Barrow Circle

Dorset AONB

Explore part of the South Dorset Ridgeway, an ancient ceremonial landscape with Bronze Age round barrows and spectacular views of the Jurassic Coast.

Far reaching view across countryside to the coast on the horizon

Where to start: Martinstown, Church Green
This is grid reference SY 649890 on the OS Explorer OL15 map.

Start: At Church Green in front of St Martin’s Church cross road to Grove Hill. Follow roadway, past the Agricultural Machinery Sales and uphill until it veers right. Walk ahead to small gate and fingerpost signed Great Hill and Hardy Monument.  

1. Go through gate and cross field to gate ahead into woodland. Follow path through wood, which leads into a field. Keep to field edge, walk towards the barrows you can see on ridge ahead of you. Stay on this path, ignore private road going off to the right. Continue straight ahead on track, ignore footpath on the right and pass through a gateway. Follow track straight on until you reach a double gateway into a field. Go through and take footpath to the right, across field and up hill. Head towards small gate on skyline to the right above you.
2. Go through gate and walk to the right of the barrow ahead. Join a grassy track to a gateway ahead. Go through this gateway. Look for Hardy’s Monument on the ridge to the right here. Continue ahead, until you see the Jurassic Coast.
3. Join the South Dorset Ridgeway (on the South West Coast Path National Trail) and turn right towards Hardy’s Monument. Follow the path through the barrows of Bronkham Hill. Continue ahead. You pass a Jubilee Trail fingerpost on your left, walk on until you reach a small metal gate on right hand side. Go into this field, with two barrows on left and follow fence line until you come to a large metal gate and road.
4. Turn right and walk down hill, until you reach the entrance to Ballarat Farm on the left hand side. Turn left onto farm track. Follow this track downhill until eventually you reach a tarmac lane. Follow the lane and you come out onto a road.  Cross over and turn left. Follow road for a short distance and turn right into North Rew Lane.
5. Immediately look for a footpath on the right and cross over stile. Follow path through a small wood until you reach another stile. Cross over into a field. Walk along field edge until you reach a stile and gate on the right hand side. Cross the next two fields until you reach a stile. You are walking across the deserted mediaeval village of Rew. Cross stile to Church Farm.
6. At the farm house cross lane to stile straight ahead and walk along edge of a small field. Go over another stile and turn right. Walk downhill to fingerpost junction, continue ahead until tarmac lane then turn left. Pass the washing pool on the left hand side and continue to road and pub ahead. Turn left to return to the church.