SWC Walk 251: Tisbury Circular -- Through the Vale of Wardour and Up Win Green Hill T=SWC.251
Length: 16.4 Miles or 26.3 km for those more metrically
minded (for those wanting something shorter, a shorter version of 10.7
miles/17.2 km is available)
Difficulty: 10 out of
10 (or 5 out 10 for the shorter version)
Train: Take the 9:20 AM South Western Exeter St. David/Bristol
Temple Meads' train from London Waterloo (9:29 Clapham) arriving
at a Tisbury at 11:07 (be sure to be in the front three cars of the train). Return trains are at 18:01; 19:03; 20:01;
21:01 and 22:03. Buy a day return to
Tisbury. If you are willing to commit on your return train time, you may be
able to take advantage of South Western Railway’s half-price advance ticket special if you book online at least the
day before.
This walk explores the Vale of Wardour, an area of
outstanding natural beauty in Wiltshire, and climbs the highest peak in South
Wiltshire. In the morning, the walk
passes through Wardour Park with its neoclassical mansion and romantic castle
ruins. After lunch, the route takes you
up onto Win Green Hill with commanding
views far and wide (including to the coast). It then traverses a ridge before descending
back into the valley for the return to Tisbury.
A short cut which shares the morning and afternoon stretches is
available near the lunch pub. More
information and the walk instructions can be found here.
Lunch is at the Grove
Arms in Ludwell (01747 828 811), 6.6 miles/10.6 km into the walk. For those
opting for the shorter version, lunch is at the highly acclaimed Forester in Donhead St. Andrew (01747 828 038). Post walk refreshies can be had
at various spots in Tisbury – including the Boot Inn and the Beckford
Bottle Shop.
Enjoy the walk!
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6 comments:
Anyone worked out cheaper options (where you don't commit to specific trains), using split ticketing? Thanks.
This would-be first time walker with you ( who has hiked before) was hoping for more than chilly silence. Will seek warmer climates.
Sorry no one replied, but I think the reason is that there are no split ticketing options anyone one could think of. Usually split ticketing works when there are two different rail companies, one on each of the segments. Here, alas, one is in the clutches of South Western Railway (as we must now call them) from start to finish.
Incidentally, there is no specific team of people who monitor this website or reply to comments. We are a group with no organisation, which may also be why your comment was overlooked. Also you didn't say you were a (would-be) first timer...
One additional thing that I will add to Walker's reply noting that you are/were a would-be first timer -- Tisbury lies within the Network Southeast area which means, if you have a Network Railcard (which most regulars have), you would be entitled to 30% off the day return fare without specifying a return train. If you do not have one, they are well worth the investment if you plan to do much walking in the area and are available for purchase at any mainline train station in London.
Eight emerged from the train onto the short Tisbury platform having been transported to wildest Wiltshire to commence a journey through the mysterious sounding Vale of Wardour under w=some-dark-and-ominous-clouds-with-small-patches-of-blue. The midday shower struck promptly at noon while on the grounds of the new Wardour castle -- but passed before most had donned their wet weather gear. The morning consisted of undulating terrain through very remote landscape with some nice views across the surrounding countryside. Another walker on a later train caught us up at lunch, making for a total of n=9. After lunch our route took us to the top of Win Green Hill with good views all the way to the Isle of Wight even with the lurking clouds and along a pleasant ridge allowing good views around and down into various coombes. The afternoon route also included a couple interesting challenges -- a rather steep decent from the ridge and a small boggy stream crossing which one walker did with exceptional style earning full marks from the spectators. Back in Tisbury the promised rain finally arrived in a more sustained manner as we feverishly collected provisions for the long journey home on the 19:02.
Thank you to the organisers as ever! I really enjoyed this walk (despite not looking adequately before I leapt over the tiny, boggy, stream): lovely views, old woodlands, picturesque hamlets and lots of historical references – with hardly a car seen or heard all day. It was almost like stepping back in time. And the train journey did not seem long. Em :)
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