PASSING through Westbourne and Parkstone and skirting the broad expanse of Poole Harbour, our road traverses wooded Upton Heath and then descends to the valley of the River Stour on its way to Wimborne Minster and Christchurch Priory. Passing on our left Spettisbury Ring, an early British entrenchment, we cross the Stour and see the entrance gates to Bryanstone Park, once the residence of Lord Portman.

A few miles farther on we enter Blandford, a market town of considerable architectural interest, which was largely rebuilt after a disastrous fire in 1731 had destroyed all but 40 of its houses. Our road now wends its way through the well-wooded hamlet of Stourpaine where the chalk hills rise on both sides of the road -- hills that were the scene of much fighting in the Civil War. Through Stourpaine and to the left of the road, Hodd Hill crowned by the remains of a Roman Camp and some earlier British earthworks can be seen. Driving on through the pretty modern village of Iwerne Minster we reach Compton Abbas. On our right is Compton Down and, a little farther on, Melbury Hill.

Our journey next brings us to Shaftesbury, perched on an eminence over-looking the Vale of Blackmore. Shaftesbury is reputed to be one of our oldest towns (some historians maintaining that it existed in the days of King Lud, that is about 1000 B.C.). Leaving Shaftesbury, we cross into Wiltshire, and passing through the village of Knoyle, travel along Salisbury Plain, reaching the hamlet of Longbridge Deverill. Crossing the River Wylye, we enter Warminster, whose ancient church has a 15th-century tower.

Travelling on into Somerset, we drive through the villages of Beckington, Monkton Combe and Combe Down, perched high on the hills above the City of Bath. Combe Down is noted for the purity of its air and is accordingly visited by many invalids. High on the hill to our left stands Claverton Manor House, the scene of a skirmish in the Civil War which preceded the Battle of Lansdown. Our road then descends into Bath itself, through which we pass on to Keynsham. Leaving Keynsham we are soon in Gloucestershire, entering the outskirts of the City of Bristol.

It was from Bristol that in the year 1497 John and Sebastian Cabot set sail on their voyages of discovery. Bristol is a busy port to-day and its docks run to the cery heart of the city. The crowning glory of the city so far as ecclesiastical architecture is concerned is the Church of St. Mary Radcliffe. The Cabot tower and that of the University can be seen on the high ground to the right, whilst to our left and ahead of uslies the Avon Gorge, spanned by the Clifton Suspension Bridge, under which we pass. This famous bridge, 700 ft. long, rises 245 ft. above the river at low water. It was completed in 1864 and its chains actually came from the old Hungerford Bridge across the Thames. Leaving Bristol, we climb to the top of the Downs and reach the Zoological Gardens, where a stop is made for lunch, tea and sightseeing.

On our return journey, we retrace our way through Bristol to Keynsham, passing Messrs. J. S. Fry & Sons' Chocolate Works at Somerdale, and reach Bath, where time is allowed for sightseeing. Bath was first built in Roman times and called,Aqua Sulis. Many of the palatial baths erected then have been unearthed in recent years, and Bath has retained its popularity as a health resort to this day.

Keeping the River Nadder on our right, we drive into Salisbury, the only city in Britain whose date of founding can be exactly quoted -- April 28th, 1220. The crowning glory of Salisbury is its magnificent Cathedral, which has the distinction of being the only one in England begun and completed in one style of architecture, namely early English. Passing through Salisbury, we see the ancient Poultry Cross in the centre of the City, a picturesque survival from the Middle Ages.

Travelling on through the villages of Downton and Fordingbridge to the pretty old market town of Ringwood, a short run through pleasantly wooded country brings us back to Bournemouth.