Milton Abbas, Luccombe Hill & Gallows Corner

[puddleshark]

Warm sunshine again, and a cloudless blue sky. Bit of a mistake to plan a walk inland, away from the coast... Should have waited a few weeks for the weather to change.


Early morning, with the village of Milton Abbas still in the shadow of Luccombe Hill. The street of 18th century cottages would be extremely picturesque, if not for all the cars parked outside.

Just past the pub, there's a steep many-stepped footpath up into the woods on Luccombe Hill, and from there the Jubilee Trail long distance footpath heads south east through the stubble fields.




Not very interesting stubble fields. Not a deer, not a rook, not a pigeon in sight.


A different type of stubble. Still not very interesting.


The way, hiding in a hedge. When it wasn't hiding in a hedge, the way lay behind unmarked gates. I consulted my compass and map a lot, somehow achieved competent standards of navigation, and didn't get lost. Why do I feel so dissatisfied? It is not a true walk unless I get lost?


A field of chicory. An organic farm, possibly. The fields were suddenly full of butterflies.


Small Copper.


By this stage, it was very hot to be trudging up hills. But fortunately this was the last stretch through the fields, and I soon reached the shade of the woods at Gallows Corner, where five tracks meet.





Someone had been cutting and burning dead ash trees. No shortage of convenient logs to sit on. So I rested a while in the shade, drank coffee, with the breeze stirring the hazel branches overhead. A rabbit came wandering along one of the five tracks, sat up to sniff the air, hopped off down another of the five tracks. Rabbit business. Don't ask.


From Gallows Corner onto Bramblecombe Lane, a hidden path lined with hazel. Then back along shaded lanes and byways to Milton Abbas.

Comments

[heleninwales]

The bare fields look very dry and hot to walk across. The shade of trees makes such a difference on a hot day.

[puddleshark]

Yes. I'm glad the last section of the walk was shaded. Walking across open fields was really hard work in that sunshine.

[kaishin108]

I love the shady paths. Those other dry fields remind me of here. I hope you all get some rain soon!

[puddleshark]

The shady paths were really pleasant, especially after slogging uphill through fields in the hot sunshine.

The weather is supposed to be changing this week, fingers crossed. Windy and wet tomorrow, if we are lucky! 😊

[kaishin108]

I do hope you get some rain. It rained all night here and it hasn't done that in months. What a lovely respite. :)

[puddleshark]

A night of rain - that sounds lovely!

The weather does feel like it is on the change here at last, but so far we've only had a few light showers.

[house_wren]

Thank you!

The chicory field photo looks like a painting to me.

[puddleshark]

You're welcome!

The chicory field did look like a painting... Like some wandering Impressionist had been passing by and decided the field needed blue flowers. :-)