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View down an avenue of autumnal oak trees, with a stone church tower in the distance
Autumn views down the oak avenue at Kingston Lacy to St Stephen's church | © National Trust Images
Dorset

Walk at Pamphill and Cowgrove

Enjoy a gentle walk through the beautiful unspoilt villages surrounding Kingston Lacy, enjoying good views across the Stour Valley along the way. The route starts in Pamphill at St Stephen's Church, built for the prominent Bankes family in 1907. It then proceeds along ancient tracks to Cowgrove before looping back the starting point via a winding country lane.

Total steps: 7

Total steps: 7

Start point

Pamphill Green car park near St Stephen's Church; grid ref: ST990008

Step 1

Turn left out of the car park along the Oak Avenue with St Stephen's Church at the end, then left again into Abbott Street.

Step 2

Adjacent to the property marked 542 Abbott Street, with the forge below, turn left down the lane known as All Fools' Lane. After 280 metres there is a squeeze stile on the right providing the opportunity for an additional circular walk in Abbott Street Copse.

Step 3

Continue down All Fools' Lane, passing prominent overspill from badger setts. The bridleway arrives at Sandy Lane, which is the road towards Cowgrove.

Step 4

Continue down All Fools' Lane, passing prominent overspill from badger setts. The bridleway arrives at Sandy Lane, which is the road towards Cowgrove.

Step 5

At the bottom of All Fools' Lane turn left on to a grassed bridleway, shortly passing through a gate. Carry straight on ignoring the squeeze stile on the left, until Cowgrove Common is reached adjacent to Poplar Farm.

Step 6

Turn left up Holly Lane, which is adjacent to Walnut Farm and proceed past Holly Farm Cottage. Go through a squeeze stile and a gate leading to an uphill sunken lane with a gravel path. Climb up and just before the end of the gravel path climb the steps to the left and take the squeeze stile to the right. Go into the field keeping the hedgerow on your right and continue climbing over the pasture. At the top of the field to the right go through the gate by the cottage and go along a track. Walk round a gate and where the track curves round to the right turn left onto Pamphill Green.

Step 7

On reaching the green go to the left and make your way towards the oak avenue and the car park where you started.

End point

Pamphill Green car park near St Stephen's Church; grid ref: ST990008

Trail map

Map of Pamphill and Cowgrove trail, Kingston Lacey, Dorset
Pamphill and Cowgrove trail | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey

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