Blog 46 : Lulworth to Worth Matravers, Worth Matravers to South Haven Point. Last Blog.

Hello all.

This will be the last of my blogs. The reason for this decision is a simple one, I have finished the walk.

But first, I have two days of walking to describe -

Walking out of Lulworth Cove at about 8.30 in the morning is a very different experience to arriving at 4.00 in the afternoon. The only people to be found are the workers who keep the place going and a few walkers keen to get an early start. It is easy to see what has drawn tourists and artists to this stunning place over the last few centuries. And, it looks better with fewer people milling around and I include myself it that.

But, I couldn't totally appreciate the beauty of the place on this  sunny Saturday. And the reason was  as we approached Lulworth I spotted fluttering proudly on the top of the hill a red flag. People who know this area will be aware that a red flag means that the Lulworth ranges are out of bounds and cannot be walked across. This would completely scupper my plans. While Jennie waited in the car, I visited the visitor centre only to find that it doesn't open until 10.00. Somewhere in that building is a notice board with information about when the military firing ranges are open for walkers. 

But, I had checked, and checked again, and I "knew" that there should not be a red flag flying today or tomorrow (Sunday). I had a last look at the MOD website and decided that I would walk on for the mile, or so, leading up to the start of the restricted area and see what I would find there. 

The walk out of Lulworth is straight upwards; up the inappropriately named Little Bindon. From the slopes of the hill it is easy to see the security gate and fences that mark the start of the Lulworth ranges, and there was a red flag flying there too. With a sinking feeling in my stomach I walked towards the gate. 

Then out of the corner of my eye I spotted a military style vehicle driving towards the gate and.... a man got out and lowered the flag. Hooray! 

Apparently the gate is not opened until 9.00. 

I shot through that gate like a greyhound out of a trap and started out on what was to be one of my hardest days of walking on the whole adventure. 

Lulworth to Worth Matravers is well known for it's beauty and it's grueling nature. Little Bindon was just an appetiser for what is to come - Bindon Hill, Rings Hill, Gold Down and Tyneham Cap make up an exhausting main course then, following a shortish flat section through the Kimmeridge area, a compulsory dessert section follows in the form of Houns-tout Cliff. Add into this lot a blistering sun and it all adds up to the most tiring day that I have experienced since North Cornwall. 

Mupe Bay and the hills stretching off into the distance.

Walking through the ranges adds an experience that is found nowhere else on the South West Coast Path. A few days earlier I had heard the sounds of machine guns and larger stuff being fired and as I looked down on the areas where this was taking place the sight was striking. There are rusting and damaged tanks all over the place and areas of burnt undergrowth. Without a soldier to be seen, I had to imagine what it was like when all the noise of mock battle was happening. I found the whole experience rather uncomfortable, whilst at the same time fascinating. 

All along the walk are warning signs to ensure that the inquisitive walker stay on the path and not explore the various wrecks of tanks. The prospect of unexploded shells is suggested as a good reason to stick to the path. I came across one sign which demonstrated the mayhem of firing.

Evidence of three good, or poor, shots.

A hole about the size of a golf ball
(but not made by a powerful golfer)

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There is a beautiful bay called Worbarrow which can be visited only when the Army are not using the area. It involves a fairly long walk down from the Tyneham car park and is well worth the effort.

Not a great photo of what was a lovely place. Worbarrow Bay

As I was walking along the ridge, with the village of Tyneham on my left, I saw a couple of people walking towards me. As I got closer I realised that I recognised one of them. John Howell is a member of Exeter and District ramblers. He was walking with Ro? (maybe short for Rowenna). This was the first time that I had bumped into anybody on the path that I knew from before my walk started. I was really chuffed that it had happened and we chatted for a while before I continued my walk with a smile on my face. 

The marvelous view back towards Lulworth. Stunning coastline.

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The coastline changes as the path passes through the Kimmeridge area and the Army ranges are left behind. Kimmeridge is a geologically interesting area and there is a visitors centre there for budding geologists.

