Since taking over as editor of Bridport and Dorchester Nub News in December, I have been keen to get out and enjoy some of the amazing walking routes West Dorset has to offer. 

The weather has not been on my side, but finally the sunny Easter weekend offered a prime opportunity to explore, so I headed off to a route at the top of my list – the sunken holloways of Symondsbury. 

Leaving the hectic holiday crowds behind me in my hometown of Lyme Regis, it was a real treat to escape to this idyllic village on Good Friday. I didn't even have to fight for a car parking space – just pull up and put the walking boots on!

Admiring Symondsbury's pretty cottages on the way, my friend and I headed straight to Shute's Lane, one of Dorset's famous sunken lanes known for its abundant carvings in the soft sandstone – you can spot everything from Celtic symbols, to pop culture icons, to dedications of love dating back decades.

Similar to the Undercliff coastal path, between Lyme Regis and Seaton, in East Devon – the large ferns, creeping tree roots and towering sandstone banks make you feel as if you've stepped back in time, or perhaps on a movie set for Jurassic Park! 

We had planned to explore the holloways in full, looping around in North Chideock, but even in the sunny weather the wet and muddy conditions underfoot, not helped by motorbike tracks, meant that we could only make it down half of the steeper Hell Lane before it got the better of us and we decided to turn back. 

Plan B – instead we followed footpaths along lanes and across the fields surrounding the iconic Colmer's Hill and then we decided to go for the big climb… 

Perhaps this is where the headline of this article becomes a little misleading, as I'm not sure anyone has ever 'sauntered' up to the summit of Colmer's Hill at 417 feet hight. But having driven past and admired it in numerous photos and paintings throughout my life, I thought it was high time for my first attempt.

Having already almost walked the complete perimeter of the hill, we approached our climb from the south – and what turned out to be the steepest – side. Perhaps not the best route to take, but who can complain when you catch a glimpse of those views at the top? 

On a clear day like Good Friday, you could see for miles – across the rooftops of Symondsbury to Bridport, and across the hills to the sparkling sea. 

After a well-deserved sit down at the top, heading back down the other side seemed like a breeze! We retraced our steps back down Shute's Lane to the village and then visited Symondsbury Estate.

Having not been there since a friend's wedding a few years back, the estate had also been high up on my 'to do' list for some time. 

Symondsbury Kitchen offers the perfect menu of fresh, seasonal and light post-walk lunches, which we enjoyed outside in the courtyard to make the most of the weather.

I chose the smoke salmon pate with toasted foccacia and seasonal green salad, while my friend opted for the vegetarian puff pastry tart with creamy chard, spinach and salad – both delicious. 

We then spent some time looking around the estate, which was in full bloom with springtime flowers, including the shops and we caught one of the final days of the retrospective exhibition of work of the late Dorset artist, Michael J Chappell, in the Sou'-Sou'-West Gallery.

The day was finished with a quick drive to West Bay (back to the crowds!), where we enjoyed a refreshing pint in the garden at the The George. A perfect Bank Holiday!

Hopefully the weather cheers up again soon so we can get out and explore more routes around West Dorset.