Best Walks Near Sherborne, Dorset

One of the best ways to enjoy the beauty of the Dorset countryside is by taking a walk. With our recommended walks near Sherborne, you can choose from river walks to long trails, which take in some of the beautiful scenery and local landmarks that the area has to offer.

Circular walks near Sherborne

Why walk from A to B when you can stroll from A back to A again? Circular walks are great as you don’t need to worry about getting back to where you started. Here are our recommendations for some circular walks near Sherborne in Dorset.

Sherborne Park Circular Walk

Distance: 5.5 miles (8.8km)

Time: Approximately 2 hours

This circular walk starts and ends in Sherborne and is relatively easygoing with a couple of gradual ascents and descents. The walk will take you past Sherborne Park with its beautiful landscaped gardens created by Capability Brown and bring you past Sherborne Abbey.

You will also pass St Cuthbert’s Church during the walk, which is a ruin, and there  be the opportunity to view Sherborne’s ‘Old’ and ‘New’ castles.

Find the full route for this walk.

Folke and Sherborne Park Circular Walk

Distance: 7.5 miles (12km)

Time: Approximately 3 hours

The walk starts in the scenic hamlet of Folke, which has a pretty 16th-century manor house. From there, you will wind your way through woodland paths in the lovely Blackmore Vale.

One-third of the way into this circular walk, you will encounter both of Sherborne’s castles, allowing you to walk in the footsteps of Sir Walter Raleigh, who once lived in Sherborne’s ‘Old’ castle and had the ‘New’ castle built in 1594.

Find the full route for this walk.

Cerne Abbas Giant Circular Walk

Distance: 5.5 miles (8.8km)

Time: Approximately 2.5 hours

This slightly more challenging walk has 180 meters of heigh gain, which allows you to take in some of the best views of the famous Cerne Abbas Giant. When or why the Cerne Abbas Giant was made remains a mystery, although there are several interesting theories. The giant has been seen as a symbol of fertility for centuries.

As well as taking in incredible views of the Cerne Abbas Giant, this walk will take you through woodland, along the Wessex Ridgeway and past a couple of good pubs and a tea room if you’d like to stop for some much-needed refreshments.

Find the full route for this walk.

Cadbury Castle Circular Walk

Distance: 6.5 miles (10.4km)

Time: Approximately 3.5 hours

Cadbury Castle is a more demanding route with 305 meters of height gain. The trail allows you to take in views over Somerset and capture glimpses of pre-history—starting at Cadbury Castle, originally a Stone Age hill fort with sweeping views over the Somerset levels.

There is a local belief that Cadbury is King Arthur’s Camelot, supported by archaeological excavations in the 1960s found a large king’s timber hall and pottery imported from the Mediterranean, which shows this was a place of wealth and good taste.

Find the full route for this walk.

River walks near Sherborne

Enjoy some time wandering along the riverbanks with these river walks near Sherborne in Dorset.

River Stour, Cutt Mill and Stalbridge Lane

Distance: 5.5 miles (8.8km)

Time: Approximately 2 hours

This circular walk starts in Sturminster Newton, 12 miles east of Sherborne. The walk follows the Stour Valley along The Stour Valley Way to the tranquil ruins of Cutt Mill.

The walk starts to return towards Sturminster along the ancient Stalbridge Lane, home to a colossal oak tree known locally as the Barnes Oak, named after the local poet William Barnes.

Find the full route for this walk.

Stour Valley Way

Distance: 64 miles

Time: 3 – 5 days to complete (But we advise you to break it up over several weekends!)

This long-distance river walk starts at Stourhead in Wiltshire and winds 64 miles along the Stour Valley through the beautiful Dorset countryside before finally meeting the sea at Hengistbury Head near Bournemouth.

To break the walk down into shorter sections, several are outlined on the Stour Valley Way website.

Are you interested in living in Sherborne?

Our beautiful new homes in Sherborne are just a stone’s throw from the idyllic town centre and the vast array of beautiful countryside in which to enjoy walking.

For more information about our Sherborne commmunity, call our team on 0808 301 0673.