The Kimmeridge ledges. Bedrock formed in the late
Jurassic Epoch.

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By now, the sun was fully out and doing a powerful job on me. My legs felt like they were made of lead and there were still a couple of good climbs to come. I notice that I did not take any photos after the one above. Clearly I was not in the mood to appreciate the view any more. It was all about keeping going and getting to the end.

Eventually I arrived in Worth Matravers and met Jennie in the pub there. A pint of cider disappeared far too quickly and I daren't have another. Reluctantly we left the pub 

I slept for most of the car ride back to the camp site.

I was a bit worried that I would be too tired to walk the next - and last - section tomorrow and as the sun went down I got into bed in the hope that a good night of sleep would revitalise me.

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The Last Day.

Clouds, lovely clouds.

What a relief to see that at least I would be walking for two, maybe three hours before the sun was due to come out. 

I decided that I wouldn't take any photographs for the duration of the 14 miles that make up the final walk of the South West Coast Path. My reasoning was that I would keep the experience to myself in some kind of strange selfish way. And I kept to this most of the way. But here is one of Swanage and another of the Old Harry Rocks.

My only description of this walk is this - It was a lovely and varied walk and I really enjoyed it. It wasn't the most stunning walk, but in some way, that is appropriate. 

There is one thing that happened which pleased and amused me and I would like to tell you about it.

As Jennie and I sat on a bench on Swanage seafront we spotted a young girl who was combing the beach with a grabber in her hand. She was collecting rubbish.

Rubbish (and particularly plastic) collecting is a new and welcome feature of our times. Most of the beaches on the whole coast path have had signs in place suggesting that people should collect 10 pieces of rubbish, and equipment is supplied for this purpose. I have witnessed many people collecting, and the resulting piles of plastic and paper. On one beach, I think it was Thurlestone, I joined in and collected my ten pieces.

In Swanage, what we saw was a girl who couldn't find any rubbish. The beach was clean. The look of disappointment on her face was clear as her dad walked along the prom and pointed out tiny little bits of paper. Eventually she managed to collect about 5 or 6 meagre pieces of rubbish and Jennie and I walked on and left her to her fairly fruitless task. 

What a brilliant outcome and what a marvelous scheme the "10 piece collections" are - a clean beach!

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The last 3 miles is along the beach at Studland Bay. I spent the time reflecting on what I had achieved since April 24th. 

I have had three and only three constant companions for the whole adventure. 

One unwelcome one is my corn. I had the little blighter for a few weeks before I started walking and it has grumbled about what I have put it through with every day of the experience. Visually it looks like nothing much, but the nasty thing punches well above it's weight and has caused me to grimace with pain on many occasions. There is no photograph of my corn.

The second companion is the pebble that I picked up on Minehead beach which I have carried, without fail, for every single step of the 630 miles from Minehead to the end of the walk.

 And, the third constant is the sea. The sea has been the backdrop for so many of my photographs and has never had a starring role. It is the sea that makes and shapes this beautiful and dramatic coastline and continues to do so and will do so for as long as there is a coastline to shape.

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Jennie told me a few weeks ago that some of my friends had said that they would like to be at the finish when I arrived there. Whilst I really appreciated their thoughts, I really did not want this to happen. 

Walking the path has been a singular thing for me. I have really enjoyed it when I was joined for some bits of the walk by friends, old and new; but for me it has been a relationship between me and the coastline. Walking along the beach on my own was my last opportunity to engage in this relationship.

Another reason is that I am known by my family and close friends to be a very emotional person. I can burst into tears at the drop of a hat. I didn't want the last few hundred yards to be a battle between me and my emotions.

I could see Jennie waiting at the end of the walk when I was about three hundred yards away and when she waved to me I felt the beginnings of an enormous lump in my throat. For a minute or two I surrendered to the emotion and allowed some tears to appear. Then I pulled myself out of this and walked on to meet her. 

Thank-you Jennie for being absolutely brilliant. I could not have done the walk without you and your support. Maybe it could be your turn next!

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This may be a bit of a random thought but I would like to share it with you. 

