ウィンターボーンキングストンの天然記念物・トップ8

The ‘Dish’ is a ‘swallet’ (sinkhole) about 90m in diameter, 40m deep with steep sides. It was named after the herbalist Nicholas Culpepper (1616-1654). It is impossible to photograph it in entirety due to the size of the mature trees growing in it! Swallet holes, or dolines, are circular depressions formed when the underlying chalk is dissolved by the overlying acid sands and gravels which eventually collapse to form an inverted cone.

I came on a very wet and windy day, but could still see for miles when walking along the ramparts.

Trig pillar ‘Woolsbarrow Camp’

Bulbarrow Hill is situated within the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which is known for its scenic landscapes and diverse ecosystems. The hill is part of the Dorset Downs, a range of chalk hills that extend across the county. It is one of the highest points in Dorset, with an elevation of around 274 meters (899 feet) above sea level. Due to its height, it provides panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, including the rolling hills, farmland, and picturesque villages that make up the Dorset landscape.

Young cattle enjoying the view too and not at all disturbed by our presence!

Woolsbarrow Hillfort is located in a clearing in the forests of Bloxworth Heath. The nearest town is Bere Regis, about 3+1⁄4 miles (5.2 km) to the west-northwest of the hillfort. The heath is a popular walking area and the site can be reached by public footpath. Woolsbarrow is a slight univallate hillfort on a flat-topped knoll on the plateau of Bloxworth Heath, which separates the rivers Sherford to the east and Piddle to the west. The hillfort is marked by a single rampart about 20 feet (6.1 m) below the top of the gravel knoll and covers an area of around 2+1⁄4 acres (0.91 ha). The eastern part of the hillfort has been damaged by sand and gravel extraction, but much of it survives well and has the potential for further archaeological evidence to be uncovered. It is one of only about 150 slight univallate hillforts nationally and is of national importance.

Dating back to the 9th-5th centuries BC, this relatively low-lying hillfort rises out of Bloxworth Heath. The heath itself has plenty of hiking trails criss-crossing it as well as an abundance of insect, bird and wildlife. There's a trig pillar on top of the fort, at 220 feet (67 m) and if you ramble about the fort a little, you'll find interesting views of the undulating heathland.

Easily accessed by gravel fire roads along the Sika Trail.