11 miles walked today
858.5 miles walked in total (10.73 average)
I started to walk at nine thirty today - I had another angst ridden few moments contemplating the hill out of Lulworth Cove, but, again, decided to give it a go, before giving up and driving back to Colnbrook.
It took me half an hour, but I did it and was soon striding downhill to Durdle Door, an arch formed by chalk being washed away to leave more durable Portland stone. Keen to have a breather, I sat down and looked at what I'd done so far this weekend. I've been able to see Weymouth and Portland in the distance for some time, so thought I'd look back for a change. As I got ready to move on again though, Weymouth and Portland had completely disappeared and I could see the rain moving rapidly in my direction! I got my coat on quickly and set off again - up another hill which afforded no shelter of any description. The rain stopped by the time I got to the monument at the top of Swyre Head so I tied my coat to the rucksack to dry off. It was much breezier today and I kept my fleece on all day.
At the top, the path levelled out towards White Nothe before dropping down into woods towards Ringstead. It was quite tricky here - the path had become very slippery due to the combination of clay and rain - and it took quite a lot of concentration to stay upright. At Ringstead, I stopped to use the facilities and to sample some Dorset apple cake and a cup of tea.
It was only a mile walk from here to Osmington Mills through woodland and I was pleased to see the path went through the pub garden of the Smugglers Inn.
Because of a landslip, I followed the road for five minutes before heading up to the cliffs again and over ridges with fantastic views, both inland and seaward. I could hear children screaming and, sure enough, there was the 3D Education Centre! The signs for the coast path - with the acorn on them - ran out here so I asked the Education Centre Security Guard where I should be going. He lamented that he should charge for directions as so many people stopped to ask. He told me he'd never walked the coast path and never intended to. "I don't mind walking downhill, but I draw the line at going up." Tell me about it! (As I walked, I spent some time pondering why an Education Centre needed a Security Guard?)
As I walked around the perimeter fence, the path was very overgrown and I was savaged by stinging nettles, with no dock leaves to be found. Once past this obstruction, I needed to sit down and prepare mentally for the onslaught that is Weymouth! I'm so used to walking quietly now that I'm finding a lot of people quite scary - it was bad enough yesterday getting to Lulworth and it was going to be a hundred times worse at Weymouth.
My guide book had mentioned a huge chalk figure of George III on horseback, 280 feet long and 323 feet high, which had been carved out of the hillside and which could be seen from the clifftop path. I'd kept an eye out for ages and found myself muttering "where is this huge George the Third?" This made me giggle for ages as I thought it was very rude. It was only much later that I realised the proper saying was Richard the Third. How blonde am I?!
The path came down into Overcombe and I was right to be nervous - far too many people and I had to fight my way along the prom. Horrible. I checked out the B&B situation as I walked along, but there were no vacancies anywhere and, indeed, the Tourist Information Centre didn't know of any either. They did advise me how to get back to my car though - train to Wool and taxi from there.
The man at the station who made me a cup of tea lives on Portland and said he was pleased to meet someone who really appreciated the cliffs and views and not just the touristy bits, ie, Weymouth.
It turned out he knew where Colnbrook is too, because he used to own a pub in Slough!
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