Perfume is not something that I thought would feature in my experience of walking the coast path.

I didn't realise that the thought was developing in my brain until recently. 

The other day it dawned on me that while I am walking I do not smell any perfume or perfumed products. Then, as I am approaching built up areas and some people, who are out for a short stroll, cross my path, I notice the various scents. Then as I head off into the wild paths the smells end.

This is the rule with one, and only one exception................Patchouli oil is the choice of some walkers.

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One final thought.

(I always knew that I was going to write this next bit in my last blog.)

This is Culbone Church in North Somerset. It is a Pre-Norman building and seats about thirty people.

On the second day of my walk I went into the church with Jan and Andy to look around and to shelter from the rain. After a while Jan and Andy walked on and left me to eat my lunch in peace.

I selected a pew and sat and enjoyed a coffee and a snack and contemplated the world of religion which has nothing for me. I really love churches but religion is something that other people get a lot from and I would never try to alter their way of thinking.

I felt very comfortable there.

This is the pew which I sat on. As you can see it has been well used over the years and many, many people will have worshiped there. 

As I packed away my thermos and stuff, I noticed something shining in the place directly where I had been sitting. 

I looked closely and what I saw was a tiny silver star nestled in the grain of the ancient oak seat.

Take it easy.

Rob.

Ps

If you have enjoyed my blogs, and/or you are impressed by my walking efforts, or for any other reason - I would like you to consider whether you could make a donation to the charity which is important to me.

The Fertility Network is a charity which deserves support.

Thank-you to everybody who has donated.

And, thank-you.

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/RobSetter

Blog 45 : The Isle of Portland, Osmington Mills to Lulworth Cove. Lots of Food. Then Some More Food, Then a Biscuit. And a Walk.

Hello all

The view of Portland from the Dorset Ridgeway and a conversation that I had with a chap I met on the ridgeway had given me mixed feelings about what to expect from the walk around the island.
What I did know was that I was looking forward to walking with Jennie and our friends Anna and Terry (they bought me the jelly babies).
What we discovered was a day of two halves. The start of the walk prior to lunch was enjoyable and took in the western side of the island. After a steep climb up from Castletown with the views back along Chesil beach came the discovery of some stone carvings in one of the many disused quarries that are a feature of the island.

Following the initial climb it is a slow descent all the way to Portland Bill and the Lobster Pot cafe. Eating in cafes is not something that I would normally do half way through a walk, but today was one of the welcome exceptions. I had a ploughman's lunch followed by an apple and plum tart and ice cream with a pot of tea for one. Anna, Terry and Jennie had similar amounts of food with the exception of Jennie who did not have a pudding.
Three of us left the Lobster Pot feeling stuffed to the gunnels.
What followed was a hot and difficult afternoon of walking carrying far too much in our bellies.
I have to confess that I did not enjoy my afternoon of walking and was relieved when we arrived back at the car. I think we all agreed that the walk was far from one of our favourites and we have walked together many times.
We went back to the campsite for an ice-cream and a welcome shower before heading off to the pub for more food. I had calamari followed by a turkey and mushroom curry.
When it comes to eating, I think we excelled ourselves.
It was great to see Anna and Terry and thanks to them for coming all the way to share this walk with me and Jennie.

What intrepid walkers! 

Osmington Mills to Lulworth Cove

I have walked this stretch before about 5 years ago, I loved it then and I was really looking forward to it this time. It promised to be a hot day so I loaded up my rucksack with extra water and slapped on the factor 30. If you like walks with lots of climbs and descents then this would be a great walk for you. What follows are a few photos which may show the lie of the land.

If I have had stronger leg muscles than I have now, then I can't remember when that was. I actually enjoyed myself as I push on up the steep inclines. Coming down is another matter, but I'm used to the pain in my knees, shins, feet and corn by now.
I noticed that I was walking quite slowly today and when I stopped to eat my lunch I gave it some thought. It dawned on me that I did not want the walk to end. I strongly suspect that I will feel the same way about the next - and last - two days of my walk around the South West Coast Path.
As for my lunch - this is where I had it:

I was sitting right out as far as I could go on the sticking out bit that you can see in the picture. If you look very closely you will see someone standing very close to where I was sitting about 15 minutes earlier, but I had the place to myself. As I sat there and looked towards Durdle Door and marvelled at the beautiful scenery, I felt a strong feeling of satisfaction at my achievement and gave myself an imaginary pat on the back.
"Well done Rob".

