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?!