Village creates stylish stile trail

A walking trail with specially enhanced stiles has been created by residents of a Dorset village.

Artists and local organisations "adopted" nine stiles in and around the village of Stourton Caundle, near Sherborne.

The stiles include one made of local Marnhull stone. Others were decorated by pupils in the village primary school and members of the Countrymen UK charity.

Organiser Catherine Speakman said the idea came about when a new stile was built in the village last year and was seen as a "blank canvass".

"I thought it would be fun to decorate them and it grew to local businesses, charities and artists all individually adopting a stile and creating a trail to go round all the historical elements of our village," she added.

It is hoped the two-mile (3km) trail will encourage people to learn more about the village's history and landscape

David Fox of the Countrymen UK charity described the group's effort as a "portal into the countryside".

"Our chaps decided we'd like to do it as a doorway through the style and we've decorated it with all kinds of motifs of what our men do."

The route starts and leaves from the village pub, The Trooper Inn.

Donations will go towards community projects, including the village hall.

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