Day 85 - Saturday 26 July 2003 - Charmouth to Lyme Regis

 

3 miles walked today

905 miles walked in total (10.64 average)

I was working in Portsmouth for the day yesterday and stayed in Fareham last night.  I'd formed a cunning plan to persuade my friend Ed to walk with me, but this had been scuppered when he informed me he was going to Italy to see Ruth for the weekend.   Being the gentleman he is though, he let me have the keys to his house anyway, so I left at seven fifteen this morning and got to Charmouth two hours later.

It had rained for most of the drive down to Dorset and I'd had a mini flu bug which had knocked me out in the week, so I knew it would be hard going today.

I thought I could take shelter in the cafe at Charmouth, but it was closed, so I had a quick look around the Fossil Centre and was debating whether to hire a hammer (£10 deposit) to go fossil hunting, when the rain stopped.  Inspired by this dry spell and taking it as a sign, I started to walk.  It didn't last long of course and I was soon drenched.  On top of all this, the coast path had been washed away and it was all road walking.  So, as well as the rain falling vertically on me, I was getting it horizontally as well, whenever a car drove by!

I decided to call it a day in Lyme Regis, despite only having walked three miles, and visited the museum.  Lyme has quite a literary history to go with its geological and shipping background and the museum was fascinating, not only for the exhibits but for the building itself.  Resident writers include John Fowles, Jane Austen and G K Chesterton and the art world was represented by Whistler, who didn't paint his mother here, but did paint "The Blacksmith of Lyme" and "Little Rose of Lyme".

The main exhibit of course dealt with the geology and changing landscapes, mainly due to some quite spectacular landscapes, one of which in 1840 was described as an earthquake.  Lyme came into its own following the discovery, in 1811, of a complete skeleton of an ichthyosaurus, by eleven year old Mary Anning.  She acquired the hobby of fossil hunting from her father who was a carpenter, but who supplemented his income by polishing up ammonites he'd found in the cliffs and selling them to tourists.   Mary found a number of skeletons and sold them to museums around the world.

The thinking is that she was "in the right place at the right time".  If she'd been born a bit earlier or a bit later, she would never have been an expert in her chosen field of science.  Fossil hunting was just becoming fashionable and she got lucky!  I'm sure there's a bit more to it than that, but it's nice to think that fate played its part too.  (I didn't like to stay in any part of the museum for too long as little puddles were forming under wherever I stopped!)

I got outside and it was still raining so I mooched about a bit, went to the fossil shops, etc, but decided to call it a day at one o'clock and headed back to Charmouth by bus to get my car.

The beach at Charmouth was over run with people, despite the stinging rain, and I'm fairly sure the fossil centre had rented out all its hammers.  I decided to go home for the weekend and save my fossil hunting for the next time I'm down.

I really liked Lyme Regis and the museum was fab.  I don't usually bother with them, but carry on walking.  I'm glad it rained today because it meant I had a proper chance to explore the surroundings.

Three miles is rubbish though!

Day 84 - Sunday 20 July 2003 - West Bay to Charmouth

7 miles walked today

902 miles walked in total (10.73 average)

I was outside the Bridport Arms at 9.15 today.  Sadly, not for alcoholic purposes, but to embark on the day I'd been dreading for so long now.  Today was Golden Cap Day!

I climbed my first hill out of West Bay before descending to Eype's Mouth.  It's been very cloudy and breezy all day and I was expecting rain any minute.

From Eype, I had the first of three climbs today to Thorncombe Beacon.  I was overtaken by a couple with their young sons and we met up with each other all day.  The views were fantastic from the top and the climb inspired me to give the "big one" a go.  

I had a sit down looking over Seatown and I got chatting to a chap who was on holiday here from Leicester.  He was walking to West Bay and his wife was going to pick him up there.  He's been down every year for ten years now and loves the walking and the birdwatching.  He'd seen a green woodpecker this morning and told me that, if he didn't walk every weekend, he'd go stir crazy.

From Seatown, the path diverted inland due to a notice posted on 9 July 2003 warning of imminent rockfalls.  It was hard going, but so worth it to be at the top.  A group of people were already there and we all took each other's photos so we all had proof we'd climbed there!   The views back to West Bay and on to Lyme Regis were absolutely stunning.

