LOVED walking this route!!!...

pilea

and probably the way people have walked between Shaftesbury and Tisbury for hundreds of years. I walked this route as part of a one day adventure between Sherborne and Tisbury, both of which have train stations. Other than a small section of on the edge of Shaftesbury the rest of the route goes through Cranborne Chase National Landscape, with its gorgeous rolling hills and woodlands....

danravenellison

Both Shaftesbury and Tisbury have good coffee shops so whichever direction you do the walk, you can finish it with a nice cuppa. There's a pub at Donhead St Andrew called 'The Forester' that does good food should you fancy a mid-point meal....

Westcountrywurzle

Pluses and negatives: some fine views, wild fauna (deer, hares) and a good woodland stretch (Beacon Hill); but as with Giltis One: a locked gate (Coleman's Farm), an unmarked diversion, an overgrown path and some missing waymarking signs. One field with cows. One also needs to be relatively fit to do both Giltis One and Two....

RogerWorldMan

It could so easily be a 4 or 5 star route, but it is riddled with issues: locked gates (Colemans Farm), electric fence wires (that you'll need limbo under or use a stick to lift) and multiple diversions that don't match OS maps. I'd 100% enjoy walking this route again, but it's not a route for less confident people who don't like climbing over or under stuff....

danravenellison

Very pleasant when out in the country, but some hard bits, including a locked gate, an unofficial "permissive" diversion, an overgrown path, some cows, and several electric fences (though it was unclear if they were really electrified). Marking of the paths, mostly by Wiltshire CC, was also sometimes haphazard....

RogerWorldMan

Navigation is easy and the track on the top of the downs (Ox Drove) is easy walking but can be waterlogged as there are lots of ruts created by 4x4 vehicles. My favourite part of the route is the section from Tisbury to the Ox Drove. The climb up to the top of the drove is relatively steep but is on a track so walking is ok....

Rich Cory

Before getting into the review proper, in addition to the notice of steps and a rail crossing along this route, it's also worth mentioning that the approach, perimeter and exit of the Castle Ditches section could also present a challenge for some users. Likewise, toward the end of the drove section it gives way to interesting and varying tree cover before turning into Bishopstone Down and, at last, into Wilton. Following the northern perimeter of Castle Ditches Entering tree cover on Old Shaftsbury Drove Partial tree cover on Old Shaftsbury Drove Dramatic tree cover on Old Shaftsbury Drove...

Charles312

The route has beautiful views and we enjoyed breaking for lunch under the trees at the spot height and cross-roads on Bishopstone Down......

danravenellison

Fantastic route, easy way finding, no danger spots and plenty of great views....

Smithster76