Dorchester walk of the week: Route along the River Cerne

We have introduced a walk of the week for our newsletter subscribers to enjoy over the weekend.

Each Friday we will be sharing a circular walk in and around our local area with directions and photos. We use the OS Map app, which is very useful if you are out walking.

This week's walk is a 2.4-mile route along the River Cerne in Charminster, taking around one hour. it is an easy level walking route.

Start at Charminster church and facing the road, turn left and walk up East Hill, going round to the left when the road goes round the right.

Just after Old Vicarage Close on the left, there will be a footpath signposted 'Herrison'. Go down there and when the path reaches another, continue straight following the sign to Herrison.

When you reach a sign for 'Prince's Plot', take the right-hand path into a field and walk along the top of the field. Go into the next field and stay right and go along the path at the top of the hill.

When you get to a signpost and a gate on your right, go through the gate and take the left path through the wheat. Continue along this path and at the end of the field, go through the gate and follow the path round to the right.

At the gate, go through it and turn left to walk down the field. Just to the right of the fence there is a stile hidden in the hedge, go over it and down the steps, following the path round to the right and down to the road.

At the road, turn left, but take extra care as there isn't a pavement. After going over the hill, there will be a crossroads, take the path on the left and walk past a row of houses on your left and down a small footpath between a gate and a lane.

Continue straight when the path meets another path, then go through the gate and straight through the field, following the path on the right. Stick to the right-hand path.

Just after a footpath marker and as the path goes downhill, there will be a faint path to the right towards the river, go down there and follow the path.

Continue straight, going past a house on your right and just after the house there will be a path leading down to a gate on the right. Go down there and turn left to walk along the lane.

Follow the lane until it reached a T-junction at 'Horseshoe Cottage' and turn right and go over the bridge to the church and back to the start.

This walk is just a suggestion, you can of course take any different routes you wish to make it more direct or make it longer. Always take extra care where the ground is uneven or wet.

Please leave gates as you find them - if you opened it, close it.

Please keep dogs on leads around livestock.