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)

History

This is a list of previous times this walk has been done by the club (since Jan 2010). For more recent events (since April 2015), full details are shown.

Date Option Post # Weather
Sat, 18-Jun-22 Saturday Walk - West Wiltshire Downs: Buttercups, Chalk Figures, Scenic Rolling Landscapes - Tisbury Circular via Dinton and Fovant 10 overcast
Sat, 03-Sep-16 Saturday Second Walk - Wiltshire downland 12 generally wet
Sat, 06-Jun-15 Third Walk 10 sunny
Length: 24.1 km (15.0 mi) [shorter or longer walks possible, see below]
Ascent/Descent: 431m
Net Walking Time: ca. 5 ½ hours
Toughness: 6 out of 10
Take the 09.20 Exeter St. David’s train from Waterloo (Clapham J. 09.27, Woking 09.46), arrives Tisbury at 11.06. You have to be in the front three coaches of the train.
Return trains: 17.01, 18.01, 19.03, 20.01, 21.01 and 22.03.
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 breath-taking 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, at 14.26) and in Dinton (11.8 km, just after the lunch pub, at 14.30).
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).
Lunch: The Wyndham Arms in Dinton (11.7 km/7.3 mi, food served).
Tea: a couple of pubs en route (see the webpage or the pdf) and plenty options in Tisbury: Star Grill, Tisbury Fish & Chips, Tisbury Delicatessen, Beatons Tearooms and Bookshop, The Beckford Bottle Shop, Coffee Angels, The Benett, The Boot Inn.
For walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.249.
  • 01-Jun-22

    Advance Tickets still available

  • 19-Jun-22

    There were 9 (?) at the start. The weather was overcast ,-cool-and-breezy,-with-occasional-showers.

    Two took the shortcut in the morning, and (at least) two in the afternoon. Walking was damp underfoot, and many of the footpaths were overgrown, which made for soggy trousers.

    The Nadder valley is beautiful.

    A cool respite from the heat in Town.

    Thanks due to Thomas for posting the walk, and to SWC volunteers that update the walks and volunteer their time to keep the SWC going.

  • 19-Jun-22

    I believe there were 10 walkers on the walk, and it was lovely. Beautiful meadow flowers, including orchids and we saw a hare bounding away. The regimental badges are quite a sight! One of the walkers did the extension which goes up close to them. The chips from the take away in Tisbury were very welcome to three of the walkers.

Walker
Walker
SWC Walk 249 - Tisbury Circular via Dinton and Fovant
Length: 23.8km (14.8 miles), with possible shortcuts of 3.3km (2 miles)
Toughness: 7 out of 10

9.20 (Exeter-bound) train from Waterloo (9.27 Clapham Junction) to Tisbury, arriving at 11.06.

Buy a day return to Tisbury using the South West Trains £16 offer (most be bought in advance, at the latest the night before, either online or at SWT-run ticket offices)

For walk directions click here.

Photos of the walk are here.

It would be a shame to let the SWT £16 offer pass without doing one of the Tisbury walks, and this one had a good reception when it was done in November by a group of SWC walkers. If it pleased then, hopefully it will be even more delightful in early September.

I have not done the walk myself so will quote from the walk notes: "[The 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 views. 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 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."

For most the main walk will be enough, but for the heroic there is an extension to the main walk which adds 5.1km (3.2 miles) and 154m of ascent and descent, and leads through the Fovant Badges up to the ridge of Fovant Down and Chiselbury Iron Age hillfort.

Lunch seems to be 11.4km (7.1 miles) into the walk at the Wyndham Arms: it serves food till 3pm on Saturdays, according to the walk document. Several tea options are described, with the very pleasant South Western pub by Tisbury station as a backstop.

Trains back from Tisbury are at 17.01, 18.01, 18.27, 19.03, 20.01 and 21.01 direct, and at 22.03 changing at Basingstoke. Up to 18.27 journey time is 1hr 50: afterwards 2 hours.
  • Anonymous
    31-Aug-16

    Hello! What's the ascent of the normal route without the extension/shortcuts? Thanks!

