South West Coast Path 02/04/25

Day 13 Wed 2nd April

Bright sunshine and a strong east wind again today. Like yesterday, if you had the wind behind you it was tee shirt and shorts weather, if you were going the other way, windproofs and woolies.

Studland Bay

A short walk back to the beach and then all round beautiful Studland bay on the sand with lovely views back to Old Harry and less lovely ones to Bournemouth.

Old Harry

There is a National Trust sign that says 'Naturists may be seen beyond this point'. There was no sign of this rare creature in the biting easterly wind!

Strange animal warning

Arrived at the end of the South West Coast Path just in time to catch the chain ferry across to Poole.

SWCP sign

Bus, train and bus back to collect my car from Jackie's. Another journey completed.

The end

3.5 miles walked. No ascent!

South West Coast Path 01/04/25

Day 12. 1st April.

Very different weather this morning, overcast and a strong east wind making it feel really cold. Wooly hat and gloves until the clouds cleared and it started to warm up although the strong easterly wind remained.

Overcast morning

 I carried on walking along the road around the firing range until I was eventually able to get to a path leading back to the sea at Kimmeridge Bay where there was nothing but a useful public convenience.

Kimmeridge Bay

Back on the Coast Path and a good, relatively level, stretch above Kimmeridge Ledges which ended in a very steep climb to Houns-tot Cliff (strange name).

Looking back from Houns-tot

A short detour inland followed before climbing up to St Aldhelms head with it's Coastguard lookout and steep steps down to Winspit and even steeper steps up the other side.

St Aldhelms steps
(A much better picture than mine)

After the trial by steps the path becomes more reasonable all the way round to the lighthouse on Anvil Point past some interesting places names like 'Dancing Ledge' and 'Blackers Hole'

Coast to Anvil Point

I remember when I was at school, reading a book by J M Faulkner ( not sure how I remembered the authors name) called Moonfleet. It was a smuggling tale set on this part of the coast and at Tilly Whim Caves (actually an old quarry) there was an information board that mentioned the book.

Tilly Whim

Swanage seemed to be a pleasant place as I walked round the seafront and into the end of the town to access the path up to the chalk headland of Ballard Down.

Swanage beach

Old Harry, the rocks off Handfast point are quite spectacular chalk sea stacks but with the strong gusty wind getting close to the edge was not advisable!

Old Harry

A short walk to Studland and a nice bath in the hotel to clean up before finishing tomorrow.

21 miles walked. 950 meters ascent.

South West Coast Path 31/03/25

Day 11 Mon 31st Mar

Another perfect day, unbelievably good weather with excellent walking temperatures controlled by the breeze.

Old railway track to Ferrybridge 

Great views over Chesil Beach until it vanished in the haze as I walked down the hill to the path to Ferrybridge by the main road.

Ferrybridge 

It was then a short walk round Portland harbour, some of it on an old railway line, before reaching Nothe Fort.

Parkland at Nothe Fort

Down to Weymouth harbour where there is rowing ferry to cross to the town, I walked up to the bridge to get a better look at the harbour and the center.

Weymouth Harbour 

I was surprised that I only saw a relatively small section of 'amusements' and other tat but there are lots of upmarket beach 'huts'.

Weymouth promenade 

The promenade goes on for about 2.5 miles and it felt a lot longer before I got onto a path again.

Looking back to Weymouth 

The path continued in cliffy, countryside way until reaching the chalk cliffs after Burning Cliff.

Becoming Chalky 

The path changes into an extreme rollercoaster as it climbs and dives over the chalk downs with the sea vertically below.

Chalk cliffs 

Approaching Durdle Door I was amazed by the number of people there were on the beach and path, every nationality seemed to be represented as well.

Durdle Door

Lulworth Cove was also busy, I'm not sure where all the people came from on a Monday at the end of March?

Lulworth Cove 

I walked round the cove on the beach including clambering over a rockfall but when I climbed up to the cliff path I discovered that the Lulworth firing range is shut every week denying access to the Coast  Path so, as I had no alternative, I had to go inland and walk around it.

Lulworth Cove

l thought it would be relatively easy to find a camp spot but all the keep out danger of death signs on both sides of the road were a bit off-putting so when I got to a locked carpark, with no camping sign, I thought it was the best option.

