Motorists should leave Wimborne taking the road to Pamphill via Cowgrove. There is a small car park on the left hand side. It is signposted. If it’s full there is an overspill in an adjoining field.

Approach the River Stour by foot and turn right to Eye Bridge, which is close to the car park. The narrow wooden bridge can only be crossed on foot. We walked onto the bridge to look towards a small weir and spotted an egret. We didn’t cross over. Instead we descended on the same side and continued along a level path that follows the river. The river was on our left and a field on our right, which had a few large rabbits in it. The ground was level and accessible for wheelchairs and we saw someone walking easily with a rollator.

A large wood carving of an otter stands along this route, and further along is a tunnel of what I thought to be hawthorn. It was covered in white blossom and very pretty. The path became narrower and the ground less suitable for wheelchairs. Eventually we came across a fallen log on the path and following this there was a stile to climb to follow the looped route past Waterman’s Oak, which took us around a field before we re-joined the path along the river’s edge and back to the car park.

This was a very pleasant and peaceful walk made all the more enjoyable because of the free parking.