  • 31-Aug-16

    452 metres. (This information is in the walk directions....)

  • Anonymous
    31-Aug-16

    Sorry... thanks!

  • Anonymous
    31-Aug-16

    If you look on the walk page for any of the walks and scroll down a bit you'll see a diagram showing the ascent/descent.

  • Marion
    03-Sep-16

    This walk was requested by a Mid-week walker and not taken up. Could we please have this sometime soon for those of us who cannot walk at the weekend?

  • 05-Sep-16

    12 , generally wet . In fact it started spitting with rain within a few minutes of our setting out from Tisbury station and then drizzled and mizzled for the rest of the morning. After mid day things started to improve and it looked at one point as though the sun might manage to break through the clouds, but around 2.30 the rain returned and seemed determined to make up for it's poor showing in the morning by favouring us with a steady downfall for the rest of our walking day. On the plus side, the waterproof that I bought two years back passed it's first real test with flying colours, the shirt that I had on underneath staying perfectly dry. Everything else I was wearing got drenched, and two days on my boots are still wet.

    I don't know whether it was the weather affecting my ability to follow the walk instructions, or some failing in the instructions themselves, but there were a number of places where we went astray. The final time this occurred we gave up trying to figure were we were and how we had gone wrong and found our own way.

    We more of less managed to stick together as group until we reached the lunchtime stop at Dinton, where four of our number retired to the churchyard for sandwiches leaving six of us - and subsequently two laggards - to head for the Whyndham Arms. Partly as a result of our unplanned detours the first of us we didn't arrive until 2.00, just as the chef was about to leave. To the their credit, he or she agreed to stay on to ensure that we, and the two stragglers, were fed. Not wishing to impose, we all opted for sandwiches, though the term doesn't do credit for the what we were eventually served with.

    The sandwich eaters joined us at 2.30, but as we hadn't been served by then, and the rain had started to come down in earnest, they decided to press on. Six of us finally left the pub at 3.00 - leaving the two others to their apple crumble - and, given the time, decided to take the short cut. Mistake. After 20 minutes or so we had gone astray again. Rather than backtrack, we decided to follow the River Nadder as it meandered it's way towards Tisbury before crossing a field to join a road that luckily took us, after the best part of an hour, directly into Tisbury in time (for those who were returning) for the 18.01 train back to London.

    How the sandwich eaters fared, or the couple we left in the pub, I have no idea. They may still be bogged down in the wilds of Wiltshire ...

Sat, 06-Jun-15 : Third Walk 10
DAC
DAC
Extra Walk - Tisbury Circular (via Dinton and Fonvant)
Length: 23.8 km (14.8 miles). Toughness: 7/10 (Both shortcut options: 20.5 km Toughness: 6/10)
Catch the 9:20 from London Waterloo arrives Tisbury 11:06. Return trains xx:01.
This is the final walk in the Tisbury series. This walk is via Dinton and Fonvant (a circular eastern loop).
For the first outing of this new walk by Thomas, we will be taking the opportunity to check the walk directions. From the text: "This is one of the furthest daywalks from London. It 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 views. 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. An extended walk, rated 10/10 and leading through the Fovant Badges up to the ridge of Fovant Down with its Chiselbury Iron Age hill fort site is described." Link to directions.
T=swc.249
  • 31-May-15

    Intend going.

  • Pia
    02-Jun-15

    Definitely coming, two of us.

  • Anonymous
    04-Jun-15

    Another Tisbury walk! I'm wondering if it would be cheaper to get an annual season ticket. Has the indefatigable author got a second home there?

  • Anonymous
    04-Jun-15

    The cynic who posted the last comment, and whose sourness has surfaced on other occasions, needs to simply join the Ramblers. Spare us your boorishness.

