Dorset: From Tess of the D'Urbervilles to Rogue Male

A self-guided walk through the Dorset of Thomas Hardy and Geoffrey Household.

This is a walk through some of the most unspoilt countryside in England. Dorset is a 'rural county by the sea,' the countryside of which is known all over the world as the backdrop to the literature of Thomas Hardy. It is also the scene for most of the classic thriller 'Rogue Male,' a remarkable insight into Europe between the World Wars. This is a walk that includes wonderful scenery, pretty villages filled with thatched cottages, and above all, the best of rural England.

Itinerary:

Day 1:
Arrive Dorchester for overnight. Dorchester was the inspiration for Casterbridge in Hardy's novel The Mayor of Casterbridge and remains a handsome town of 19th and 18th century houses.

Day 2:
Walk to Cerne Abbas. Leave Dorchester and you will soon find yourself in the countryside. Pass through the village of Charminster and then walk over the wolds and through meadows to arrive at Cerne Abbas (Hardy's Abbot's Cernel), a very pretty village snug in the Piddle Valley and overlooked by the famous - or, for some, infamous - Cerne Abbas Giant. Overnight Cerne Abbas.
9 miles/15 kms

Day 3:
Walk Cerne Abbas to Evershot. This is a wonderful walk, with marvelous panoramic views. It will take you through the countryside featured in Rogue Male and you will finish at the village of Evershot, which Thomas Hardy, in Tess of the D'Urbervilles, called Evershead. Overnight Evershot.
11 miles/17.5 kms

Day 4:
Walk Evershot to Beaminster. This takes you deep into farming countryside. Wonderful views again, a couple of pretty villages and hamlets, a charming little church and then a magnificent descent into Beaminster, called Emminster in Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Overnight Beaminster.
9 miles/14.4 kms.

Day 5:
Walk Beaminster to Bridport. This delightful walk will take you out via Mapperton, where you can visit the gardens of Mapperton House, voted the finest manor house in the country. Continue deep in glorious Dorset countryside to pass through the charming village of Powerstock and arrive at Bridport for overnight. Overnight Bridport.
10.6 miles/17 kms.

Day 6:

Transfer to Abbotsbury and walk to Dorchester. Abbotsbury is a handsome village, with its internationally known swannery. From here, walk up to the ridge, with wonderful views out to Chesil Beach and the sea. Pass the Hardy Monument (which commemorates Vice Admiral Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy, Flag-Captain of HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar) and then back to Maiden Castle, the largest Iron Age fort in Britain and which featured in The Mayor of Casterbridge. Finally enter Dorchester via Poundbury.

Day 7:

Departure after breakfast.

Practical Information:

Included

Six nights accommodation with breakfast in hotel or inn with ensuite bathrooms; luggage transfer (or transfer to trailhead if staying in the same place for two nights); route notes and maps

Not Included

Transportation to/from holiday. Lunches and dinners, drinks, entry fees, insurance, transfers not mentioned in the programme, anything not specifically mentioned in the programme.

Getting There 

Dorchester has two separate rail stations - Dorchester South is on the main line between Weymouth and London Waterloo. Dorchester West serves the west country. The two stations are about a 5 minute walk from each other and the town centre.

To plan your journey by train, click the following link: Train to Dorchester

To plan your journey by car, click the following link: Plan your Journey by Car