How about that for a view.

Durdle Door is a wonderful place. That is why so many people flock to it. I took a few photos and got out of there as fast as I could go. There are times when it is more quiet, but today wasn't one of them and the same was the case with Lulworth Cove.

As I traveled along the cliff tops of this walk, I could regularly hear the thump of artillery shells and machine gun fire. Also away in the distance plumes of smoke were rising from the Lulworth Ranges. It was strangely unpleasant to imagine (because that is all I can do) the warfare that these exercises are preparing for and I thanked my lucky stars that I have lived in a time when I and my children have not been called upon to fight.

On a lighter note - at the beginning of this day's walk I stopped at kiosk and had a cup of instant coffee (that is all they sold) and two Moores Dorset biscuits. What a treat!

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So, now I just have just 28 miles to walk over two days. 

The next blog that I write will be from my home.

Take it easy.

Rob.

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/RobSetter

Blog 44 : Seatown to Hardy Memorial, Hardy Memorial to Osmington Mills. - Chickens and Heroes. Stingers and Docks.

Hello all,

It feels that I am closing in on the finish and as I sit in the tent typing, I have just 4 days of walking left. So, that is 48 miles of the South West Coast Path that are in front of me and the rest are behind me. As to whether I am feeling sad that it will all end on Sunday - no I'm not really.
Don't get me wrong, I have loved the walk and to have had the luxury of time to complete it all is something that I do not take for granted, but there are lots of things that I want to do as well as walking and some of them have taken a bit of a back seat.
Popping home from time to time, sometimes planned and sometime due to tiredness or injury, has meant that I have experienced what I am missing at home. Our garden is an absolute joy for Jennie and me and it is looking marvelous, but my vegetable plot needs some serious attention (despite Jennie taking on some of the upkeep) and I am really excited about getting stuck in to the digging of the potatoes which are just about ready.
We used to have three chickens - Kathy, Penny and Bridget - unfortunately two have died in the last 6 months leaving us with just Bridget. Poor Bridget is lonely, so Jennie had arranged for her to join a flock of free range hens that belong to Harriet who is a friend of Jennie's. So now we have no chickens and an area where they used to live which needs to be turned into something resembling a garden.
And, the house is half painted, so that needs to be finished.
And, there are areas of Dartmoor which I have not walked - so far.

Seatown to the Hardy memorial was a very varied walk. From Seatown there is a climb up to the top of the cliffs which soon descends to sea level. This is the way it is for the first third of the walk.

Looking down the first hill towards Seatown with the
constant presence of Golden Cap

Looking down the second hill to Eype.

One October about ten years ago, Jennie and I camped at Eype. (You can see the campsite just above the chalets in the above photo). It was absolutely freezing at night and the night started early at about 6.30. Getting into our sleeping bags with all the clothes we had was the only option and we both had our hats on. After a difficult night, I awoke to the dull morning light and turned to Jennie and suggested that we had better get up. She said that it was still the middle of the night and that I should go back to sleep. Her hat had slipped down over her eyes. Oh how we laughed!

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Walking on from Eype, up and down the next few hills, Chesil Beach soon comes in to view. 

Chesil Beach was to be an ever constant view for the next few days.

The people who have put together the South West Coast Path route have given the walker an option of following Chesil Beach all the way to Weymouth, or another, inland route, along the South Dorset Ridgeway. This is a more pleasant walk with wonderful views, so I was taking it.

Before I could leave the coast to head inland I walked along the beginnings of the beach to West Bexington. This was extremely difficult as the path would disappear beneath the pebbles that make up the beach. With every noisy step your feet slip back an inch or two. By the time that I got to the car park at West Bexington my calves were screaming with a kind of cramp. The thought of a few more miles of this was enough to convince me that I had made the correct decision to head up onto the ridgeway. 

