Batcombe & Chetnole great views | 11.1 miles

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5 February 2021

Every month in the The BV we publish a walk in the beautiful Dorset countryside under the heading ‘Take a hike’. Not always in the heart of the Blackmore Vale perhaps, but always within reach for a day’s walk.

What is unique about these walks is the fact that we have created and then walked them all ourselves! We always aim to create interesting, unpopulated routes with as little road use as possible and of course as many beautiful views as we can squeeze in.

You can always see the routes we take and follow them yourself via the Outdoor Active App – see all our routes here. – Click on contents tab.

We usually aim for between 10 – 15 miles, although due to many requests and to keep everyone happy we have now added some shorter routes between 5 – 10 miles in length.

Above all, we hope you enjoy reading about the walks that we do and enjoying the pictures of course, but if you are taking them on yourself, we would love to receive your feedback on how you found the individual route and any suggestions you might have. Oh and of course we would love to receive your pictures to share as well!

Batcombe & Chetnole great views

Good grief last month’s hike was popular – hundreds of you clicked to explore it. Sadly we’re still restricted by Courtenay’s knee (*bored of it now, frankly – Ed), so we’ve dipped into a favourite from last year. It’s 11 miles as we walked it – we know the shorter ones are more widely accessible, but this one has an obvious path to take from Chetnole back across via Calfhay Farm which would chop the distance for you (and allow you to walk along ‘wriggle river’ which can only be a bonus. Clearly we all need to think about what ‘local’ is during lockdown – this walk may need to wait until we’re all moving around more freely again. But do please bookmark it and go try it.

Link to the full route (free to download) on the outdoor Active here: We use the (we think great value) premium paid for subscription (under £2 per month) to gain access to all the full OS maps, however the free version of the app is still excellent.

Even on a dull day this was a pretty walk with only one stiff climb. Lots of wide views from the hills, and empty farmland. Watch out for a few boggy spots, especially where joining the Hardy Way. There’s a pretty bridge over the railway to look out for, too, and the finishing stroll down the tree avenue of a drover’s track is wonderful. The paths aren’t always well signed, so keep an eye on the Viewranger GPS tracking – download the full map before you leave, signal is very patchy!

Crossing one of the many streams on route this one between Chetnole and Three Gates.

The stunning tree lined drovers track towards the end of the walk heading into Hermitage.

Wonderful view as you leave Batcombe and are about to head stifly downhill.

The old railway bridge as you leave Melbury Bubb is far prettier than it has any right to be.

Crossing the Wriggle river on the outskirts of Chetnole.

SMART, Phyllis Caroline Rose

By

Editorial team

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1 February 2021

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Phyllis Caroline Rose Smart

Formally of The Yews Mere

Passed away peacefully on 26^th January 2021 at Watersmead Care Home in Westbury Wiltshire Aged 96

Much loved Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother

Private Service to be held at the West Wiltshire Crematorium. Donations if desired to The British Heart foundation Via L C Hill & Son Funeral Directors website Tribute Page

FREE this month – send your Valentine a message!

By

Laura

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30 January 2021

5

Valentine’s Day is coming! And our February issue is going to be all about the love (because frankly we think we all need a big virtual tight squeezy hug right now, in the absence of the real ones).

So: we want to do a proper old-fashioned local paper Valentines message board. It’ll be fun! Totally free – just fill in your words and we’ll print them for your secret love to find.

Want M to know you think she’s wonderful every single day? Yes, do it!
Want to tell Shnookums you love his toes? Go for it!
Want to tell EF that with or without avocado you love his grumpy face more each day? Come on in!

Let’s feel the love for a change, and spread some smiles across the Vale for Valentines day.

Deadline is midnight Tuesday, so be quick – click here to fill in your message. Go go go:

*form now closed*
Happy to say we had very close to 100 messages submitted!
They’ll be published in the February issue, out on the 5th.

No Time for Complacency | Simon Hoare

By

Editorial team

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28 January 2021

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In the words of the Aretha Franklin song “Here We Go Again”.

Covid seems like one of those film villains that despite shoot- ing, stabbing, suffocating and
drowning, remains alive to cause mayhem.
We can, however, take heart that vaccines are now being licensed and rolled out across the country
to beat this villain. This is the first real fight back that we have been able to make against this
serial killer virus.
While the decision of who is in the front of the queue for the vaccines is ultimately a decision
for the national medical committees I do hope that they will listen to the very strong call being
made for teachers, school staff, police and emergency services to be vaccinated speedily. Those
who put themselves ‘on the front line’ deserve the comfort and reassurance that the vaccine represents. I would also add de- livery drivers, shop workers and posties.

I know from my inbox that people are getting bored and fed up.

Post Christmas blues, poor weather and the bills of Christmas (that ultimately wasn’t a Christmas) coupled to a third Lockdown do not make for the ingredients of a delicious cocktail. I want to share with you my biggest fear for Dorset:

Complacency.

