Worth Matravers to Studland 12/7/11 -12.4 Miles

It's nearly all over. I refer not to the end of the coast path, but to the fact that following a rather muddy treck around the quarry from Kingston in order to start the days walking in earnest, J slips on the edge of the path and falls dramatically with turned ankle, torn action trousers, and a balletic roll on the ground.

Its with some relief that after a minute it becomes clear that the ankle is not seriously damaged and the project is no longer jeapardised by injury. However no prospect of morning coffee in the Square and Compass, so its down via Seacombe and onto the empty stretch passed the abseilors at dancing ledge ans on th Anvil point. It's a dull morning. Although not the most challenging of sections of the path this 3.5 mile stretch feels quite hard going. Perhaps it's last nights cider, perhaps J's dive, but by the Dolphin lookout post at Durleston we feel very tired. Spirits are not revived by the fact that the Castle, where we had hoped for refreshment, is closed for a major refurbishment. We have to continue to the

advertised cafe which is  round the corner, up the hill and across the car park. Its not a cafe, its a stall and the slow queue (3 people only ahead of us) does not relieve the grumpiness.

Arrival down the hill into Swanage picks us up. There are lunch options. In the end we get a nice sandwich, bottle of good ginger beer and fancy crisps from a pleasant deli. It costs less than the poor sandwich we had back at Abbotsbury. We dine on the small groyne by the clocktower on the Swanage seafront. The place appears to be full of Italian schoolkids on a field trips, and the continuation of the path up Ballard Down is mobbed with them. The sun comes out, and the scenery looks great and we are back in a good rhythm. The view of Poole Harbour is followed by the iconic close up view of Old Harry Rock and his neighbours. Ankles hurting the last part of the formal Jurassic Coast brings us into Studland village by the Bankes Arms and a chance to sample the Purbeck Ales brewed here as well as the lethally strong draft perry , after which A feels no pain. 

We had considered continuing through the nature reserve, dunes and nudist beach to Shall Bay, but decide to quite for the day and return for that, and a chance to eat at the Shell Bay Restaurant. So instead its upstairs on the open topped bus, and a chance to ride the chain link ferry, and nose into the expensive real estate at Sandbanks. We return to Dorchester by train from Bournemouth, ruing the fact that our particular itinerary means that you have to pay full single fare on the trains. A tenner each one way to Dorch is the price of leaving the care behind.

We now have to decide when we are free in the summer schedules, in between music festivals and beach barbecues, to complete the one section of the path and not be shot at....

Around St Adhelms Head. 11/7/11- about 3 miles

We have a plan to spend a weeks holiday in Dorset, but the next section of the path going through the Lulworth ranges is closed, so we plan a jaunt around Purbeck. Bus to Swanage, steam train to Corfe Castle, and a walk across the common to our B and B at Kingston.

That evening we plan a walk around the nearby loop on the coast path, tracking overland and slightly off-piste down to Chapman's Pool. Another beautiful day and the cool, still evening is wonderful for walking. There are 2 fishermen at the boathouse but apart from them we see no other person until the pub.

But first we must climb the sheer ascent up the cliff at Emmmets Hill. 120 meters straight up gets the blood flowing. Rewarded with wonderful views along the coast to the sinking sun. A surprising memorial garden to Marines has nice poppies, and is followed by one of those challenging descents and ascents with steps that takes lots of energy and only seems to advance a couple of hundred yards on the path. Great seat at the corner of St Adhelm's Head where there is a chapel, coast guard station and another memorial, this time to those who developed radar in WW2.

Fine cliff section with wild flowers, affording a final view of distant Portland as we head to the fine atmospheric old quarry/caves at Winspit. We decide not to linger here , although had previously considered the rave potential of this spot, because we are headed to one of the highlights of the area, the Square and Compass at Worth Matravers. Originally we wanted our B and B in the village so we enjoy the full pleasure of an evening at this fine hostelry, but Kingston was the nearest we could find.  

