Walks Day walks # 249

Tisbury Circular via Dinton and Fovant Walk

The Nadder Valley, Dinton Park, undulating countryside of the West Wiltshire Downs, with views to distant coombes, and the regimental Fovant Badges (large hill side figures)

Length	24.1 km (15.0 mi), with 431m ascent/descent. For a shorter or longer walk see below Walk Options.
Toughness	6 out of 10, with 5 hours 30 minutes walking time. For the whole outing, including trains, sights and meals, allow at least 10 ¼ hours.
Walk Notes	This walk explores the Nadder Valley east of Tisbury, part of the West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which is spectacular walking country with some breathtaking open vistas in a varied landscape. Without scaling any ridges or steep ascents, the route meanders through the beautiful undulating and peaceful countryside with a few grassy U-shaped valleys, pretty views out to some distant coombes, and scenic Dinton Park with its grand mansion (Philipps House). A couple of picturesque former corn mills on the Nadder River are walked past, while the afternoon route also offers views from a wood’s fringe across a valley to the Fovant Badges, regimental badges cut into the chalk, and the largest group of hill side figures in Europe, before leading through a couple of quiet villages followed by a gentle descent across fields back into Tisbury, a remarkably unspoilt village. The route features several good bluebell woods and wild garlic-lined paths, and it also goes through plenty of meadows and pastures rich in wildflowers, especially buttercups.
Walk Options	A Shortcut before lunch reduces the walk by 1.4 km (0.8 mi) and the ascent/descent by 25m. Bus Line 25 (Salisbury – Tisbury or Zeals), with 5 buses a day Mon-Fri and 4 on Sat, has convenient stops in Teffont Magna (after 7.9 km) and in Dinton (11.8 km, just after the lunch pub). A Shortcut right after lunch reduces the walk by 1.9 km (1.2 mi) and the ascent/descent by 21m. Taking both Shortcuts makes this a 5/10 walk. An Extension to and through the Fovant Badges and up to Fovant Down and the Chiselbury Iron Age hill fort site adds 5.1 km and 150m ascent/descent (8/10).
Maps	OS Explorer: 118 (Shaftesbury & Cranborne Chase), 130 (Salisbury & Stonehenge) and 143 (Warminster & Trowbridge) OS Landranger: 184 (Salisbury & The Plain)
Travel	Tisbury Station, map reference ST 945 290, is 20 km west of Salisbury, 145 km south west of Charing Cross, 94m above sea level and in Wiltshire. It is on the London Waterloo to Exeter St. Davids West of England Main Line. Journey times are 106 minutes Monday to Saturday (hourly) and 114 minutes on Sunday (hourly). Saturday Walkers’ Club: Take the train closest to 9.20 hours.
Lunch	The Wyndham Arms Hindon Road, Dinton, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP3 5EG (01722 716 999). The Wyndham Arms is located 11.7 km (7.3 mi) into the full walk.
Tea	The Greater Good Shaftesbury Road, Fovant, Wiltshire, SP3 5JH (01722 785 253). The Greater Good is located on the Extension via Fovant Downs, after 21.1 km/13.1 mi of walking. The Compasses Inn Lower Chicksgrove, Tisbury, Wiltshire, SP3 6NB. (01722 714 318). The Compasses is a 14th century thatched Freehouse, located 3.7 km (2.3 mi) from the end of the walk. Plenty of options in Tisbury. See the Walk Directions pdf for details.

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Walk Directions

Full directions for this walk are in a PDF file (link above) which you can print, or download on to a Kindle, tablet, or smartphone.

This is just the introduction. This walk's detailed directions are in a PDF available from wwww.walkingclub.org.uk