Walk at the Beech Avenue and Droves, Kingston Lacy
A walk round the network of droves and along 1835 Beech Avenue and back along the outskirts of the Kingston Lacy parkland. There are waymarks for Walk 4 on the route.
Map
Start:
South Lodge, at the junction of Abbott Street and Sandy Lane; grid ref: ST978007
1
Leave the car park through the gate on the bridleway, shortly passing South Lodge on the right. The route follows the edge of Kingston Lacy Park woodland belt, which shields the property and park. Continue straight on past the first track on left (Stour Valley Way) until Sweetbrier Drove and bridleway marker post is reached.
Sweetbrier Drove
Sweetbrier Drove used to be main road to Blandford. Looking south easterly along the drove, the tower on the horizon is at Charborough Park Estate. At the end of Sweetbrier Drove when the BP pipeline was being constructed from Wych Farm on Purbeck to Southampton in the (1980’s), a Roman and Iron Age settlement was revealed in the field to the north. The Iron Age one likely to have been a farmstead with connections to the ancient hillfort at Badbury.
2
Turn left here in a westerly direction along Sweetbrier Drove.
3
After approximately half a mile Summer Hayes Drove is on the right; turn right onto this grassed track, through at metal gate, leading to the Beech Avenue.
4
At the end of the drove go through a gate onto the Beech Avenue and turn right towards Wimborne.
The Beech Avenue
The Beech Avenue began life in 1835 when William John Bankes planted 731 (365/366) trees either side of the newly built road. It was created as a turnpike, or toll road, to the financial benefit of the landowner, explorer and Dorset aristocrat William John Bankes.
5
On reaching the Kingston Lacy Park turn right past the car park and south along Kingston Lacy Drove.
Kingston Lacy Park
The bulk of Kingston Lacy's gardens were laid out between the 1880’s and 1920’s and comprise many unique and interesting features. Some of the features are the Rose Garden, the South Terrace, the Parterre, the Fernery, the Cedar Walk, the Lime Avenue, the Japanese Gardens, the Woodland Walk and the Kitchen Gardens.
6
Carry straight on past Sweetbrier Drove on your right and past South Lodge to the car park.
End:
South Lodge, at the junction of Abbott Street and Sandy Lane; grid ref: ST978007