Great to sit supping beer and cider and having the one food option here (pasties - today they were dry and disappointing) as the sun sets, the stars come out and we realise that you don't have to go far to feel fully holiday-ed up.

 

Return to the B and B walking on road rather than path, guided by a waxing moon and a head torch. Evening walking with classic 'real' pub - very fine indeed!

Here is a link to a song that is appropriate, and mentions the Square and Compass

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toyOPe0rfqU

Weymouth to Lulworth Cove. 9/7/11. - 10.9 miles.

Lovely morning. Weymouth beach is deserted at 9am and as the 31 bus deposits us amid the traffic cones of the seafront, we opt for a cheapo bacon sandwich and tea from a wild eyed young man in an empty esplanade cafe. 

The first part of the path here follows the beach. A is new to the Greenhill end of the town and with the view right round to St Alban's Head in the clear morning light it looks at its best today. After Lodmoor the path goes up the road over to Bowleaze, and we stop to view the remains of the small roman temple at Jordan Hill. Its then through the holiday camp, where picnics on the beach are outlawed for some reason, and the world heritage site contains dodgems. The striking art deco of the hotel looks more faded than usual up close. A couple men appear to be working on some kind of paint job. I hope they get it done in time for the Olympics.

After this point the countryside begins and the more customary atmosphere of the coat path kicks in. It very quickly comes to feel remote (save for large groups of helmeted kids abseiling off aparatus at the Osmington Bay activities centre). There is even a nice short stretch of undercliffe before we arrive at the Smugglers Inn for an early morning shandy, which is perfect in the summer morning heat. Good to visit this pub in high summer before it gets too full. There is a marquee making ready for a wedding reception, and the tables have been named after areas of the coastline, Chesil Beach, Durdle Door etc.

The next stretch through Ringstead is very familiar, J's default beach, snorkeling venue and round walk with weekenders. The climb up White Nothe is out first major ascent of the day and comes as ashock. Forget to select low gear and feel a bit knackered half way up. But the cliff views are wonderful and just get better rounding the coastguard cottages and looking east at the chalk of Bats Head. Its a fantastic spot for the packed lunch.

There are 3 sharp ascents and descents after this. Quite challenging but by now we are properly paced, and there are many rewards as this is the start of possibly the most iconic section of the whole Jurassic Coast. The sea views are great, with the chalk stack, the seam of Portland stone rocks off shore and the....well its hard not to sound like an A level geography casualty round here.

Good for wildlife too, with lots of tiny thyme in flower, and some wacky green/gold hopper type creatures who seem to favour wild carrot flowers.

More iconic views as we arrive at Durdle Door. The beach looks very inviting, but suddenly there are crowds of people. Massive litter collection operation. Ethnic diversity with lots of large family

groups enjoying dahl and rice. We observe a very marked tendency for what appears to be middle aged men with young Thai brides, how can we possibly record this on the blog, but really, its like there is a convention! Ice cream helps us over the hill in the crowds towards Lulworth cove, which is looking good as ever. The notorious car park and the large crowds don't really distract from the experience as might have been feared after the peace and near solitude of the previous few miles. Its A's first visit, so we take in Stair Hole, and the main street.

More time here would have been good but there is only one option at 1620. We are the only passengers after an over-refreshed family get off at the top of the hill at Daggers Gate. The subsised route gets us back to Dorchester for the bargain price of £1.30 each.

Ideally we would have liked to pick up the range walks from this point, but the military wont open them for another week. So we need to depart form the sequence we had planned, but we have a alternative for our next planned day, so we can barbeque tonight and attend the Sunday of the Weymouth Seafood festival tomorrow (which turned out to be great)

West Bexington - Weymouth 24/6/11 18.1 miles

..... or maybe 19 miles. A is keen that the extra mile from the bus stop at the top of the hill above West Bexington is counted in today's distance count. This is the longest planned walk of this project, if not the most challenging in terms of terrain.

