Follow the lane left past Holford Bowling Green and over a stream. At the sharp bend beyond, leave up a wooded track beside a curious 'dog pound'. Beyond a gate, bear left at a fork to rise steeply along the spur of Longstone Hill, where a stand of pine is a memorial to Holford and Kilve's war dead. Keep climbing with the main track, later branching left at a fork to continue over the crest of the hill. The path eventually falls to a junction by a small pool at Bicknoller Post.

Bear left above the head of Sheppard's Combe to a broader track and go left again. Reaching a shallow dip, bear off right on a rising grass track. Where it bends left at the crest of the hill, take the first track leaving right and then fork left towards the raised mound of Thorncombe Barrow.

Return to the main track and continue round the bend. Ignore paths dropping to the right carry on along the broad spine of Thorncombe Hill. Beyond the high-point, the way dips above the head of Slaughterhouse Combe before merging with the lower track. At a fork, either branch leads to Halsway Post.

Pass the oak post on your left to mount a stile/gate just beyond. Follow a climbing path beside the left fence to a junction by another stile/gate. To the right is the site of Hurley Beacon, but the onward route lies over the stile. Ignore the crossing track and head to the next top, Black Hill, marked by a trig column.

Bear left past the column, cross a broad track and walk forward on a falling green trail to a junction in front of Wilmot's Pool. Swing left past the pond and go left again as the path splits. Crossing a broad track, keep ahead past a lone hawthorn, gently descending the flank of Frog Hill. The gradient later steepens into the wooded valley of Lady's Combe. At the bottom, drop right across a stream and turn right again beside it. Shortly parting from the stream, the path climbs more determinedly to a junction. Go left to continue uphill. Ignore side paths, but keep right at a fork, shortly encountering another cross-path. Turn left for the final pull onto Dowsborough, cutting through an impressive ditch and earthen bank defence to walk inside the fort's northern boundary.

Breaking into a small clearing towards the far end, turn out of the fort through a breach in the rampart and head downhill on a clear path across open heath. Keep ahead at a junction over the final top, Woodlands Hill. Continue towards Holford, dropping into woodland beside an ancient boundary of beech trees. Leave the woods onto a lane near the main road and go left, climbing over a rise to a junction at the edge of the village. Walk right to the next junction and swing sharp left back towards the car park, crossing the stream that powered Holford's silk mill.