Wessex Ridgeway Relay

lease park as considerately as possible to reduce the inconvenience to residents and other traffic. If possible please try to minimise the number of cars at the start, the parking is limited.

START Congregate at Tollard Royal pond, on the B3081, the road from Sixpenny Handley to Shaftesbury. There is room for 6 cars and another 6 in the Post Office lay-by.

STAGE 1 Proceed West along the B3081 until the left turn for Ashmore. Head for Fontmell Magna and turn left onto the A350 and then right into Shroton.

STAGE 2 Continue West through Child Okeford to the A357, turn right and then left to Okeford Fitzpaine. Take the left fork after the village up to Okeford Hill car park on the right hand side of the road.

STAGE 3 From Okeford Hill go back towards Okeford Fitzpaine; but turn left up Ibberton Hill to Bulbarrow. Pass the masts on your right to go through Ansty to Melcombe Bingham. Turn right at a green fingerpost, 'Melcombe Park Farm', to Breach Wood Barn.

STAGE 4 Return to Melcombe Bingham and turn right to Cheselboune, where you turn right and right again towards Piddletrenthide. Turn right at the B3143 and go through Alton Pancras, where you turn left at a Ridgeway sign to park by a barn.

STAGE 5 Return towards Piddletrenthide, turning right onto the road to Cerne Abbas, cross the minor road and continue through Cerne Abbas, where you turn right onto the A352. Go through Minterne Magna and turn left onto the road to Evershot to reach Batcombe picnic area on the right. Take the second entrance into the car park and park near the observation point. The runners emerge onto the road 200m west of the car park opposite the road junction.

STAGE 6 Continue west turning left towards Maiden Newton to reach the A37. Turn left onto the A37 and continue past the right turn to Maiden Newton, downhill for a further half mile. Turn off into a gravel area on the right hand side of the road (on the Ridgeway route). Drivers will be turning across the traffic on the A37 to get into this car parking area, so please exercise great care here.

STAGE 7 Return on the A37 to the turn to Maiden Newton and continue through Maiden Newton, turning onto the A356. Go towards Rampisham masts and turn left, just before them, onto the minor road to Kingcombe and stop in the lane ahead, where the road turns sharp left.. Park carefully here as there is no car park and minimal verge space.

STAGE 8 Return to A356 and turn left towards Crewkeme. Ignore the turn to Beaminster but take the next left to Minterne's Hill, where you turn left into Buckham Down car park.

STAGE 9 Continue West along the minor road to the A3066, turn right and left to Broadwindsor on the B3164. Carry on through Broadwindsor until the Ridgeway route crosses the road and turn right into Sheepwash Lane and park. There is limited parking in the lay-by.

STAGE 10 Continue West on the B3164 to Birdsmoorgate, where you turn right, North onto the B3165. Take the left fork at Coles Cross to reach Venn Chapel, opposite the left turn to Synderford. Park carefully here as there is no car park and minimal verge space.

STAGE 11 Return to Coles Cross, either by turning or circumnavigating Blackdown Hill and go South on the B3165 through Marshwood, after which you turn left to Coney's Castle car park high on the hill.

STAGE 12 Return Northwards to the B3165, where you turn left. Continue until you cross the A35, right and then left to stay on the B3165 through Yawl to Uplyme Village Hall by the cricket ground on the right.