North Dorset Trailway
The Opening of the Bridge and the next section of the Trailway
The Opening of the Bridge and the next section of the Trailway, from Shillingstone to Stourpaine was held on the 7th November 2010 here are a few images of this event - Trailway opening gallery >>
Newsletter
Latest Newsletter September 2011 Adobe Acrobat 
[633kb]
Images of new bridge being built over the River Stour at Stourpaine .
Click on image for the large view and slide show.
Images of new bridge over the River Stour. Images by kind permission of Graham Rains.
The North Dorset Trailway project has had some remarkable successes culminating early in 2008 with the opening of the whole of the Shillingstone to Sturminster Newton section, including a new bridge over the Stour at Fiddleford. DT11 has adopted the task of getting the next section from Shillingstone to Stourpaine completed.
The Trailway is a path (formally a bridleway) open to walkers, cyclists and riders, but not motor vehicles, with firm, but soft surfacing.
There is a real prospect of raising ambitions and trying to get the whole route of the former SD&J Railway open from Bournemouth to Burnham on Sea and Bath and Bristol.
This project is much more than just "green"; it would provide many safe routes to school (over 33% of children would like to cycle to school, yet only 2% do) as well as pleasant and useful routes between villages and it would be a valuable tourist attraction bringing business to pubs, B&Bs and other small businesses in towns and villages along the whole route, as well as saving CO2 emissions and obesity.
Extending the Trailway is at least as much a matter of negotiation as money, and a point to be borne in mind is that unlike the railway, it does not absolutely have to all be straight and level - detours around problem or otherwise developed sites are possible.
The draft entry in North Dorset’s Community Strategic Plan reads:
"The North Dorset Trailway could be part of a coast to coast (Bournemouth to Burnham on Sea & Bath) route with enormous tourist opportunities as well as providing dozens of Safe Routes to School (Sustrans says 33% of children would like to cycle to school but only 2% do so). Once completed this will open up an economic and recreational safe transport link through and beyond the DT11 area. Making the links between the local footpath network and nearby villages makes car-free journeys possible and will offer an extensive network of paths and bridleways and can encourage sustainable tourism and opportunities for village based businesses."
The Trailway is being supported by Dorset County Council, and the district councils, as well as the national charity Sustrans.
North Dorset Trailway in Pictures
A ten-minute picture tour down the North Dorset Trailway from Sturminster Newton, through Shillingstone, to Gains Cross. A detour to Fiddleford Manor and Mill, and the new development of the Gains Cross to Stourpaine section are also included.
Updated to include a recent image of the station project and the new section into Stourpaine.
By kind permission of the author Graham Rains.
Click the arrow to start.
Newsletter Archives
- May 2011 [211kb]
- March 2011 [10.5Mb]
- February 2011 [1.36Mb]
- December 2010 [783kb]
- October 2010 [252kb]
- September 2010 [59kb]
- Newsletter No 9 [17 kb] - October 2009 and Trailway Constitution [18kb]
- Newsletter No 8 (87 kb) - August 2009
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