Chesil Beach stretching away into the distance toward The Isle
of Portland.

Just two of the plants that can survive in this barren world.

The climb up from West Bexington is a long and tiring one. With already weary legs I marched up the road and then the farm track to the top and the beginning of the ridge walk. The reward was worth it.

What followed was a most delightful walk with views both inland and out to sea. Chesil Beach and Portland looked stunning from the distance and elevation that the climb had produced for me. 

All along this walk and the days to come, I have seen many, many butterflies. I only know the names of a few common garden butterflies and new ones are a mystery to me. Also they are almost impossible to photograph with limited patience and a mobile phone. It is not everyday that a photograph as stunning as my shot of the Cornish Chough can be achieved.  But I did manage to get close enough to take a grainy photo of a black and white butterfly. 

A "Black and White" butterfly.

I had arranged to meet Jennie at a place where the ridge walk meets a road but when I got to it, it was not a great place to stop a car, so I suggested that I walk on a couple of miles to the Hardy Memorial.

"Kiss me Hardy". ......... Yes, it's him. 

The Hardy Memorial is visible for many miles and many directions. It is in the shape of a spyglass and is to commemorate the life and achievements of Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy. Hardy went on to have an illustrious career in the Navy after the Nelson incident. But as the plaque says, it is the kiss me business that will be forever remembered. 

It just goes to show that some people are only remembered for a small incident and not the monumental things that they may have achieved. Maggie Simpson springs to mind. She had a marvelous acting career which lasted for many years and is still developing today, but she will forever be remembered for the killing of Mr Burns, which was an accident.

The next day I walked from the monument to Osmington Mills. It was a shortish walk and by it's very nature was mainly flat and down hill all the way back to the coast. For some reason the path was very overgrown in places and I managed to get stung many times by stinging nettles ("stingers"). Luckily, where you find stingers you also find dock leaves which I rubbed onto the stings. What a relief!

Flowers line my path

There is some that I like about electricity pylons.
Not everybody's cup of tea

A field full of poppies.

Back up in North Cornwall I came to a place called "Hell's Mouth". It was almost inevitable that in South Dorset I should encounter -

Take it easy.

(Blog 45 - Isle of Portland and Osmington Mills to Lulworth Cove to come soon)

Rob.

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/RobSetter

Blog 43 Par to Cremyll (3 days). Farewell to Kernow,

Hello all

It has been a while since my last blog and the reason for this is that I have been either walking, driving, eating or sleeping.
But now I have a bit of a break so I can catch up on what has been happening.

But first let me add a new feature to this blogging/walking adventure. It is an email account I have set up so that people can contact and converse with me without the need for all to see. So if you wish to share an email address or phone number with me, you can do with this by email.
robsetterswcp@gmail.com

This may be a good idea or I may have created a monster. If the latter is true, I will close down the account a short while after I have completed the walk.

The Last Three Days

Returning to Cornwall to complete the days that I missed out due to my mystery swollen leg problem, was a good idea and I am really glad that I did it. When I planned the whole walk I decided that by starting in late April and finishing in late June would hopefully mean that I would get good walking weather. Yes, there was a risk of rain and cold weather, but in my experience both of these conditions are preferable to heat. The last three days have been sunny indeed, but they only served to remind me that walking in full sun and high temperatures adds another element to the task. I am also aware that there will be hotter weather to come, but hopefully I'll be finished before the extremes of hot days of July and August are upon me.

This is photo of Par on a miserable morning. My memories of Par are not great ones. It was as I arrived in the town, a few weeks ago, that I first noticed that my leg was swelling up. I can't blame Par for that but the association is with me and will remain so. On the morning of the photo, Jennie had dropped me off in the middle of the one way system that forms the centre of the town and I started walking, and got lost within a few minutes. I walked along a busy road until I eventually spotted a bashed up sign directing me back to the path. And it was from the path that I took the photo you see here. I apologise to anybody reading this who has a fond connection to Par but I found the place dull in the extreme! (Does the use of the "!" soften the blow. I hope so!)

