Manswood is a small hamlet located 1 mile north west of Witchampton and 1 mile west of Moor Crichel in the soft rolling hills of Cranborne Chase. Manswood Walk is a circular walk that takes you through conifer plantations, coppiced woods and arable farmland.
Distance: 3.5 miles Circular walk
Difficulty: Easy
Estimated time: 1 hour 45 mins
Date of walk: late August 2022
Map: OS Explorer 118
Base map © OpenStreetMap
Base map © OpenStreetMap
Route Maps and GPS Navigation
https://out.ac/IEKNeM (Outdooractive link interactive map)
https://www.google.com/maps/
Route Description and Photos
The starting point for this circular walk is an off-road lay-by on the corner of Sheephouse Drove (Google map, w3w.co) which is about a 3 minute drive NW from Witchampton.
Follow the grassy path north running parallel to Sheephouse Drove. This path was lined with bushes full of ripe blackberries (late August) which we picked on the way back.
At the end cross over the road and up the lane on the opposite side between the houses. This will bring you to the forest.
It had rained the day before so the smell of the humid pine forest was incredible
Technically this is a plantation rather than a forest. Plantations are managed areas of woodland where the trees have been artificially planted, usually of just one species, and laid out in rows. Many mature plantations were created in the last century for timber production. These plantations were planted with fast-growing non-native conifers. You can see in the photos that the trees have touching crowns blocking light from reaching the floor. This reduces biodiversity.
Beside the path is a lookout point up in the trees.
I should imagine that you’re not really allowed to climb it but we couldn’t see any signs and it was a great view. (do so at your own risk)
Places of Interest Nearby
The Beach Avenue at Moor Crichel
View information and more photos of Moor Crichel
The Horton Inn Pub
