The Silent Woman

		This remote inn, surrounded by forest, was originally a farmhouse part of which dates back to the 18th century. It was originally named The Angel and is referred to in Thomas Hardy's book "The Return of the Native".

Address: Coldharbour, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 7PA Phone: 01929 552909

The Silent Woman refers to a beheaded saint although other stories tell of a previous landlady who talked too much.

About the pub

Local smugglers fearing she might give away their secrets cut out the woman's tongue. The inn has been altered and added to over the years but still retains a separate public bar. The comfortable lounge has a cottage feel about it with part panelled walls and padded window seats. In 1991 the old barn at the side was converted into a large very attractive restaurant and family area. A wealth of artifacts are displayed all around the bare brick and painted walls. There are picnic benches at the front and side together with children's play area.

Food is available all day every day with a roast on Sunday. Apart from the usual pub snacks which include sandwiches, ploughman's, jacket potatoes, meals listed on the blackboard could include beef and tomato soup, venison in a mushroom sauce, steak, mushroom and Guinness pie, turkey curry, braised steak in red wine and layered potato and pork pie. Further meals listed in the set menu include potato skins and old English mushrooms - fresh mushrooms cooked in a cream and stilton sauce followed by various grills and fish dishes like pan fried red snapper. Home made specialities include Coldharbour chicken in cider, pork apple and sage hotpot and vegetarian broccoli, potato and cheese bake, Coldharbour vegetable crumble and a vegetable combo, Tempting sweets range from hot cherry and almond floret and hot apricot choux coronet to jam roly-poly and home-made fruit crumble. There is a separate menu for children.

Time at the Bar

The pub is presently open all day from 11-11.

Telephone (01929) 552909

Coldharbour is on the Wareham to Bere Regis road 2 miles from Wareham.

The Walk

Approximate distance: 3.75 miles . OS Map 195 SY 903/898.

An enjoyable, mostly level walk on wide gravel tracks and narrow woodland paths through Wareham Forest and across Coldharbour Heath. Best walked in the summer or during periods of dry weather at other times some areas can become completely waterlogged.

	Road			Bridge
	Track			Gate
	Undefined Path			Gap in hedge
	Stile			Cattle Grid

Turn left from the pub cross the road and join the wide forest track which bears left through the trees. The land is privately owned by the Morden Estate Company and leased to the Forestry Commission. Since I was last here timber harvesting has been taking place revealing new vistas. The track follows a line close to fields on the left joined at intervals by tracks from the right. Keep straight ahead and after passing a farm turning on the left take the next wide gravel track on the left just beyond a young conifer plantation.

Good underfoot the track is fairly long but after crossing a wooden bridge, arcs left to meet a small cross track. A short distance further on turn left at the wide cross track following the signed bridleway ahead then fork right at the fence pole. The narrow path winds its way between the trees and across wet heath to a bridge leading to the caravan park. Keep straight ahead staying as close as you can to the hedge on the right until you reach the road.

Turning left cross over and join the signed bridleway opposite. The narrow path meanders close to woods on the left rising steadily across wet heath land. Look for a finger post on the left at which point turn left and follow the narrow path through the coppice to the caravan park then turn right. Simply follow the path through the woods then along the fenced fields until you eventually reach a signed footpath on the left. At first a little tricky underfoot the surface soon improves eventually meeting a wide forest track. Simply turn left down to the road walking the short distance along the verge back to the pub.

Adapted from the Pub Walks Range of books by Mike Power, Power Publications, 1 Clayford Ave, Ferndown, Dorset. Available from all good bookshops or contact sales@powerpublications.co.uk.

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