Discover Saint Ives

Saint Ives: local history and Moors Valley

Saint Ives is part of the Parish of St. Leonards and St. Ives; Moors Valley Country Park is one of its two major country parks. This offers two distinct focuses for a stay: the local history of Saint Ives and the trails and activities at Moors Valley. Historical milestones tell the story of the town’s development, while trail lengths and individual activities help you narrow down your choices in the park. You can therefore plan your visit around either the local history or a specific park activity.

Historical milestones in Saint Ives

The earliest recorded mention of the name Saint Ives appears on a Somerley Estate map from 1781. In the late 19th century, Saint Ives became a settlement. The All Saints Mission Church was built in 1912 by local people on donated land. These details describe different historical milestones: a mention of the name, the development of the settlement and the construction of a church. The map dates a mention of the name, not the founding of the town. If you are interested in the history of Saint Ives, you can place these three dates in this order.

Moors Valley: location and trails

Moors Valley Country Park and Forest covers more than 800 acres. The park is on Horton Road in Ashley Heath, between Ringwood and St Leonards. In the Parish of St. Leonards and St. Ives, of which Saint Ives is part, it is one of two major country parks. Its walking trails range from three-quarters of a mile to five miles and are easy to follow. The different trail lengths offer a practical starting point when deciding how much walking to include in your visit to the park.

The Play Trail is a three-quarter-mile woodland trail with unique wooden play structures. Individual play structures may change. The Viewpoint Trail is three kilometres long, takes between one and two hours, and includes three short climbs. You can compare the two trails by their stated lengths; the Viewpoint Trail also has a suggested time range and includes the climbs. The walking trails overall cover a broader range than these two examples, from three-quarters of a mile to five miles.

More activities in the park

At Moors Valley, you can ride an authentic steam train; more than 20 locomotives operate there. The train ride is a standalone park activity that complements the trails. Operating days and timetables may change. So if you are planning a ride, check the latest details before your visit. Together with the walking trails of varying lengths, this gives you a choice between a walk and a steam train ride, without requiring both activities to fit the same timeframe.

Discover more destinations: Hampreston, Ferndown Town, Buckhorn Weston, Marnhull, Charmouth, Weymouth, Poole, Portland

For the wider travel guide: Dorset.