Ashmore is the highest village in Dorset, at over 700 feet (213 m) above sea level. From Ashmore, there are especially far-reaching views to the southeast, across the New Forest to the Isle of Wight. To the south, the view stretches to Bournemouth, Poole and the Purbeck Hills. These two directions offer different landscape reference points; the village’s elevation gives it a clear setting within the landscape.
Landscape and Village Centre
The village lies within the former hunting grounds of Cranborne Chase and the West Wiltshire and Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This brings together a historic landscape designation and a protected landscape area. One refers to the former hunting grounds, the other to protected status. These references describe the wider landscape setting; the pond and church draw attention to specific features of the village.
Ashmore Pond is at the centre of the village: a circular pond about 36 metres in diameter. Its central location provides a clear reference point for finding your way around the village. At the same time, the pond offers a different scale from the views across the surrounding countryside: here, the focus is on a single, precisely located feature in the heart of Ashmore.
Filly Loo and Church Architecture
The annual Filly Loo takes place around the village pond. The village festival is held on the Friday evening closest to the longest day of the year. The exact Friday can vary from year to year. If you would like to plan your trip around the festival, check the date for the relevant year. The combination of a recurring event and a central location gives Filly Loo a different connection to the village from that of a single building or a landscape view.
The Church of St Nicholas is a parish church built in 1874 by Charles Edwards of Exeter. Its chequerwork masonry is made of greensand and flint; it is also said to contain a 13th-century chancel arch. The church therefore brings together two periods: its construction in 1874 and the chancel arch, which is said to date from the 13th century. The different materials and the tentative dating of the arch make the architecture a distinct subject alongside Ashmore’s landscape features.
The W34 Circular Walk
The W34 circular walk leads from the village of Ashmore through Ashmore Wood and Harbin’s Park to Tarrant Gunville, then returns via Stubhampton and Ashmore Bottom. Its route links several named places on a circuit that starts and ends in the village. Along the way, woodland and field paths, bridleways and quiet roads cross a hilly landscape. The route also includes some cattle grids and gates.
The changing surfaces are a useful point to consider when planning your walk: the route does not follow just one type of path throughout. The hilly landscape, cattle grids and gates are also practical features to keep in mind. Conditions may vary by season; check them before setting out. This helps you understand W34 as a route option without reducing its sections to a single type of landscape.
Ashmore offers different scales to choose from: the views open up the wider landscape, while the pond and church are specific village features. W34, in turn, is described as a circular walk linking several named places and different types of paths. You can therefore shape your visit around the landscape, the village’s history or a walking route.
Discover more destinations: Gillingham, Christchurch, Winterbourne Abbas, Boscombe, Saint Ives, Shillingstone, Poole, Winkton.
For the main travel overview: Dorset.
