The Milldown is an area of open grassland fringed by a belt of scrub and woodland around its boundaries.  Like most of the grassland in the area, this land was once woodland, thought to have been cleared by the end of the Bronze Age, 4,000 years ago.  Much of the Milldown has the gentle rolling character typical of chalk topography.  Due to its elevated and exposed position, there are superb extensive views across the Stour Valley and adjacent farmland. The Milldown used to be part of the Portman Estate and there is a splendid view across the Stour Valley of the Portman's old family house.  This fine late Victorian building (1898) now houses Bryanston School.  After two of the Lords Portman died in quick succession, the Milldown had to be sold to pay death duties.  It was eventually bought by the Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough of Blandford in 1917, to provide "a recreation ground within half a mile of the Borough of Blandford" and it has been a public open space ever since.  Shortly after the First World War the Town Council planted many trees and laid out the paths, although much of the Milldown was farmed until quite recently.In 1862 the Milldown was divided in two by the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway.  This line joined Bath to Bournemouth and was nicknamed "Slow and Dirty" or "Serene and Delightful" depending on one's point of view!  Since the railway's closure in 1966 the vegetation has gradually colonised the banks creating a haven for wildlife.  Soft Shield and Hart's Tongue Fern and Twayblade grow in the shade of the trees.  The dappled shade and shafts of sunlight attract a variety of insects such as dragonflies, hoverflies and Speckled Wood butterflies.  Along the old railway line there are numerous Buddleia bushes, which attract Peacock, Painted Lady, Comma, Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshell.One section of the Milldown, the Hangings, escaped intensive cultivation due to its steep slope.  It is now a precious fragment of the natural chalk grassland once so characteristic of the local countryside. Grazing was re-introduced in 1994 to maintain the area as downland and to keep the coarser vegetation at bay, enabling a colourful mosaic of wild flowers to thrive.  Bedstraws, Vetches, Scabious and Harebells can be seen along with chalk specialities like Clustered Bellflower and Wild Mignonette.  The rich variety of downland flowers provide food for the countless insects which can be seen from late spring to early autumn.  These have included the Small and Large Skippers, Marbled Whites, Small Heaths, Clouded Yellows and the beautiful Common Blue butterflies.  In 1990 the rarer Adonis Blue was also recorded.Today the Milldown is managed by North Dorset District Council and Dorset County Council's Countryside Service.  Since the Milldown project was set up in 1990 some local residents have recorded their wildlife sightings.  Their records have revealed a wealth of wildlife:  one hundred and sixty three flowering plant species, twenty five butterfly species and fifty eight species of birds.Whatever your interest, the Milldown has something for you.  You can enjoy a picnic, take a quiet stroll, watch the abundant wildlife or simply sit and admire the view.

SECTION 1: OLD RAILWAY LINE  (Length 600m).

From the car park adjacent to Milldown First School walk along the gravel path with the fenced play area on your left-hand side.  This path takes you onto the trackbed of the old Somerset and Dorset Railway and the level-crossing keeper's cottage is on your right-hand side.  Along the trackside there are many alien plants which are quite at home in this man-made habitat.  Canadian Golden Rod, originally from the wide shingle beds of North America, thrives here.  Buddleia, from the scree of Himalayan mountains, and Oxford Ragwort, from Sicilian lava fields, have also found a niche in which to flourish. Continue along the railway walk until you reach the first bridge that crosses over the line.  Go up the gravel ramp on the left before you reach the bridge and turn left just before the pavement at the top of the ramp.  Continue along the grassy strip until it takes you back to the gravel path.  Turn right and return to the car park along your original route.  Section 1 ends at the car park.

SECTION 2: OPEN GRASSLAND WITH FORMAL AVENUE OF TREES AND A SHELTERED WOODLAND GLADE (Length 285m).

From the car park, walk towards Milldown Road over the bridge that crosses the old railway line.  Before you reach Milldown Road turn right along the avenue of Beech trees. Continue along this tarmac path as it curves round to the right.  This brings you out into the sheltered woodland glade area of the Little Milldown with the Monkey Puzzle trees on your right.  This area is a naturalised Victorian town garden and combines many of the features of chalk grassland with a sheltered woodland glade.  This is another valuable pocket of wildlife interest, particularly noted for the large numbers of butterflies.  Look out for Common Blue, Small Copper and Orange Tip.  Turn left along a grass path past a large Douglas Fir where Goldcrests can often be heard and seen.  This path takes you back to the old railway line where this Section ends.

SECTION 3: OLD RAILWAY LINE  (Length 340m).

From Section 2, turn left and continue along the old railway line in a northerly direction.  Walk along the old trackbed as far as you can go and then return to the gate.  (Please note that the area north of the gate is privately owned, so please keep to the trackbed).  Large and Dingy Skipper, Green-veined White, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood and Ringlet are some of the species recorded so far in this section.  Look out for the growths on Bramble stems which are the galls of a Gall Wasp.  Section 3 ends at the metal gate.

SECTION 4: OPEN DOWNLAND AND WOODLAND FRINGE  (Length 315m).

From the metal gate carry on along the old railway line for a short stretch (35 metres) and take the first path to your left which brings you out onto the chalk grassland slope known as the Hangings.  Please keep dogs on a lead in the fenced area of the Hangings while stock are present.  Early Purple, Common Spotted and Pyramidal Orchids grow here, and Small Copper, Common Blue and Marbled White butterflies are regularly seen.  Go through the kissing gate and  continue along the Hangings in a northerly direction until you reach a small planting of Scots Pine, Ash and Gorse which is on your right-hand side.  Section 4 ends here.

SECTION 5: OPEN DOWNLAND AND WOODLAND FRINGE (Length 160m).

Continue along the grassy path that runs parallel to the scrub at the bottom of the slope.  Many downland plants occur here, including Harebell, Cowslip, Clustered Bellflower and Wild Mignonette.  As you reach the far northern end of the Hangings go through the kissing gate and follow the path round as it curves to the right up the slope.  Section 5 ends when you reach the tarmac path.

SECTION 6: OPEN GRASSLAND AND WOODLAND FRINGE (Length 585m).

Turn left along the tarmac path and follow it around the central grassland area of the Milldown.  It is worth looking up into the canopy of the woodland fringe as a Purple Hairstreak was recorded in this section in 1992.  Its food plant of Oak is abundant here.  If you look up into the canopy you will see the Rookery and along the path are young Elm trees.  The Wall Brown butterfly was recorded in this section in 1991.Continue along the tarmac path, ignoring any paths that turn off to the left, until you reach the car park, which represents the end of Section 6 and completes the Butterfly Walk.