The best MTB trails around Holton

Paddock Garden is Sherborne’s way of saying, "We’re modern now, but with layers of drama." Opened in 2005 by Alan Titchmarsh (the patron saint of sensible trousers), it’s built on the ruins of 18th-century cottages that were demolished just so the neighbors could have a better view. Rude. ​During WWII, German bombers mistook the girls' school tennis courts for something more threatening, leaving the garden with some unintentional "landscaping." Today, it’s a sustainable flex: the paths are made from half a million recycled plastic straws, proving that Sherborne is both posh and eco-conscious.

If you think your homeowner’s association is strict, try the Almshouse of St. John the Baptist. Established in 1437, it was basically a 15th-century "assisted living" facility for the "brave and the broke." ​The rules? Absolutely medieval. You had to be "of good character," which in 1437 mostly meant "doesn’t throw mud at the Abbot." The jewel inside is the Sherborne Missal, a book so fancy it makes your iPad look like a rock. Today, it stands as a gorgeous Hamstone time capsule where history is thick, the chapel is tiny, and the vibes are strictly "pious chic."

Founded in 1550 by King Edward VI, Sherborne School is an elite boys' independent school that practically owns the town’s aesthetic. Built atop the site of a former Benedictine priory, its honey-colored Hamstone buildings blend seamlessly with the adjacent Abbey. ​It is a "Harry Potter" fever dream of cloisters and tradition, but its real prestige lies in its alumni. This is where Alan Turing solved puzzles before Enigma and where actors like Jeremy Irons and Hugh Bonneville learned their craft. It remains one of the UK’s architectural and academic heavyweights, turning out "Old Shirburnians" for nearly five centuries.

Originally a Saxon cathedral, Sherborne Abbey is a golden-stoned masterpiece of Perpendicular Gothic architecture. Its claim to fame is the fan vaulting—arguably the earliest and most spectacular in England—which spreads across the ceiling like delicate stone lace. ​The Abbey has survived fires (started by a bickering abbot and townspeople in 1437), the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and the test of time. Inside, you’ll find the tombs of West Saxon kings and the stunning Great West Window. It remains a living "lantern" of Dorset, glowing with honey-colored Hamstone and a quiet, ancient majesty that defines the town.

Did not know it existed,nice surprise

Lovely ride - mostly quiet roads and tracks... Bath Arms good place to stop for a coffee. Good lunch in the White Hart after the ride.

I always make time to pop in on my walks in this area as it is wonderfully calming and peaceful. I like to just sit and marvel at the talent of the architecture.

This route is no longer strictly accessible. It goes through a private farm with locked gates and the Stour estate which requires a permit (£10 per person)