Not far around the coast is Polkerris where I stopped for a coffee and collected my thoughts. In the South West Coast Path web page, the 14 mile section between Par and Polperro is described as "Strenuous and Challenging". And it was. But along the way was some beautiful scenery.

The view from Little Gribbin to Gribbin Head

The impressive Gribbin Tower

Jennie and I had a holiday in this area a few years ago. This is Daphne Du Maurier territory, and while we were staying in a tiny little cottage on the Pont Pill river, I read "Frenchman's Creek". In the story there is a daring raid on Fowey by a band of French adventurers. One day I was sitting on a bench reading this section of the book as I looked down at Fowey from the Polruan side of the river. It was quite a special moment.

Polruan from the Fowey side of the river

Fowey from the ferry. I was on my best behaviour. You never
 know who is watching! 

The eagle eyed among you will have noticed that there is not a trace of sun in all of these photos. That is because the sun and the heat only arrived in the afternoon.

It was a very tiring afternoon and the relentless ups and downs left me in a state of extreme tiredness and I was delighted to see Jennie walking towards me on the high cliffs a couple of miles out of Polperro. We walked the last bit together. (I am always delighted to see Jennie, by the way).

Polperro is popular for a reason. It is perfect. As a result it was absolutely heaving with tourists. 

Beautiful Polperro, and look at the sky!

Polperro to Port Wrinkle

One thing sticks in my mind about the walk from Polperro which I would love to erase.

As I was walking along the cliffs, a couple of miles out of Polperro, I saw a man in his eighties (I would guess) walking toward me. What he was wearing was a pair of sandals and what I believe is called, a posing pouch. I would have liked to have taken a photo so that you would also have the image to deal with.
I would add that for a man of his age he had a very good body and I think he was very pleased with it. As he approached, I turned over in my mind what I could say to him. But for some reason I couldn't come up with anything other than, "good morning".
Would you believe it.......he completely ignored me and walked on. I couldn't resist the urge to look behind me and I quickly prepared my phone to take a photo. But as I raised the phone, he turned too and I had to quickly hide it. I'm sure he noticed.
What you would have seen was, in essence, a thong which had almost completely disappeared into where the sun doesn't shine. You will have to imagine.  But I have to live with this terrible sight for ever.
Lucky you.
Unlucky me.

Talland Bay is a most beautiful spot to reflect and try to clear one's head of disturbing images.

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Jennie and I met up in Looe and had some lunch together sitting on a bench by the harbour. We agreed that Looe is one of our favourite places to visit and we will come back again soon.

This is Nelson. He isn't real. He's a sculpture. Nelson was a famous seal who swam the waters
off Looe. And, to my shame, this is the only photo that I took in lovely Looe.

Portwrinkle to Cremyll (Mount Edgcumbe)

I was determined not to treat these three days in Cornwall as an opportunity to tidy up the days that I had missed. I really should enjoy them too. But by the time that I got to the last of the three days, all I could think about was getting it done. Actually the early section fro Portwinkle was lovely and then I came to the Kerslake firing ranges. There was not any firing but I foolishly took the inland route which meant that I walked along a busy road for a few miles. 

Then I arrived at Freathy and the Freathy cliffs. My friend Terry had warned me about this section, but I wasn't listening properly. The path zig-zags in and out and up and down around a lot of holiday chalets and dwellings. I was glad to put it all behind me. 

Rame Head was a delight and I had my lunch there before I walked along the path into Mount Edgcumbe. Here are two photos; one from the west side and one from the east side of Rame Head.

So, then I walked into Cremyll and the end of my walks in Cornwall.

These three days have taken me well over the 500 miles of the path so far. It really does feel that I am getting toward my goal of completing the 630 miles of the South West Coast Path.

I'm looking forward to the walks to come which are all in Dorset. 

Take it easy.

Rob.

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/RobSetter