New footpath opens at Weston Farm
Walkers can now explore a previously hidden area of Weston Farm, Worth Matravers. The National Trust has opened a new footpath which enables people to enjoy a secluded valley, a wealth of wildlife and spectacular views of the surrounding landscape and coastline.
The permissive footpath links Weston Farm with the South West Coast Path. It offers people a shorter loop from Worth Matravers to the coast and back, and will be particularly appealing to local residents, families at Weston Farm Campsite or anyone who wants to immerse themselves in wildlife.
The route
From Weston Farm, follow Bonvils Road and continue straight on to the end of the track. Ahead you'll see a footpath sign, where the path then leads alongside the secluded Bonvils Valley and up to the top of a ridge. The views are spectacular, both inland over the countryside and village, and along the rugged coastline to Anvil Point in Durlston Country Park.
Continuing straight over the ridge, the path descends to the coast path. This section is steep and uneven, and walkers are advised to wear stout walking boots. On the steepest section, there are stone steps which have been built by members of Dorset Countryside Volunteers.
Restoring nature
Weston Farm came under the care of the National Trust in 2022, with a view to restoring nature on the former dairy and arable farm. The farm is being managed without intensive grazing, heavy ploughing or artificial fertilisers. The fields are still grazed, but by small numbers of cattle, pigs and sheep.
Where the former farmyard and buildings have been left to return to nature, myriad wildflowers have grown. They are attracting bees, butterflies, beetles and other pollinators. Feeding on the seeds and insects are many birds, including charms of goldfinches. Swallows are nesting in the old dairy building, and kestrels in the barn. A barn owl is often seen roosting there too.
Many local people have reported that they don’t remember ever having seen so many hares on the farm. Surveys have also shown that there’s been an increase in small mammals in the former arable fields – which is possibly the reason why red kites are now regularly seen there.
High above the fields, the air resounds with the sound of skylarks. On summer nights, walkers might be lucky enough to see the twinkling of glow-worms or bats flying from the coastal caves to feed.
