Our favourite quiete route from Turnworth Down away from where most of the dogwalkers are, seeing the best of the woods.
This is a frequent short afternoon stroll for team BV – the main routes on Okeford Hill get very busy on a weekend afternoon, but this easy circular route soon leaves them behind to explore the quietly peaceful and ancient parts of the forest.
Starting from the Okeford Hill car park, you’ll quickly move off the busiest paths and loop around the top of Shillingstone Hill.
Cutting across into Blandford Forest there are many paths in the woods to choose from – take the one we have outlined and you’ll be rewarded by the carved tree trunk that is always worth a stop to admire before you plunge deeper into the wood on the narrow path, then emerge into the broader brighter tracks later on.
On the quiet lane down to Shepherd’s Corner Farm we have never yet seen a car – at the right time of year the birdsong along here is deafening.
As you turn right off the main track from Shepherds Corner farm, the going can get a bit sticky in wet weather. As you enter back into Blandford forest, the sticky mud turns into ankle deep puddles for a fairly large stretch, navigate with care!
The early spring sunshine makes such a difference to the forest atmosphere, beautiful.
All the Dorset Walks we feature have been created and walked recently by ourselves, so you know you can trust them – we aim for unpopulated routes with as little road and as many views as possible! You can always see the route and follow it yourself via the free Outdoor Active app – see all our routes here.
