SWCP: Swanage to Shell Bay

 

An easy final day, except that my little toe was hurting. I ended up wearing the old pair of kids’ sandals I’d brought with me, with the toe folded over the top of the neighbouring one. Bizarre arrangement.

Farewell to the idyll

The walk from Swanage past Old Harry’s Rocks was fabulous - open grassy cliff tops, full of people of all ages walking, cycling, picnicking etc. a beautiful place with stunning views. 

I managed to walk all along the beach after that, having made my way from one to another via a lot of seaweed rocks - only possible because the tide happened to be out. Loads of lovely dogs all over the place. The beaches were busy as the sun was out. Quite a few people in the sea and doing sports like boating and paddle boarding. The water’s quite warm as it’s a shallow bay. Naturism is allowed on one stretch of beach - lots of very tanned old bodies among the dunes and lying full-frontal on the beach. Yikes!

The ferry from Studland to Sandbanks was about to go as I got there, so just a quick photo next to the “end of SWCP” monument as I hurried past. 

Caught the bus to Bournemouth and discovered it’s called the “Breezer” because half of the top deck is open-air. Most pleasant.  Drive home was loads better than Wednesday night’s journey and I was home by 5.45, a bit sunburned but full of joie de vivre. Weighed my pack when I got home and it was almost a stone. I really need to invest in some proper lightweight trousers, raingear and shoes for next time.

SWCP: Rural oasis

Realised it would take me two and a half hours to get to Lulworth, so the walk from there to Kimmeridge will have to wait till another trip. Spent much of the day sitting in the garden. Wandered down to Swanage for a couple of hours. Enjoyed the peace, solitude, flowers and birds.

 

SWCP: Kimmeridge to Swanage

Today was a long one - in fact, the longest solo walking I’ve done, and with more ascent and descent too. 

Woke up to this view outside my window and the faint sound of sheep.

Went off to get the 8.30 bus, waited a while, looked at the timetable on the bus stop and realised it only runs at the weekend. Called my taxi lady Ange. Was in Kimmeridge by 930 by way of a lovely chat.

Once again, the weather was perfect. Sunny with a cooling breeze. One of the first sights I came to was Clavell Tower. It used to stand nearer to the edge of the cliff (you can see some of the old foundations in the foreground of this picture) but the Landmark Trust bought it, moved it a bit inland and now rent it out. I had a look at the booking page out of curiosity but it’s not available at all. Ange says that’s because it gets booked up the minute each week becomes available, two years in advance.

For most of the day today I could hear artillery fire - zooms, booms, whistling missiles and guns firing. A lot of it incredibly loud, you can feel the vibration and hear the echo rolling across the sea. Ange said it’s become a lot more frequent since the invasion of Ukraine.

View from the top of Houns Tout

Lots of very steep steps today - you can see some up the side of this hill

Another feature of the day were large numbers of youths (uni and school age) doing their Duke of Edinburgh expeditions. All carrying massive rucksacks with tents in them. I encountered a lot of school kid groups sitting down for a rest. 

Also saw loads of flowers 😃

Particularly interesting and unexpected was the undulating cliff top above Dancing Ledge, apparently called “Scratch Arse Ware” which is covered with long, lush, vividly green grass. Never seen that on the coast before. 

I finally made it into Swanage by about 4pm.

 I felt fine legs-wise but by this point the soles of my feet were bitterly complaining about my uncomfortable boots, which were pinching and rubbing. It was so untenable that I went into a shop and bought some new walking shoes.

Bought some food and walked another half hour up the hill to Semra’s house, which is A MAY ZING. Astonishingly lovely. It’s a Manor House in the hills above Swanage with a huge walled garden for gawd’s sake!

My bedroom

Narnia moment - opened a cupboard door
in the bedroom to find this.

Small part of the astonishing garden

SWCP: Osmington to Lulworth Cove

Everything but the boots has been great today. I need to ditch them and get some walking shoes as the soles of my feet are so uncomfortable. Yet more glorious weather today - does it ever actually rain on the south coast??

Had a cooked breakfast in the B&B…

…and then strolled off to get my bus to Osmington. It was on time but sailed straight past as I didn’t stick my arm out. Fortunately there was another one in half an hour. 

Heard and saw a pair of stonechats on a hedge on the way from Osmington

You can hear loud booms and machine gun noises all the time, rolling across from the military firing ranges east of Lulworth Cove.

The water by Durdle Door was astonishingly clear.

Made it to Lulworth Cove, as lovely as ever. There’s a long paved path going down into the town, full of families, kids, grandparents, retired couples walking up to Durdle Door. A lot of the older couples seem very happy. Most people I meet on my walks are really friendly. One retired couple with their two tiny dogs stepped aside for me as I came up behind them and said “you don’t want to get stuck behind us, you’ll be there all day”. 

I’m staying in a hut in someone’s back garden tonight. Very peaceful, backing into fields. Going to get myself some takeaway fish and chips from the local pub. Quite hungry as have only had an apple and a carrot since breakfast! I have a bit of sunburn on one arm - the one that was side-on to the sea.

Cheers!

SWCP: Should have let the train take the strain

Hideous drive down to Bournemouth in lashing rain so I could see. M3 blocked so had to go long way round. Jams everywhere. Took three hours and I only just made it in time to catch my pre-booked train to Weymouth. Stressful, and not worth it just to avoid the bus replacement service on the way back on Sunday. Arrived in Weymouth towards 9pm.

The water in Weymouth was lovely, so calm.

I had a little single room in a traditional B&B on the sea front.