The best MTB trails around Farnham

Just up from there towards the main road is a recently opened cafe (The Black Cat Cafe), we called in there on a circular ride for coffee and something to eat, was very nice!!

Probably the most doable sharp ascent on the Old Chalk Way. Long stretch of byway which trends downhill all the way to Salisbury. Line choice critical though, the speed bumps will definitely slow you down.

Why It’s Actually Cool (Literally) The Font: There’s a 12th-century font inside that’s older than the actual building. It’s basically the antique heirloom that the new house was built around. The Peace and Quiet: It’s located in a "Winterborne" village. For the uninitiated, a winterborne is a stream that only flows in winter. So, half the year the village is "Kingston by the Stream" and the other half it's just "Kingston by the Dry Ditch." The church remains consistently stoic regardless of the water table. The Tower: It’s got a modest, sturdy tower that says, "I’m not trying to touch the heavens, I’m just trying to make sure the bell-ringers have a roof." Is it worth a visit? Absolutely. It’s the kind of place where you can sit in a pew, enjoy the silence, and wonder if the vicar in 1872 also thought the new carvings were "a bit much." It’s peaceful, it’s historic, and it hasn’t been turned into a luxury apartment complex yet—which is a win in 2026!

If you’re looking for a church that perfectly captures the "I’ve been standing in this field since the 14th century and my back kind of hurts" vibe, St Nicholas in Winterborne Kingston is your spot. It’s a charming, flint-and-stone hug of a building nestled in the Dorset countryside. Here’s the lowdown on why this place is more than just a backdrop for a period drama. The "Wait, How Old Is It?" Factor The church mostly dates back to the 14th century, though like any good Dorset homeowner, the locals couldn't resist a massive renovation. In the 1870s, a fellow named George Edmund Street (who also designed the Royal Courts of Justice in London) decided to give it a "glow-up." The Result: A mix of genuine medieval grit and Victorian "we have a very specific vision for how pious this should look" energy. The Vibe: It’s cozy. If "hygge" was a religious architectural style, this would be it. The Flinty Exterior The church is built with knapped flint and bands of stone. It basically looks like a very sophisticated, holy chessboard. Pro Tip: Don't try to count the flints. You will lose, and the sheep in the nearby field will judge you.

The church has its origins in the early 14th century, the Decorated style of that period being well shown by the western tower, its bell-openings are typical of the style. Despite later work the style is also repeated in the southern doorway to the nave and also in the chancel so there is no doubt that originally the church was a single campaign build of the first half of the 14th century. Sporadic work in centuries between that build & the inevitable Victorian changes can be seen, a few windows show Tudor styling of the 16th century, notably 2 windows of a 4-light construction on the southern face. The Victorian work dates from 1873 when not only was the church thoroughly restored but the northern aisle and vestry were added to the fabric, the eastern window of the chancel was also a product of this campaign.

On the corner of the village are these beautiful Roman style Pillars, opposite what looks like an old Roman road

nice ride

In addition to the main rail bridge spanning the river, smaller bridges were built to allow traffic and pedestrians to cross the cuttings and track as it travelled north-west. Three bridges were built for this purpose and all of them remain integral to the navigation of the town today. Arguably the most distinctive of them is the Alexandra Street pedestrian footbridge, above the site of the dismantled station. Constructed from iron and now partially supported by four narrow legs, the bridge stands at what was once the northern end of the station, where the single-line section to Templecombe began. Blandford station remained open until 7 March 1966, when the entire line from Bath to Bournemouth closed to passengers. Goods traffic continued for a further three years, but the station was finally closed and the track lifted in 1969. Following the closure, the Damory railway bridges, on the southern approach to the station, were eventually demolished in 1978.