Situated in North West Dorset, and beside the A30 a network of paths exist as the oolitic limestone reaches its inevitable edge. This walk endeavours to link four of the best sections and reveals a nice surprise towards the end.
Park sympathetically beside the main road please. This is signposted Nether Compton and there is a small lay-by and plenty of room on the grass.
1. Walk down the road turning right up the hill. This is your first holloway, Ratleigh lane. The woods on the left are used for raising pheasants. Eventually you will pass the chicken farm on you left. This is the first of two climbs.
The walk is about two and a half miles in length and takes between an hour and ninety minutes.
2. At the top turn left, back on yourself to descend the fields. There is a lovely view towards Yeovil and you may view the grass cutters producing turf. An abandoned red post office container straddles the container.
3. Turn right and climb Hart’s lane to the very top and prominent tree at Tuckers cross.
4. Turn left
5. As you descend this track two junctions appear. Keep turning left.
Both right hand turns enable a further extension looping back up through the village.
6. Turn right, past the stonework, then [7.] left back on yourself and down hill.
8. Walk to the top of the track, turning left. This is one of the finest local Holloways. Look right and have a good search around, a surprise exists.
9. At the bottom of the lane turn right. Walk along the road past the postbox to return to your car or bicycle.
Steep sided Holloways exist because the geology is soft and the change in altitude steep. They have been carved over time by carts to create steep sided, dark, damp clefts with a unique flora. Water can modify them later but tends to create a different cross profile. Once the underlying bedrock is reached they tend to reach a dynamic equilibrium.
And by the way the average width is 4ft 8 1/2 inches, there’s a story there …
Sherborne foothills 
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