Day 47 Ferrybridge (Weymouth) to Lulworth Cove ( 14 miles / 23km)

 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 long after my boots are off.  It will be another that when I have hung my boots up and am fireside in a rocking chair, feet up – that I will recall and have  the same glow of wonder and well being as the day it was walked.    I finished it in complete awe and feeling like I had just given myself a gift I can reopen whenever I like.   

There are many photos today it was a day I tried to capture as best I could.   I wanted to have it to look at over and over.    

Leaving Chloe’s wonderful Air B and B snug with two loads of washing done and hair all washed, from head to socks I felt refreshed after this two night stop in this ideal stay.   I was so looking forward to this stage.   When I had mentioned to people I was in my final days they would say “aaahhh but you’ve got the cliffs to Lulworth Cove to come…”  Knowing the ending would be as wildly beautiful as the beginning was a full circle moment on this 7 week trail .  

I left Weymouth on it’s  long esplanade and into fields to warm up for what was to come.  The path drops briefly to Osmington Hills, a tiny village and, in another moment that makes this trail so uniquely English,  it runs directly into a pub.   And a fabulous one as well.    The path runs up to the pub front door before it turns and goes around the back to rise up again into the hills.   Who can possibly keep walking and not stop!?    The trail practically insists you do and especially when its a 13th century thatched roof one called The Smugglers Inn.   Named as the beach it sits by was one of the main landing places for smuggled goods in the 17th century.    It was too early for a pint but just right for a pot of tea.     I sat with my cuppa and back pack biscuit break in their beer garden – happily taking in the beautiful pub imagining that these pub walls would hold some excellent stories over the past 700 years.  

Trying not to look at the lunch menu which would of been an excellent way to spend the afternoon I chucked my back pack on and rejoined the trail around the back of the Smugglers.    Up to hills and a narrow cliff side path that is also lined with coast guard cotttages.   These cottages were built to house the coast guards who were trying to put an end to the roaring trade of the smugglers.   Situated at smuggling hot spots  along the Coast Path and purpose built for the job.   There was no other option as the villagers would refuse to house the coast guards – not letting them rooms or houses or in any way encouraging their prescence.    Villagers were quite happy doing their dealings with smugglers and their cut price smuggled goods.   No help would be offered to thwart it.    You can imagine that converstion “I said to Barbra they’re not staying here – they can sod off .  Salt for half price last week off Bearded Bobby on the beach”.   So it was to the coast cottage they were exiled to , away from villages and in very exposed and remote cottages.  As well as being an unpopular profession it must of been a fairly bleak one in the middle of winter.  

The path rounds the cottages on the cliffs and starts the first of one of the truly spectacular climbs of the day, a 525 foot ascent to White Nothe.  It begins the white chalk cliff stunningness that is the terrain underfoot for the rest of this stage.    From here I could see all the way to where I walked yesterday on Portland Island.  It is wild, open and white stone cliff topped with rolling green.   It was cause for out loud expressions of awe –  the white, green and blue sky beauty of it all.    I looked down to see the chalky white cliff edge path dust had left my pants and boots chalky white,   geologically speaking I was covered in the Cretaceous Period.    I headed on to round the  corner and saw stretched out the most  breathtaking scenery.  Roller coaster cliffs of ups and downs to climb with views so beautiful I forgot about my knees and feet , it was the view equivalent of two ibuprofen tablets.  

The first descends down to Middle Bottom and climbs back out Bats Hole and then to Scratchy Bottom (yep).   It is a truly epic walk.   The climbs are rewarded with staggering views and the path options going down are like a chose your own adventure.   After being in natures Adventure World and  hikers dream  a final climb brings Durdle Door into view .  This is said to be the most photographed section of this walk.    

Durdle Door is the famous natural arch of limestone rock sitting out at sea but attached to the maninland by a narrow sliver of rock.   A natural feature so perfect it looks like it has been designed and carfully built.   Instead nature has done the job with the tides eroding the rock away over years and years to create this cracker of a coastal highlight.  The golden beach that it can be viewed from was packed with swimmers as I walked on by careful not to walk straight over the edge for all of my arch staring.  

The walk goes on into the steep and chalky descent into the idyllic village of Lulworth Cove, where even the bus stop shelter is thatched.   I looked like I had been rolled in flour when I nipped into a very cute coffee shop for a much needed cuppa for my chalky dry throat.   It only just did the job and I ordered another one at which point a scone was offered and my throat was too dry to say “no thank you” so I said “yes please” . 

My accomodation was out of Lulworth Cove and in West Lulworth so up the hill I headed to the absolutly beautiful Castle Inn.   Showered and free of Cretaceous I went down to dinner which reminded me  it was a Sunday… so to top of a day to remember I had a Sunday roast to remember.  

Today I have to make special mention of my wonderful boots and their elite level grip  on those descents ,  keeping me  upright so I could now be happily horizontal.   I truly love them.  

Night night from lovely Lulworth xx

The trail as it heads up

                                                 

These little signs … I love them

                                             

Smugglers unite

A Smugglers Song

The down of downs!!

Durdle Door

Chalky

Lulworth Cove and it’s cottages