I had one more hill left to climb before getting to Charmouth and toyed with the idea of carrying on to Lyme Regis.  However, due to a landslip, the path had been diverted onto a road instead of the springy turf I'd been used to all day and this last mile downhill played havoc with my tired feet and aching shins.

Sheila had already told me to go and look at the fossils on the beach, but, after checking the bus timetable, I knew I'd never have time to go to the beach, catch the bus to the car and drive home before Andy went to work.  I've got to start here next week anyway, so I'll go and have a proper exploration then.

Absolutely brilliant weekend - I've really enjoyed it and am looking forward to having another go next weekend.

Day 83 - Saturday 19 July 2003 - Portesham to West Bay

11 miles walked today

895 miles walked in total (10.78 average)

I left Southampton at 7.15 this morning where I'd stayed with Katie and Roy last night after having to work at Portsmouth for the day.   We'd had a fun evening with Katie's neighbours on the terrace with a few beers - how very civilised.

I parked at the Kings Arms in Portesham and, as I walked along the road into Abbotsbury at just after nine thirty, I heard thunder!   The sky was very black, but the sun was shining brightly too, which was a bit weird.  I mooched through the chocolate box gorgeous village past all the craft centres - mainly potteries, but with the odd woodcarving studio thrown in for good measure - and found a footpath signed to Chesil and the tropical gardens.  It was a good footpath running alongside fields and it wasn't long before I was battling with the pebbles on Chesil Beach.   They're really tiny here (pea sized) in contrast to the potato sized rocks down at Portland.   The tearooms had only just opened and apparently it would be twenty minutes before the tea was brewed so I got some lemonade instead and went to sit on the beach for a while.

From here, it was a hard two and a half miles along pebbles and shingle to West Bexington, where I finally got my cup of tea!  My stomach's been a bit dodgy all morning - I can't work out whether I'm hungry or full, but I've had a stitch-like pain to contend with.  It's also been very hot and not very comfortable to walk in.  Can't wait for a paddle at West Bay!

After my tea break, I was back to grass walking through fields.   I've been looking at Golden Cap as I strode along, the highest point on the south coast at 626 feet high.   There's no way I'm getting up that and I rang Sam to tell her I was going to leave that bit out!  She pointed out that it's only a 600 feet climb but, to me, it still looked like Kilimanjaro!  I've been going to the gym and using the treadmill, cranking the resistance to "hillwalking" to get some practice in for this.  It's still nothing like the real thing though.

I couldn't understand why my guide book described today's walk as "moderate" - it seemed quite easy to me.  However, when I got to Burton Bradstock, it all became clear - hills and lots of them!  More gently undulating than full on in your face hills, but climbs nonetheless.   At least it's a mini taster of what's to come tomorrow.

I spoke to a couple of retired folk who lived near Plymouth, but who regularly go walking and who are camping in West Bay tonight.   They'd been on holiday in Southsea but were on their way back home and decided to stop here.   They've done a lot of the coast path in Devon, but none in Dorset.  They took their grandson walking with them recently and he'd been so impressed because none of his friends had "grannies who could do this"!

A but further on, I met another couple who'd done some of the coast path, but also recommended the Camel Trail.  I think I'll save that one for after this walk, then the Coast to Coast, then the Thames Path.  Gosh, I'm going to be busy.

I was soon on the last stretch and had a steep descent into West Bay - murder on the knees.  I checked my watch to see whether I could push on to Seatown, but decided to save that.   Instead, I popped into the Bridport Arms for a shandy to celebrate.   The landlady even called a taxi for me - how helpful is that?!

My B&B was fantastic - between Bridport and Chideock and has its own fishing lake.  I bet I know someone who's going to be jealous!   I popped into Chideock to the George for tea, but it was heaving, so after a quick drink in the garden, I drove into Bridport for tea.  It's a pretty little town with a huge emphasis on culture - museums, exhibitions, arts centres, etc - and I spotted a fish restaurant called "Longs".  Couldn't pass up an opportunity like that, could I?!