Throughout the Covid turmoil of 2020 Dorset as a whole fared well. The South West had the lowest R rate in the country and Dorset was among the lowest of the low. Our communities rallied to provide support. Our local NHS services stayed standing. Communities adhered religiously to the rules.

2021 has changed the local picture. The South West’s R rate (at the time of writing) is the highest in the Country. Infection rates across the County are on an upward trend. Our local NHS is nearing capacity. Ambulance crews are at full tilt. As a result of delays in hospital admissions there is a shortage of small tanks of oxygen. The valiant men and women who provide our healthcare are not themselves
immune to catching the virus and I shudder to think of the scenario where too great a number of NHS
staff have themselves become covid patients. Bed capacity has had to be significantly reduced in order to accommodate social distancing. 1-2-1 intensive care is now being delivered at 1-2-3.

So, Lockdown 3 is real because it is needed. The rules are the rules and laws. They are not guidance. They are not a pick and mix a la carte. They are not for others to follow but that you have a special exemption. They are for all of us to follow. Not because the State has delusions of power madness or
because we take a perverse thrill in stifling liberty: it is simply because none of us went into public life to see constituents avoidably fall ill and possibly die. Of course Lockdown is a damned nuisance. But it is a
necessary and vital damned nuisance. Our local Police have my full support in being as robust as necessary to enforce the law.

I shall share with you with this thought sent to me from a con- stituent. You have to imagine a new headstone in a graveyard. The inscription reads: “Here lies xxxxx aged 49. He need not have died but he thought he was immune and exempt from the Law. He refused to wear a mask. He went out unnecessarily. He had friends and family to visit (some of them are in hospital or awaiting burial). He leaves a wife and two children. Arrogant and selfish to the end”. I do not want that to be the epitaph of any resident of North Dorset. I implore you to follow the Rules and do what is right.

I started with Aretha Franklin, let me close with the metaphysical poet John Donne:
“No man is an island, Entire of itself, Every man is a piece of the continent, A part of the main……… Any man’s death diminishes me, Because I am involved in mankind, And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.”

Let’s follow the Rules to the letter: the bell won’t be tolling for thee.

by Simon Hoare MP

HATCHER, Simon John

By

Editorial team

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23 January 2021

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Simon John Hatcher

Passed away at home on 15th January 2021 aged 57.

Much loved son, dad, grandad and friend.

Taken from us too soon but always in our hearts.

BOOLEY, Sheila

By

Editorial team

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22 January 2021

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Mrs.Sheila Booley

Passed away in Salisbury Hospital on 13th January 2021 at the age of 92.

She will be greatly missed by all who knew her, especially her son and daughter, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

The funeral was held at Yeovil crematorium and was attended by immediate family only.

A webcast was recorded. Many thanks to all involved in the funeral preparations.

Decadent Breakfast Tart

By

Editorial team

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19 January 2021

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Winter is well and truly here and another lockdown means many of us are looking at our kitchens to provide some form of entertainment. If you are anything like me, a good breakfast is a great way to start the day off with a bang and these breakfast tarts are effectively a full english loaded onto puff pastry (I still haven’t found a recipe that is ruined by adding puff pastry).

When making this recipe, I found that a quails egg was the perfect size to top the tart and in doing so, I happily discovered that you can buy local quails eggs from most farm shops. I also discovered a little chicken farm near me that had quails eggs on a stand outside, complete with an honesty box for payment so keep your eyes peeled when on your daily Lockdown walks for something similar near you.

I may or may not have waited for very cold 3 hours early on Christmas eve to pick up my turkey from my local butcher so I think many of us are discovering the joys of local meat from our local butchers. There are local butchers across the county and they work hard to bring us the best in local meat, so I can recommend using local sausages and bacon for this recipe too.

Ingredients

1 packet of ready rolled puff pastry (or homemade puff pastry) 6 sausages
6 rashers of streaky bacon
3 tbsp of tomato puree

6 quails eggs
1 chicken’s egg (to egg wash)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 fan/Gas 5. Grease and line a baking tray.

Remove the sausages from their skins and break up the sausage meat into pieces. Cut the bacon into 1/2cm pieces. In a frying pan, fry the sausage pieces and bacon pieces together until just cooked (but not browned). Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Roll out the puff pastry and cut into 6 rectangles. Place these rectangles onto the baking tray.

Spread tomato puree onto each square, leaving a 1/2cm boarder around the edge.
Beat the chicken’s egg and then egg wash the edges of the tart that do not have tomato puree on them (this makes them lovely and golden brown in the oven).

