The Castleman Trailway is a wonderful 16.5 mile route which follows much of the old Southampton to Dorchester railway line.  The route is marked with the green and yellow Castleman Trailway logo and this can be found at main entrances, on way marker posts and on street lampposts.

We recently discovered a woodland section of the Trailway which is located near Uddens Trading Estate in Wimborne.  There’s roadside parking on Uddens Drive and from here we walked just a couple of minutes down the lane going past Chestnut Grove on the left and the trading estate on the right.  We then saw a sign for Canon Hill Plantation and a small car park.  From here you can enter the woodland and you’ll see a large information board and map.

There’s lots of pathways to take but we spotted a big table and thought this would be a good spot for a picnic with our friends before venturing on into the forest.

We decided to take the wider path and stuck to the Trailway post makers which took us through the woods where the children had great fun climbing trees and discovering ready made dens to play in. 

From here we walked further on the woodland path, over a bridge and onto another wider path which we would have carried on if the kids hadn’t begged us to go back into the woods.

We found another huge den and a table close by so we could stop for a break and listen to all the birds singing in the trees.  My husband’s eagle eyes spotted a bat box high up in a tree and I’m sure there’s lots of wildlife to be seen once night falls.

We were walking for almost 2 hours on our loop and our weak bladders and slightly weary legs were ready for the pub so we went in The Old Thatch which is on a couple of minutes away on the same road that we parked on.  They have a fantastic woodland play area called ‘Bear Island’ and once we all got drinks we sat down to enjoy the sun while the kids explored the large play frame and swings.  If you’re looking to stay longer then the restaurant offers a varied menu with main meals and children’s meals.  In the summer time you can order pizzas in Bear Island and having eaten in the restaurant and garden before, I can thoroughly recommend both.

Dorset is such a diverse County with so many places to visit, where shall we go on a woodland walk next?

If you would like to read more about the Castleman Trailway Route then please visit the Dorset Council website.

For more information on the pub we visited including upcoming family friendly events, please visit The Old Thatch.

Need more ideas on places to visit in Dorset?  If so, please check out some of our other Blog posts below.

Where to see Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Free or low cost things to do in Dorset with kids

Crazy golf courses in Dorset

Tout Quarry Sculpture Park in Portland

Longham Lakes Circular Walk

Longham Lakes is a wonderful hidden haven which is located close to Ferndown and Bournemouth Airport.

We knew of the lakes but until now we hadn’t explored the area and luckily the sun made a rare appearance for us.  There is a car park there but this is for anglers and authorised users only so you’ll need to park elsewhere and walk down (please avoid nearby lanes and bridleways).  We chose to park at Haskins but only because I knew we’d be back there for tea and cake plus I needed some soil and plants.

It took us about 10 minutes to walk to the main entrance via the A348 main road (opposite direction to Bournemouth Airport) and by the time you get to the lakes the hum of the busy road fades away and all you can hear are ducks splashing and birds singing in the trees.

We told the kids we were going to walk around both lakes and they dived down to the waters edge at every opportunity.  About half way round our daughter got tired but the promise of a cream tea kept her going.  We met lots of lovely dog walkers and bird watchers and sometimes I’d ask what they were looking at in the trees.  One chap had a big camera and told me he was looking at a bird of prey and then said ‘oops, no, it’s just a pigeon’.  This made all of us staring into the trees laugh.

I noticed several pathways leading to the lakes so I imagine you could park on surrounding roads and come in via a different path.  We stopped several times to enjoy the view and have some snacks but after about 90 minutes the kids were hot and needed a wee so we took a side path in the direction of Haskins and came back down onto the main road.

The combined distance around the lakes is apparently 1.5 miles, although it felt further to me haha.  One of the lakes is used for fishing and the other is used by local clubs for canoeing, model yachts and model planes.

Wildlife enthusiasts will be in heaven with a reported 147 species of birds to see and wild flowers growing.  I also spotted lots of butterflies and noted what looked like blackberry bushes so I plan to return at the end of summer to see if I’m right.

GOOD TO KNOW:

• Dogs are allowed and there’s poo pins around the lake.  A sign stated that dogs should be kept on leads and should not enter the water.

• Paths are buggy and wheelchair friendly.

• Be aware that the water depth can be up to 30ft in depth in places and paddling is strongly discouraged.

• There are plenty of benches to sit and rest or enjoy a picnic.

• There is a toilet at the Study Centre however this may be for those attending meetings only.

• There is no charge to enter Longham Lakes.

• Don’t forget to take plenty of water, sun cream if needed and wipes for mucky hands.

For more information on Longham Lakes, please visit South West Lakes Trust.

If you need a treat after your walk around the lakes then I can thoroughly recommend visiting Haskins Garden Centre.  They serve a variety of meals and light lunches however the cake counter really is something else.  Between us we enjoyed a cream tea, decadent chocolate cake and a scrummy piece of strawberry gateaux.  I also came home with a couple of bags of soil and 2 pretty new plants!  Anywhere that sells delicious cake and flowers always makes me happy.

If you need more ideas on places to visit in Dorset then please take a look at some of our other blog posts below.

Bluebell Woods and Pamphill Dairy

Steamer Point Nature Reserve

Tout Quarry Nature Reserve

Longham Lakes Circular Walk

Lawrence of Arabia Trail

RSPB Arne

Where to see Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Free or low cost things to do in Dorset with kids 

Crazy Golf Courses in Dorset