Day 16 West Knoyle to Dinton: Best Bluebells and Teffont Tea

Looking Back to West Knoyle

"It's petered out!"

For an OS map of today's walk click here.

After a friendly sendoff from the farm dogs and helpful guidance from our host Francie who showed us the way through her neighbour's farm to the foot of our path, we set off uphill and eastward towards our eventual destination of Dinton. It was a day with some challenging walking early and a simply wonderful experience of the beauty of the English countryside late.

We handled the hill fairly well and then descended to the first of two farm tracks, which usually make good paths. The first farm track was okay, though eventually the plants on either side of the path were so high that they were taller than I (no mean feat, I hear you say as you recollect my towering height). The second farm track was an interesting exercise in walking by faith and not by sight: I blazed the trail (bushwhacked, Ken would say) and could feel that there was a worn path under my feet, though I couldn't see it for all the plants on the path. All the things I was thankful for on the first path—not wet, few nettles, not too long—evaporated with the second. I wanted to use my favorite line from "As Time Goes By," when Lionel and Jean take a field path shortcut to a pub and get lost, and she says something like, "I expect to see Humphrey Bogart come by towing the African Queen." He could have come by . . . .

Hindon High Street

After a short but slightly scary walk on a busy road, we got to Hindon, a lovely large village. We bought lunch and dinner at the shop because we knew that the pubs in Dinton would not be open for dinner on a Sunday night. We had a rest, then went into the church but didn't sing, as there were people curating an art exhibit there. 

Best Bluebells!

After leaving Hindon we again had to walk on the road, but soon escaped to Berwick St. Leonard, formerly a village but now barely more than little cluster of farm buildings. The church there had been deemed redundant (meaning that there weren't enough people to keep it going as a church), but the building is kept open as a place for prayer and occasional services. I read from the pulpit Bible and we sang "Be Thou My Vision" and the Doxology. It was a nice little church.

Later in the walk, the paths markedly improved, with nice views behind and before. At one point were walking through the woods and Ken told me his first thought was, "Why is there a blue tarp in the woods? " The blue tarp turned out to be the best bluebell patch we had seen so far, carpeting the forest floor almost as far as the eye could see. Amazing color that no picture can adequately capture.

"Thumbs Up!

Fovant Regimental Badges

A walk along a road contouring a ridge gave us nice views southward to Fovant Down and its famous regimental badges, first cut into the chalk during WWI. Then there were a few more pleasant trails leading onward—with cute cottages and unique door-knockers on the way—to our next and best highlight: the dual village of Teffont Evias and Teffont Magna.

We took a right turn and arrived at Teffont Evias in mellow afternoon sunshine. It is an extraordinary place, almost a secret valley complete with a clear, flowing stream (the Teff) running along the lane on its way to meet the River Nadder, a number of pretty thatched cottages, a golden-stone church with a tall spire, and a manor House (now turned to flats). We first stopped at Howard's House Hotel for afternoon tea and biscuits. Howard's House is a lovely and expensive country house hotel, but they will do tea for non-residents. We sat in their beautiful garden and just enjoyed the fountain, flowers and birdsong. We were amused by the fact that one bird's song sounded like a cellphone ringing. There's no escaping that sound these days, though fortunately it wasn't followed by a loud conversation of a personal nature; it was, indeed, a bird. The tea was excellent, the best I've had this trip—we had three cups each! Later, Ken fell into conversation with a nice older man named John, who on hearing about our walk said somewhat wistfully that after all the sports he had played earlier in life his long-walking days were over, but wished us "God bless you" when we left. Again, it was one of those pleasant conversations, getting a brief glimpse into another's life, that make a trip truly memorable.

Tea at Howard's House, Teffont Evias

Teffont Evias

We walked down the lovely lane with the channeled river and manor house wall on the left, and entered the church, with its lofty tower and spire, interesting seventeenth century tomb, stained glass, and resonant acoustics—inspired, we sang three hymns. The village itself was beautiful—even the bus stops were thatched! We walked from there up to the equally lovely Teffont Magna, with the same clear stream and more cottages with verdant gardens bursting with colour. Ken went crazy with the camera trying to capture the beauty of the Teffonts, but sometimes there is just a "feeling" you get from a place that just cannot be captured digitally or otherwise. This was one of those times and one of those places. . . .

Jacobean Tomb of Henry Ley and his Sons William and Matthew (Note cute lions!), Teffont Evias Church

Memorial Glass with Teffont Manor Behind, Teffont Evias Church

Beautiful Teffont Magna—Where even the bus shelters are thatched!

Teffont Magna Cottages

Finally, after taking a look at Teffont Magna church, we had just a couple of miles to go, a not-too-long walk uphill and then down to Marshwood Farm, our B & B, getting the usual end-of-the-day tiredness but gaining wonderful views of the downland landscape to the north and the rich, patterned grazing and farming land in the valley immediately below. Our B & B was one of these farms, a large, solid eighteenth-century stone house with high ceilings and spacious rooms. Our kind and funny host took us to our own enormous room looking out on the farm, with the sheep grazing in the late evening sun. A peaceful end to a long but very pleasant day.

35,246 steps, 26.434 km, 1078.4 cal
OS getamap measured distance: 11.99 mi (19.30 km)

Early Evening at Marshwood Farm, Dinton

Marshwood Farm (The Next Morning)