Keep Out

23 miles walked. 1000 meters ascent.

South West Coast Path 30/03/25

Day 10. Sun 30th Mar

The weather was even better today, just about perfect for walking, blue sky and sunshine all day and a northwesterly breeze to moderate the temperature.

Swannery 

An excellent breakfast and I was away down towards the Swannery, this was started by the monks for meat production but is now just a tourist attraction.

West Fleet and the Swannery 

The path goes inland for a while here to avoid the sensitive part of the Fleet nature reserve. It was nice walking round fields with no sight of the sea for a while.

Country walking

Down to the Fleet shore then near Langton Herring where the Path then follows the shoreline all the way to Ferrybridge with the huge gravel bank of Chesil Beach cutting off the sea view.

The Fleet 

It was a bit of a shock to meet all the traffic speeding backwards and forwards on the road to Portland but there is a good café at the Chesil Beach and Fleet interpretation centre that at least nourished the body.

Traditional style boats ay Chiswell

A short steep climb left the traffic behind and took me to the top of the Portland cliffs and a great walk along the top to Portland Bill and the lighthouse.

Looking back to Fortuneswell and Chesil Beach

There were loads of people at the Bill as was to be expected on this beautiful spring day but I soon left them behind as I walked back on the east side towards the mainland.

Portland Bill

I could probably have camped in the old quarry, that is now a nature reserve but had already booked a room so enjoyed yet another decadent night.

Evening 

21.5 miles walked 700 meters ascent

South West Coast Path 29/03/3/25

 Day 8. Sat 29th Mar

 Another beautiful sunny morning, cold but with a light wind. Lyme Regis was only thinking of waking up as I walked through the town so I kept my breakfast thoughts on hold. 

Lyme Regis in the morning sunshine 

The Path has some rather strange diversions that take you in loops off the road only to return after a short distance. It would have been easier to stay on the road.

Strange sculpture near the Golf Course

Charmouth provided breakfast at the Bakery before climbing up the road to Stonebarrow Hill where the path resumed rolling over the cliff tops before climbing to the days highpoint at Golden Cap, nearly 200 meters high with associated amazing views.

Vie from Golden Cap

 The wind was increasing and there were a number of paragliders utilising the updrafts from the cliffs to do some fancy flying. 

Gliding

The path was again diverted from the cliff edge to go through the Bridport and West Dorset Golf Club which was an interesting exercise in missile defense on a busy Saturday morning. 

Golfing 

The hills were getting lower and lower until after Hive I ended up walking on the pea gravel that, while not yet Chesil Beach, is of that start of that huge sweep of gravel.

Gravel 

Low shoes are not the ideal footwear for loose gravel and I admired the big boots of the hundreds of fishermen who were in their little shelters dotted along the beach in the now increasingly strong cold wind, patiently watching their rods.

Fishing

I was very glad to get off the beach and onto a track just behind the gravel bank which took me up to the village of Abbotsbury and a delightful ancient Inn 

Ilchester Arms

18.5 miles walked 900 meters ascent.

South West Coast Path 28/03/25

Day 8. Friday 28th Mar 

A beautiful sunny morning with a fairly strong north westerly breeze that made it feel cold out of the sun. 

Sidmouth seafront 

A lovely route along the cliff top with a few steep drops and climbs to the lunch stop at Branscombe Mouth where there is a good café.

Cliff top walk

A short hop up and over Beer head and I was in Beer. It was obviously impossible not to have a beer in Beer and luckily the pub had Guinness Zero so I was able to survive the next section.

Enjoying the sunshine 

From Beer to Seaton was basically a walk along the coast and promenade but it then climbed up through the caravan park and turned into something special.

Beach to Seaton 

The route climbs up to Haven Cliff and then descends to the 'undercliff'. This is an area of collapsed cliff that had originally been high agricultural land.

The undercliff

It is a heap of jumbled ground that has grown a mass of tangled vegetation that the path threads it's way through.

Almost jungle 

Ash dieback has caused a big problem and there has been a lot of felling which is changing the nature of the area.

Nearing Lyme Regis

I would love to come back and walk this section later in the year when there is more new growth.

Under the cliff 

A great, but tough, finish to the day.

16 miles walked, 1100 meters ascent.