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Join us on this delightful 9 mile circular through Thomas Hardy country, including the mysterious chalk figure of the Cerne Abbas Giant.Tickets for this event cost £25.00. This payment is non-refundable. It will only be refunded in the event of a non-weather related cancellation. *Tickets/spaces for this walk/event are pre booked and pre paid, please don't just turn up on the day with cash*
We will be starting and finishing the walk in the car park of the Mintern House and gardens.
Highlights include -
Mintern House -
A 17th-century manor house, later rebuilt in the Georgian Gothic style in the 1800s.
It has been home to the Churchill family for over 350 years.
It's Himalayan style garden is one of the great gardens of England, with over 20 million flowers at it's peak in May. (Well worth a visit after the hike).
The Cerne River & Chalk Stream Valley -
Chalk streams are globally rare ecosystems.
The water is naturally clear and mineral-rich.
Historically important for watermills and trout fishing.
Bronze Age Barrows & Ancient Earthworks -
We pass several barrows especially near Weather Hill and Gore Hill.
These are Bronze Age burial mounds dating roughly 4,000 years ago.
Dorset Chalk Downland -
Much of this walk crosses classic Dorset downs.
These hills are made of Cretaceous chalk laid down 100 million years ago.
Thin soils support chalk grassland, one of Britain’s richest habitats for wildflowers and butterflies.
Cerne Abbas Village & Abbey -
Cerne Abbey was founded in 987 AD as a Benedictine monastery.
The abbey dominated the valley for centuries until dissolved during the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII.
After dissolution the abbey buildings became Abbey House, still standing today.
And the star of the day -
The Cerne Abbas Giant -
The giant is 55 m tall and carved into the chalk hillside.
Traditionally interpreted as a fertility symbol, with couples historically visiting hoping for children.
Its exact age is debated — theories range from prehistoric to 17th-century.
Please bring enough food and water to sustain you and layers.
How to find us -
Minterne House car park, Dorchester DT2 7AU
What 3 Words - ///stunning.fruits.critic
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Event Venue
Minterne House car park, Dorchester DT2 7AU, DT2 7AU, Dorchester, United Kingdom
Tickets
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