Day 49 The Finale! Worth Matravers to South Haven Point (14 miles / 22km) (sorry for delay in posting this, it took me a few days to write, to say all I wanted to sayxx) With 992km behind me there was just 22 of them in front of me to complete this South West Coast Path adventure. I woke before my alarm wanting to start my day knowing I wouldn’t want to rush these final miles. To stay in it a little longer. I had no way of knowing at the start if I would feel this way…
Day 48 Lulworth Cove to Worth Matravers (14 miles / 22km) Based on the Sunday roast I had a feeling breakfast at the Castle Inn might be a good one. It was. One of the oldest pubs in Dorset , The Castle Inn made such a beautiful stay. I departed Lulworth on what was my second last walking day. Tomorrow I would be walking to The End. I thought I best take extra care today not to go flying over or get cow kicked or ankle rolling or face planting or hill sliding or any of the things that could…
Day 47 Ferrybridge (Weymouth) to Lulworth Cove ( 14 miles / 23km) * Day 44 is there, I got a few messages saying what happened to Day 44? I posted it at same time as Day 45 to catch up so it got a bit lost I think. It is the July 13th post. Thank you for checking I’d not walked off a cliff on Day 44 . I really appreciate the care and the beautiful comments of support. It is very very lovely. xxxx This is another of the kind of walking day that will stay with me…
Day 46 Ferrybridge to Isle Of Portland Circuit. (15 miles/ 25km) The Island of Portland forms part of The South West Coast Path because it is a ‘tied’ island – in this case connected to the mainland by the great shingle bar of Chesil Beach. (That shingle gets everywhere). It is also connected by the A354 and this is what you walk down to get to the start of this section of Coast Path. Portland Island is a colossal wedge of pure limestone and so it follows that it is most famous for it’s quarrying history and it’s…
Day 45 Abbotsbury to Ferrybridge (Weymouth) (11.3 miles / 18km) This was a gentle, restorative walking day. Elevation wise this is one of the flattest sections of the whole South West Coast Path. It was a morning that was “Farmer Farmer , May I cross your golden field ?” I did just that all morning. It was a feast of Dorset countryside -fields, tractors , stiles and then more fields. Second only to the smell of English woods is the smell of an English farmers field on a summers morning. It was a patchwork quilt of crops and it…
Day 44. Seatown to Abbotsbury. (12.5 miles /20km) The view when I woke from my room at The Anchor Inn just entered the leader board for the best view on eye opening so far. This pub situated practically right on the pebbles meant my window looked right over it’s beach front door mat and the rolling green heights of Ridge Cliff. It was so still – the sky was cloudless and the water like glass. The staff here are as wonderful as the view. Last night on arrival – which was about 6.30 I had my first accomodation…
Day 43 Seaton to Seatown (14.9 miles /24km ) I met Caroline in her lovely kitchen early where she had laid the table ready for me and had the kettle on. We both had tea while I had breakfast – she was joy to chat to and then to add to it she brings out her marmalade. One of my ponderings on this walk has been that I now feel I have entered a new chapter of my life. This chapter is being the making of marmalade chapter. I always been the hunter of good marmalade especially while walking…
Day 42. Sidmouth to Seaton (10.3 miles / 16.6km) Special mention to the breakfast at Dukes Seaside Inn. Excellent eggs and a big teapot that kept tea steaming hot. I love a breakfast included! This smaller but mighty stage leaves all holiday makers and crowds behind and lifts me back into the very welcomed cliffs and climbs , it is an epic stage and glorious walking. On this very hot day when I think most people were choosing to be in the water rather than walking above it I had the whole place to myself. Leaving Seaton along the…
Day 41 Exmouth to Sidmouth (12.5 miles / 21km) This is a milestone point on The South West Coast Path as I now officially step onto the Jurassic Coast section of this 1014 km trail and it accounts for the next 155km of it. It also means stepping into what was designated England’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 putting it alongside The Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon and such places . What makes this section deserving of this honour is the rock that is underfoot and which you can visibly see as you walk over the…
Day 40 Babbacombe to Exmouth (23.2 km /14.4 miles ) This was a day ! A mix of two different challenges, the combination of which I feel my legs paid a price for. They had to adjust to different asks from me , which they did bless them, but I think they are cross with me for it. It would not have been the challenge that it was without a timing factor to navigate. Yep . The F word again. A two ferry crossing day with the cut off time of the second ferry meaning the day…