Milborne St Andrew to Gallows Corner

The walk begins just outside the village of Milborne St Andrew on the road which leads to Dewlish.

I parked on the grass verge of a triangular area of land and followed the footpath heading north west. It was cold and the early morning frost still covered the ground but this was soon to disappear as the temperature rose.

At the gate I turned right and continued along the farm track. At the next intersection I turned right again and enjoyed the views across the farmland back towards the village of Milborne St Andrew.

It was at this point the morning sun tried to penetrate through the blanket of grey cloud and with great success, casting lovely rays of light over the nearby village and surrounding countryside.

I was delighted to capture the image below which is also featured at the top and bottom of this entry. It’s my favourite image from the walk.

Turning left at the next junction, I walked past a rusty corrugated iron barn, ignoring the pathway on the left which leads to Lawn Barn Farm. Keeping to the right, I continued to Frogmore Farm.

As I walked along the path the sun broke through once again, just for a fleeting moment. It lit up the scene to my right. Long shadows of small trees were cast across the cultivated land. It was the last time the sun would make an appearance.

On reaching Frogmore Farm I’m sad to say I was greeted by several motorbikes none of which were roadworthy. Tools and bike parts littered the ground. An elderly Ford Focus had been abandoned on the side of the track, slowly but surely to be enveloped by nature.

A run down bungalow, which didn’t look occupied, an old tractor and a small herd of cattle in rusty ramshackle barns completed the muddy scene. Not pretty but for some reason the dilapidation appealed to me and I reached for my camera.

I left Frogmore Farm and continued my walk across the grass field which to my delight were home to some lovely mature oak trees.

One in particular was a very fine shape, looking even more majestic in its skeletal form of winter.

I passed through a gate with Bagber Copse to my left and I soon arrived at West Bagber Farm buildings. There were large orchards but given the time of year I couldn’t identify the fruit. After a little research it turns out they are the cherry orchards of Bagber Farm.

There are 5000 cherry trees which when in flower must be quite a sight. I have made a mental note to return when they are in blossom.

At this juncture I debated whether to turn round and return to the car or extend the walk and head north towards the intriguingly named Gallows Corner. I kept going. Gallows Corner is now the crossing point of several pathways and there was nothing there to suggest its likely grim historical past.

I followed the bridleway back to Bagber Farm, enjoying the views westwards across open countryside (below).

I returned to the car following the same pathways. Hardly a circular route but the loop did make the walk that little bit more interesting.

This is the first walk posted I have posted on this new website and for that reason it makes it quite special. This was not intentional. This walk isn’t on my list of 50 routes I would like to complete in 2022. In truth it was an unplanned outing with my wife and our cocker spaniel. However it was a new route so it turned into what you can see and read here.

One great thing – This walk has confirmed what I already knew. I very much enjoy exploring new pathways and the places I discover along the way. Despite the very grey overcast conditions, it did at least stay dry and I photographed what I saw. Not because they make great images but they serve as a record and provide me with a valuable memory of the walk. In brighter weather and at another time of the year I am sure I would take an entirely different set of pictures.

There will be better and more visually stimulating walks to come, but that’s not really what matters. It is about being out in the fresh air, having some good exercise, photographing what draws my eye and then completing this journal entry. An end product for me to recall and for you to read and hopefully enjoy.

It has given me a great deal of pleasure collating all the details about the walk, processing these images and writing about the overall experience. Next week I will choose and undertake one the 50 pre-planned walks and be posting another entry very soon. Fingers crossed the weather forecast looks a little more promising too!