  • 05-Jun-15

    to explain the block-appearance of Tisbury walks: in a 'new' territory for SWC it is just more efficient to write them all up in one project, to limit overlap and to come up with the best posssible combination of routes. as compared to the drip-drip fashion in which walks have been written over the years in other parts of the country. besides, 5 very different walks with minimal overlap in superb walking country, what's not to like ? anyway: still a low number compared (for example) to the 8 walks that start or finish in Haslemere...

  • Karen
    07-Jun-15

    10 on this walk. A lovely sunny day.

    Set off from Tisbury shortly after 11. An easy morning with nice views of the Nadder Valley and the first glimpses of the Fovant Badges. The walk through Dinton Park being particularly pleasant.

    4 picnicked in the churchyard at St. Mary's, Dinton, and the remaining 6 had a very satisfactory lunch at The Wyndham Arms. The service was friendly and the presentation of the food surprisingly elegant.

    Picnickers and pub diners regrouped at the pub, with one walker going on ahead. About an hour into the afternoon portion of the walk, 4 of us split off to walk the extension. A steep but mercifully short climb took us up onto Fovant Down for a close-up of the Fovant Badges.

    Those of us who chose to do the extension made it back to Tisbury not long after 19:00. One walker from the other group waited to dine with us at The Boot Inn. Took the 21:01 back to Waterloo (sadly, no trolley service) and were back in London a few minutes shy of 23:00.

    This is a long walk, but if you don't opt for the extension, not too arduous (in my opinion). Some gentle ascents and descents. Nice variety of sections through woodland and across wide fields. Lots of pretty thatched cottages to look at. Towards the end of the walk, there are a few gentle but long ascents through very wide fields (my personal bête noire, sometimes those fields seem endless). Given the time of year, there were plenty of nettles about, but those wearing shorts assured the rest of us they were of the non-stinging variety.

  • Karen
    07-Jun-15

    Forgot to include this information in my previous comment:

    Extra Walk - Tisbury Circular (via Dinton and Fonvant)

    Length: 23.8 km (14.8 miles). Toughness: 7/10

    Extended walk: 28.9 km Toughness: 10/10

  • Pia
    07-Jun-15

    I totally agree with Karen's comments and absolutely love the undulating country side around Tisbury. Doing the walks as a group also makes you understand a whole area, this one surrounding Tisbury, a pretty village, much better. This was not the prettiest or easiest walk of the series this time of year: a lot of vegetation, nettles particularly prevalent, and absolutely of the stinging variety (those wearing shorts were putting a brave face above some red spotty legs). So far no 3 is my favourite but I missed no 2 so I will definitely go back and catch up. It was a glorious walk and 4 of us felt 23 km was plenty with almost 4 hours traveling as well although I find train journeys very relaxing particularly with the frequent trolley service we enjoyed (advantage of a very short 3 coach train; disadvantage, it was very full). The instructions were excellent, the reader's capacity to follow them sadly did not reach the same high standard; hence we had a small adventure in Hardene Wood where we had to clamber over and under trees on all fours, not to everyone's delight, to follow a neglected path to get back on the correct track. We were in time for some of us to catch a quick half pint at The South Western pub before getting on the 7pm train to London just avoiding the embarrassment of being overtaken by the more ambitious extension hill climbers. Well done however to all those, that was a super long walk.

  • Pia
    11-Jun-15

    I forgot to say thank you to Thomas G for taking the time and the trouble and applying his walking and route finding skills to devise new walks for the SWC. It may be a little bit far out, but if you walk regularly, it is a treat to discover new countryside that you would never think of to walk in before or go and explore by yourself. In a group with all transport and watering/eating places researched beforehand it becomes a wonderful opportunity to explore new pastures. The walks are also nice and long, with options to shorten or make them challenging. Indeed, what's not to like about this. Walkers should display a little more gratefulness towards those who make all the effort of organising/devising walks etc rather than criticise or assume ring premises.