Staple Hill and Staple Park Wood

Yes

8 Km (5 miles)

The first mile of the walk is downhill, so it’s no surprise that later on there is a steady uphill section, passing close to the highest point of the Blackdown Hills. The route coincides with parts of the East Deane Way, the Neroche Millennium Walk and the Staple Fitzpaine Herepath.

Deer Parks
An Ordnance Survey triangulation point, hidden amongst the trees on Staple Hill, marks the highest point on the Blackdown Hills at 315 metres (1033ft) above sea level.
During the 13th century there were two deer parks near Staple Fitzpaine: Staple Park and a smaller one at Park Farm.  By 1583 the smaller park had vanished leaving Staple Park which was sold to Hugh Portman in 1595. The Portmans, a prosperous and important local family, were keen huntsmen - they added a pale to the park boundary (wooden fence) and in 1690 a lodge and kennels were built.
The remains of the park survive on the ground today as a sinuous, curving boundary, which is represented in places by a substantial double bank. Ancient, pollarded oaks in Piddle Wood and the neighbouring fields around Staple Lawns indicate the former areas of wood pasture, which lay adjacent to the deer park.

Staple Hill car park (Map ref. ST 246 159)