Tagged by "folly"
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Milton Abbas to Cerne Abbas
(route)
This is a 12 mile walk and will take best part of a day taking in breaks and a gentle walk.
1. Park in Milton Abbas and follow the path around the edge of Milton Abbey. Exit the grounds, turn left onto the road and follow this road until you see a path sign on your right leading up into the forest.
2. Follow the path through Horse Park Plantation until you approach Hilton Hill Buildings where you should turn left onto the bridleway.
3. Follow this into the quiet village of Hilton. Turn right, pass the church and turn left back onto the path.
4. Cross a field and go through a small forest and up the hill to emerge close to the road. Cross this and continue on the path to Links Plantation.
5. Stay on this path until you emerge and descend to Aller. Follow the narrow road down to a junction and turn left for "The Fox" pub (an excellent place for a drink or lunch - there are no other pubs enroute) or keep going straight to continue the walk.
6. Ascend the fields (there may be cows) and cross over to the lower corner of a field to a gate (the map can be a bit confusing, keep tracing around the hedgerow if you can't find the gate until you come to one with a trough near it). Follow this path up and along until you reach Melscombe Park Farm.
7. You will see the path splits here on the left - you will need to take the gate to your right if you are looking at both paths. Follow the right hand edge of the field until you emerge onto the ridge of the Dorsetshire Gap. Carry on straight across the wide field and past a water tank.
8. The path takes a sudden right, follow this until you reach the road. Cross and ascend Ball HIll.
9. The top of Ball Hill offers splendid views down to Plush. Carry on until you reach the B3143. Turn left and carry on past some houses. After a couple of turns into housing estates, you will see a road leading up past some houses and the path leading off to the right while the road bends left. Follow the path up to Black Barn. Pick up the Wessex Ridgeway again and come into a caravan site. Follow this round the back until you emerge onto a main road.
10. Cross over into the field and pick up the path crossing the Ridgeway. Turn left onto this and descend into Cerne Abbas on the right hand side of the Giant Hill.
