Stage 2 - Thorncombe to Beaminster - 29th April 2025
- John Tippetts
- May 24
- 5 min read
Updated: May 29
Official Stage Statistics
Route distance – 9.53 miles
Total ascent – 1520 feet
Highest point – 897 feet
Logistics
Drive to Axminster from Premier Inn Seaton & park car EX13 5NX RingGo 42923
Taxi to Thorncombe – Av2Go Taxis 07398 421042
Walk to Beaminster
Catch bus CB3 from Red Lion to Bridport Bus Station at 15:49 - 17 minutes
Catch bus X53 from Bridport Bus Station to Axminster at 16:08 - 55 minutes
Drive to Premier Inn Seaton EX12 2NA & stay overnight
Christian, the taxi driver from the day before who brought me back from Thorncombe to Axminster arranged for Peter of Av2Go Taxis to take me back there at 08:00 from Axminster Station.
My Walk
On today’s walk I would climb to the top of Dorset’s 2 highest hills and like yesterday I’d have fabulous views of the Dorset countryside all day. My aim for today was to not miss a turn from the printed instructions but this wasn't to be!
Like yesterday, I knew that there would be no stopping points along today’s walk for food or water, so I’d have to load up with plenty of water and for my lunch I’d have to make do with a banana and pains au chocolat taken from the Premier Inn at breakfast time. I also remembered my drone today, so that and its controller and spare batteries added to the weight on my back.
My taxi turned up at Axminster Station more or less on time and by 08:30 I was back in sunny Thorncombe and heading off towards Synderford. After a steady drop, the trail did a fairly steep and rapid climb of 350 feet up Venn Hill to emerge onto Blackdown Hill (705 ft / 215 m). This was today’s first ‘Wow!’ moment. What fabulous views again as I walked across the ridge towards Pilsdon Pen in the distance.
I walked through a field with cows in it. Signage was a bit sketchy so I don’t know whether or not I should have walked across it and the written instructions weren’t much help but it was certainly in the right direction. Anyway, the cows were very inquisitive and started following me, getting quite close. Although I’ve never been hit by a cow, I was slightly relieved to reach the gate and pass through it unscathed. Half an hour later I reached the trig point at the top of Pilsdon Pen.
Pilsdon Pen is officially the 2nd highest point in Dorset at 909 ft / 277 m. It was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1982. For many years it was thought to be the highest point but a modern survey revealed that Lewesdon Hill had it at 915 ft / 279 m. I’d be passing Lewesdon Hill later in the day. The top of Pilsdon Pen was the site of an Iron Age hillfort. The 360° views were absolutely spectacular and I spent quite some time taking everything in.
I naturally assumed that the trail continued across the top of the hill and then down towards Lewesdon Hill so didn’t bother referring to the written instructions. Of course I was wrong, as the trail doesn’t actually even reach the summit but how ridiculous that it doesn’t! After descending the hill I soon discovered I was quite a way off course again and had to go ‘off piste’ to get back to where I should be. It’s no wonder my walks are always longer than they should be. I really should look more closely at the OS maps before setting off.
Back on course, my next target was Lewesdon Hill. Although Lewesdon is only 6 ft higher than Pilsdon, there was a 450 ft descent before the climb up Lewesdon Hill. Once again I assumed the Wessex Ridgeway would take me to the summit but once again I was wrong; it actually skirts around the hill. Anyway, I was quite happy being wrong because the path I took was in beech and oak woodland that provided welcome shade from the warm sun. Eventually I reached a National Trust sign with a map of the hill showing me where I was and how off course I was – again! The map brought home to me that the actual summit was so surrounded by trees that any views would have to be through trees, so I didn’t bother climbing to the very top; instead I got myself back on course once again.
Descending and emerging from the woodland, the last 3 miles of this walk were through fields, many of which had either sheep or cows grazing. So many lovely views; I really enjoyed this part of the walk. In the distance I could see a clump of trees on top of a hill overlooking Beaminster. The path took me up this hill – called Gerrard’s Hill. At 571 ft / 174 m there were spectacular views from the top.
A very steep descent from Gerrard’s Hill brought me into the really attractive town of Beaminster. It was about 3 o’clock and I was hot and thirsty. Like the first stage there had been no shops or pubs along the walk. There were 2 pubs in The Square in the centre of town but unbelievably they were both closed! Google Maps showed a hotel called The Olerod about 150 yards away. Thankfully the bar was open. My bus was due at 15:49 from The Square so I had time for a pint and a packet of crisps in the hotel’s lovely garden. I took the opportunity to ask the lady behind the bar how I should pronounce ‘Beaminster’. She told me that locals pronounce it ‘Behminster’ as in ‘Bay window’!
The CB3 bus turned up on time and took me to Bridport Bus Station where I caught the interconnecting X53 bus back to Axminster – perfect! Back in Axminster I collected my car and drove back to the Seaton Premier Inn.
Despite going off course a number of times yet again this had been another brilliant walk with the logistics working a treat. The instructions I'd been following the last 2 days assumed my 2 walks would be done in just 1 day. I'm well used to walking 20+ mile walks on flat terrain but I'm too old and unfit to walk this kind of distance on hilly terrain. In any case, I want to take my time and really enjoy this part of our beautiful country.
This was my last night in Seaton; tomorrow I’d be moving to the Premier Inn in Yeovil for a few days.
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