Tips
MCW73
May 28, 2026
Hiking
Welcome to Sherborne Castle, Dorset’s ultimate architectural plot twist!
In 1592, Sir Walter Raleigh fell so madly in love with the 12th-century "Old Castle" that Queen Elizabeth I snagged it for him. But instead of renovating, Raleigh built a fancy new pad nearby. Legend says a terrified servant saw Raleigh smoking tobacco there, assumed he was combusting, and doused him with a glass of ale!
Later, Oliver Cromwell blew up the old castle, and Capability Brown added a massive lake. Today, the same family has lived there for 400 years, presumably avoiding smoking inside.
In 1592, Sir Walter Raleigh fell so madly in love with the 12th-century "Old Castle" that Queen Elizabeth I snagged it for him. But instead of renovating, Raleigh built a fancy new pad nearby. Legend says a terrified servant saw Raleigh smoking tobacco there, assumed he was combusting, and doused him with a glass of ale!
Later, Oliver Cromwell blew up the old castle, and Capability Brown added a massive lake. Today, the same family has lived there for 400 years, presumably avoiding smoking inside.
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Nearby routes
Best routes near Sherborne Castle
4.5
(16)
110
hikers
12.7km
03:27
170m
170m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily walkable paths.
Moderate
3
hikers
13.0km
03:32
180m
190m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily walkable paths.
Moderate
10
hikers
13.7km
03:41
170m
170m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily walkable paths.
Moderate
Details
Informations
Distance 74 m
Uphill 0 m
Downhill 0 m
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Location: Sherborne, West Dorset, Dorset, South West England, England, United Kingdom