Wareham Wanders: Carey - setting the scene

 Description:

This Wareham Wander is a circular stroll of about 1.75 miles. It is relatively easy walking although there is a messy farmyard to cross so do not wear your best shoes! There is also a bit of a climb uphill at about half way which some may find breath taking but it is not steep.

It is an interesting walk, especially in summer, as it passes through three very different habitats. The first stretch is along a lane with hedgerows on either side with a good variety of flowers and by the farm there is an area of 'waste' ground that is covered in wild flowers too. 

At the end of that lane the path heads up between conifers, mainly Scots pine, and with this being dark and quite damp there is a selection of ferns, mosses and lichen as well as fungi in the autumn.

Once on to the road and footpath it changes again and the vegetation is much more aligned to heath and the species associated with dry acid soils. Then the scene changes back to tree line hedgerow.

Anyone wanting a longer walk can take the opportunity to branch off onto other routes at various points of the main route.  

The Route:

From the roundabout on the north side of Wareham, just before the railway bridge, take the road down to another roundabout by the station and then onto the Bere Regis road. Almost immediately there is a left hand turning into Carey Approach which soon becomes Carey Road. Pass the shops and stop when you come to the Westminster Road Industrial Estate; there is plenty of road side parking here. Walk back down Carey Road a short way to the entrance to Wessex Oval and follow the route below.

Between Carey Road and the entrance to Wessex Oval is a partly tarmaced track and this is your route

Continue along the track until you come to the farmyard; this can be very messy after rain and especially in winter! Continue across the farmyard to the gate virtually opposite.

(Note: In summer anyone interested in wild flowers may wish to make a short detour here into the rough field to the left of the farmyard where various weeds of cultivation grow including the now scarce dwarf mallow. You can also leave this walk and join up with my Wareham Common west walk here,)

Once through the gate on the far side of the farmyard follow the hedge lined path westwards

Eventually the path turns to the right and goes up hill and becomes a totally different habitat

At the top of the hill the route reaches the road at the entrance to Carey House. Turn right here along the road. (Note: This point is the start of my Trigon walk and anyone wanting to lengthen their stroll may want to turn left here. It is also the start of the walk to Carey Heath which is straight across the road along the track ahead of you.)

A little way along the road after passing the quarry the road bends to the right but there is a footpath on the left hand side. Following the road around the bend can be dangerous so I recommend following the footpath. The footpath eventually rejoins the road, continue down the hill and you will come back to your starting point.

Natural Interest:

In winter the profile of the Turkey oak shows how it is less 'twisted' and more erect than the native pendunculate (or English) oak.

Amongst the mosses look for bank hair-cap moss. It is one of the easier mosses to recognise; it looks like a mini conifer forest.

In the hedgerow on the left of the road after you emerge from the bypass footpath look for the unusual prickly butcher's broom plant. The prickles are not leaves but flattened stems.

Conclusion:

An undemanding stroll that takes you through three very different natural habitats and it is interesting to compare them, especially in summer.

Notes:

You can see my species list for this walk here: Species list - Carey