The best MTB trails around Hinton

Old train station that today lies on the cycle path on the old railway line.

Visitor centre not very well signposted

Lovely place overall, but the visitor centre area can get very busy. We found the trails a bit tricky to locate at first—look out for the “dog wash area” and then the “bike hire” just after it; they’re good waypoints to find the trail access, which is to the right and slightly behind the visitor centre (when facing it from the car park). Also worth noting there’s free parking at Potterne Park, not far from the centre.

Most people who pass by such a war memorial commemorating the victims will not have experienced the horrors of war firsthand. A dialogue invented by the writer Paul Harding might help. It is from a medieval detective novel, and the following exchange takes place: "Tell me, brother, when you went to war in France with your little brother, were you happy?" Athelstan felt his heart leap. "Of course." He smiled thinly. "I was young then. My blood was boiling, and I longed for great adventures." "And when you found your brother dead and cold as ice on the battlefield and returned to England... what was there?" Athelstan looked out into the courtyard; it was slowly getting dark. "In the Gospel, Sir John, Christ says that at the end of the world, the heavens will shake, and the planets will fall to earth in blazing fire." Athelstan closed his eyes. He felt Francis's spirit very clearly. "When I found my brother dead in the field," he continued, "it was like heaven falling to earth for me." (Source: "The House of the Red Butcher" by Paul Harding)

A church at Tarrant Keyneston is known to have existed as early as the 14th century, with the first known rector recorded in 1317.

"bastard graves" refers to the table tombs in the churchyard of All Saints' Church in Tarrant Keyneston, Dorset, specifically those of the Bastard and Barfoot families. These tombs are Grade II listed monuments and are a significant part of the churchyard's history. The "Bastard" part of the name comes from the fact that the notable architects Thomas Bastard (d. 1731) and John Bastard (d. 1778) were buried in these tombs, along with other members of their family. The tombs are known to have been rebuilt after the Blandford fire of 1731.

* On the north wall, there are more fragmentary paintings, including depictions of St Michael weighing souls and St Christopher carrying the Christ Child. * A 13th-century painting in the chancel features a simple masonry pattern with a flower stencil. * There is also a 14th-century depiction of the Annunciation.

Medieval Wall Paintings: One of the most significant features of St Mary the Virgin is its extensive and relatively well-preserved 14th-century wall paintings that cover much of the nave. These paintings were intended to instruct and inspire parishioners.    * Scenes include the life of St Margaret of Antioch (said to have been swallowed by a dragon).    * A morality tale depicting three animated skeletons warning three princes about the emptiness of earthly wealth.