@murielneve7974]

i did enjoy that walk, particularly the historical and geographical detail you provided. such a pretty spot and gorgeous views. i like to know where I am

[@DaveFord]

Thank you Muriel. The views from the top of Hambledon Hill were quite stunning!

[@highlandexplorer990]

🎶 Thank you for another amazing countryside walk, Dave and Logan! 🌳☀ The Village of Child Oakford looks absolutely charming, and the views from Hamilton Hill are breathtaking! 😍 Wishing you both a braw week ahead, filled with more adventures! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🚶‍♂🐾

[@DaveFord]

Thank you!

[@paulineshave3880]

Loving your series of Dorset walks as we get lots of great ideas from them for places to visit and explore. We often go along the trail way, and in fact were at Shillingstone on Wednesday , so found this video particularly interesting for ideas on how to vary our walks there.

[@DaveFord]

Thanks Pauline. Logan & I have got quite a few "Dorset" walks planned over the next few months - just need to keep hold of this good weather!

[@gparry42]

What a lovely video Dave, much enjoyed, thankyou !

[@DaveFord]

Thank you Gareth & indeed thanks for watching.

[@davidhookway514]

Have been up the adjoining Hod Hill. Along time ago! The trains were running.

[@DaveFord]

Logan & I had a great walk up Hod Hill last year - now that was a steep climb too ... but well worth it for the views at the top!

[@simoncattanach1777]

Just beautiful!!

[@DaveFord]

It is a very pretty part of the county for sure.

[@geoffw8565]

Great video Dave. I was recently on the way back from golf at the Isle of Purbeck and heading to Devizes and saw a sign for Child Okeford and now you have enlightened me on the place. I've said it before but that area is real Jack Hargreaves patch ! Such a wonderful part of England.

[@DaveFord]

Thanks Geoff. Child Okeford is such a pretty village.

[@mikelove6502]

Jack Hargreaves lived at Belchalwell, not far from Okeford Fitzpaine, close by Shillingstone.

[@hannureittu4310]

Beautiful!

[@DaveFord]

Thank you Hannu. :)

[@PaulineTocknell]

I was born in shroton which is at bottom of hambledon hill

[@DaveFord]

What a lovely area to have a connection with.

[@jeanblemings5352]

That was a packed episode. The ring you lost looked interesting and you were very brave taking on all those fields of cows! Great hill fort too - guarded by more cows!!

[@DaveFord]

I was hoping to do a quick detour into Shillingstone as that village has got a lot of interesting history. I will have to go back again some time for sure!