We have embraced public transport totally today. The double decker view along the new relief road into Weymouth gives a new perspective on a strip of road now becoming familiar. We have about 50 minutes to kill on the Weymouth seafront before catching the scheduled X53 Jurassic Coast bus and find that St Mary's Church is open today (a rare thing, it would seem). So we are able to view the James Thornhill last supper from 1721 that resides here. The most significant painting on the coast path (we would assume). No signs re photography rules. J has camera and goes for a flash free photo. This action elicits a sarcastic remark about permission from a woman with a cup of tea but no other visible authority. We rise above this and can now place this shot on the blog for the world to appreciate.

The X53 is something of a scrum of very excited elderly holidaymakers from around the country. Boarding is slow as the traditional practice of checking where the bus is going by looking at the sign on the front seems to have been abandoned by many of our fellow travellers.

Descending from the bus stop by the uninspiring Bull at Swyre we pass Tamarisk Farm and its beautiful mixed organic vegetable beds and pasture running down to Chesil beach. And at last we are back on the trail at 1230pm. The vegetation along the beach has moved on distinctly from when we left off last month, and its a delightful flat 4 miles along to Abbotsbury. The bright sunshine on the morning has given way to an increasingly dull afternoon with a forecast for possible rain later.

The original idea was to pause for lunch at the colonial tearoom at the entrance to Abbotsbury subtropical gardens (a short diversion), but at the beach car park a shack is open and we take tea and a sandwich to the beach. A pity we did not check the prices. £3.95 for a very ordinary chicken and salad sandwich can only be described as a rip of. Perhaps anything with an Abbotsbury label attracts a mark up. A is outraged.

The next section of the path skirts the village and the swannery before making an unexpected ascent up and along a very attractive ridge. The fleet lagoon is now below us.  There are views and sheep and almost a feel of Derbyshire about this section, and the contrast with walking close beside chesil beach adds to it.

Gradually the path seems to loose contact with the sea behind Chesters Hill and round Wyke Wood before it emerges beside the fleet at Rodden Hive where a well placed seat provides a welcome break for water and an orange. Its supposed to be a good spot for birdlife, but there is little to show today. We skirt the fleet for a couple more miles, involving a good encounter with a stonechat, until arriving at Mooonfleet Manor hotel just after 4pm for a very welcome pot of earl grey. The wacky luxury of this place is a major contrast from the farmland and wildness outside. The guy who serves is quite confused by our project, and seems to delight in telling us that it has started to rain.

But it stays dry though gloomy as we pass Butterstreet Cove and Chickerell Hive Point. The firing range at Tidmoor Point has no red flag so we are not diverted inland. At this point A begins to feel the mileage in her dodgy ankle. Our pace has slowed considerably. Time to grit teeth, gird loins and push the envelope. The scenery varies between some nasty static caravan sites at Littlesea, and some pleasant wooded fleetside pathways. We have to divert around the 'Royal Engineers Bridging Hard' next. With its concrete, steel bridging components and razor wire it is perhaps the ugliest stretch of the coast path so far.

But Portland is now looking near, and we round a bend to see mussel and oyster beds and the comforting site of the Crab House Cafe, where we have previously eaten much fine seafood. Not today however as we take a drink in the Ferrybridge Inn. Looks rundown outside but the bar itself is fine, with binoculars available for the view. Jurassic bitter and shandy is ordered. 

We still have a couple of miles to go, and despite A's limp, we are a little refreshed. The track initially is the old railway route, but at Sandsfoot Castle covered with a mess of scaffolding the path takes in some very upmarket streets before emerging near the Qinetic bomb factory and the new sea defence at Nothe Gardens. Fall into the pub on Brewers Quay for much needed, and slightly celebratory drink. Relax to the sounds of locals telling diving stories. A bit like fishing stories but underwater and with more personal jeopardy.

So we head back on the ten to nine bus, ready only for more beer at home and a chance to check out Glastonbury on the red button.  Feels good to have clocked off this long stretch. A full day, but with more highlights and variety that we anticipated.