Add the sausage and bacon pieces to the top of the tomato puree (keeping that egg washed edge clear). Try and make sure that the tomato puree is covered as much as possible as the puree can darken quickly in the oven.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

Whilst the tarts are baking, get a sharp knife and the quails eggs ready.
After 25 minutes, the tarts should be starting to look almost done with golden brown edges (if they don’t look at all done, give them a few minutes more in the oven). Remove the tray from the oven. Make a small dent in the centre of the sausage meat and bacon mixture on each tart. Crack the quails egg into the dent using the knife to break the shell. Place the tray back into the oven for 5 more minutes. This should just cook the quails egg. If you would like a firm yolk, cool for 2 minutes more.

Tip – You can make this vegetarian by replacing the sausage meat and bacon with vegetables. If using root vegetables, I would par cook before adding to the tart but some asparagus and halved cherry tomatoes would work well here.

By: Heather Brown

A Conveyancer’s New Year Wishes

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Editorial team

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18 January 2021

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January usually sees conveyancers taking stock – with spring in prospect, new instructions start to trickle in after the hectic pre-Christmas period. But – like the world generally – this year is different.

I know I am returning to an already busy caseload which will stay that way until at least March. The south west property market was one of the most active in England & Wales throughout 2020, stimulated by the stamp duty holiday and by people rethinking lifestyles and living arrangements due to Covid and lockdowns. Agents, surveyors, local authorities, conveyancers, lenders and removal companies remain under huge pressure to get transactions completed in challenging and extraordinary circumstances.

With this in mind, here is my New Year’s conveyancer’s wish list:

An early indication from the Chancellor – ideally, before his 3 March budget – as to whether he will stick to the current ‘drop dead’ end date for the stamp duty holiday of 31 March 2021 or will extend or phase it out. We need clarity and certainty, as soon as possible.
A crystal ball to predict with certainty when transactions will conclude. They have many moving parts and everyone must do their bit: conveyancers for both parties; surveyors; lenders, local authorities and even clients themselves.
A magic wand. With one wave, lenders will answer phones instantly, local and other search results will pop into my inbox and the other party’s conveyancer will respond promptly without being chased.

Without the above, here are some ways that clients can help themselves:

Be prepared. If you are selling, find paperwork from when you bought even before you market your property. Ask your conveyancer ahead of accepting an offer to prepare the contract pack. If you are buying, fill in engagement paperwork, provide ID, proof of address and money on account swiftly. Our regulators require this before we can start acting: valuable time is often lost while clients delay. Ensure you apply for mortgage funds at the first opportunity.
Be patient. Conveyancers generally deal with over 50 or 60 matters concurrently, often more. Constant telephone interruptions for updates cause delays for all our clients so email is best. Your conveyancer will progress your matter and keep you informed of key milestones.
Be realistic. Pre- 2020, the predicted timescale for a property transaction was around 8 – 12 weeks, more with long chains. Home working for many lenders’ staff and local authority staff continues, with surveyors and agents operating under greater restrictions. Clients themselves are at risk of having to isolate or being furloughed. Timescales are accordingly less predictable and harder to achieve.

If everyone plays their part and communication is good, we can achieve the best outcome for you at the earliest opportunity. Moving has always been a stressful business but never more so than now!

Jenny Cottrell

Solicitor

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The Finance Expert’s Eye On The 2021 Mortgage Market

By

Editorial team

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17 January 2021

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The year ahead is uncertain but as you’ve just read, property experts are still predicting 2021 to be a strong year for the UK residential property market.

There is currently an unprecedented demand for moving house, leading to a record number of property transactions. Successive lockdowns have led many homebuyers and tenants to reassess their homes.

Spending more time at home in 2020 led people to look for more space and better internet connectivity. This, along with the stamp duty holiday approaching at the end of March 2021, is now fuelling further demand throughout the beginning of 2021.

Have you heard of the term
“bank of Mum and Dad” or
“the Granny bank”?

In the past decade it has become more and more common for homebuyers, and particularly First Time Buyers, to receive a contribution from parents or other family members towards the deposit on their first home.

These are just two rising in popularity ways, alongside newly created Retirement Interest Only loans, and Lifetime Mortgages that people are using to buy property. Low rates of interest and a stamp duty window, make now the perfect time to act if you are contemplating moving, buying a holiday home or simply passing wealth down the family line and reducing the family potential inheritance tax liabilities.

The likelihood of the Bank of England increasing the base interest rate at least in the short term remains slim. This means mortgage rates should stay low which is making this an attractive time to purchase property. Even with the stamp duty holiday set to end in March 2021, investors are taking advantage of these competitive rates.
Banks are gaining more confidence to lend, and this will continue to do so as more normality returns. This helps further increase the availability of mortgages.

This should be a good time to lock in lower mortgage rates and take advantage of subdued house prices. Interest rates and house prices are only likely to increase in the coming years.

So if you are thinking of buying or selling a property, then mortgage rates and availability of funds, together with advice on where best to access those funds will be an important factor.

Adrian Seager is Ward Goodman’s mortgage expert. He regularly reports on how the whole of the market is changing, something only your Independent Financial Adviser would do.
If you want to speak to him, call him on 01202 875900.

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