yarmouth to chale

September 17, 2017 by Mark Seymour in isle of wight coast path

ISLE OF WIGHT COAST PATH

tuesday, 12TH SEPTEMBER 2017

It looks like I might be in for quite a nice day today. It's not going to break temperature records but it should be bright and sunny all day.

Yarmouth low tide 08:49

Yarmouth high tide 15:26

I start the day back in Yarmouth next to Yarmouth Pier, built in 1876 to allow ferries from Lymington to dock.

I head in a westerly direction and head behind Yarmouth Castle, the last addition to Henry VIII's coastal defences and completed after his death in 1547.

I round the harbour passing the lifeboat and a gribble seat.

The gribble seat was created in 2008 as part of the project to save Yarmouth Pier. In 2008, 54 of the wooden piles along the length of the pier were replaced after they had been eaten away by gribble.

I cross the swing bridge over the Western Yar and then head out along a footpath next to the sea. At the end of the sea wall I head through some woodland and then head along a track through Fort Victoria Country Park, passing inland of Fort Victoria.

The fort was built to guard the Solent from French invasion and now houses the Underwater Archaeology Centre, a planetarium and a model railway.

I climb some steps and now have lovely views over to Hurst Castle, the closest point on the mainland, about three quarters of a mile away.

I continue along the path and have lovely, if brief, views over Colwell Bay and Totland Bay and I can see the Tennyson Monument on the top of Tennyson Down on the other side of the island. I can also make out the Needles, consisting of three distinct chalk stacks.

I reach the entrance to Linstone Chine Holiday Village but am routed around it for some reason. I come across butterflies fluttering in the wind including a wall brown butterfly and a speckled wood.

I then walk through Brambles Chine Holiday Park which looks thoroughly grim.

I've barely seen the sea since leaving Yarmouth so I am now desperate for a bit of coast. I head down to the shoreline, hoping that the tide is out so I can walk along the beach. It is! The bit of concrete leading to the beach is slippery and I make a graceless entrance to the beach sliding down on my arse. I can now clearly see the Needles in the distance.

I walk along the beach, clambering over the groynes headed for the colourful beach huts on Colwell Bay.

I can look back to Fort Albert which I mistakingly call Fort Victoria in the podcast.

I head inland slightly at a bit of wrecked seawall before heading along the sea wall towards ramshackle Totland Pier.

The pier has fallen into disrepair in recent years and my notes say that it is finally being refurbished. My notes are wrong! It looks like a gust of wind could take the whole pier into the sea.

It's rather lovely around here. I pass the Totland Pier Cafe and The Waterfront. I pass the old lifeboat station which was in use between 1885 and 1924.

I continue along the sea wall and climb some steps up to the road which climbs uphill steeply and head along a footpath at Headon Warren before climbing onto the top of Headon Warren where I have magnificent views.

I head off of the ridge and head towards Alum Bay where I reach the entrance to Needles Park. I'd take the chairlift down to the beach but my head for heights is rubbish.

I walk through the theme park and head back up onto the cliffs where I have a lovely view over Alum Bay.

I head along White Cliffs towards the Needles and Old Battery, completed in 1863. I now have magnificent views over Scratchell's Bay.

I pass next to New Battery, completed in 1895 to replace the crumbling Old Battery, and latterly used as a site for testing intercontinental ballistic missiles and then space rockets.

I now have the best view of the needles I'm going to get.

I retrace my steps and it's time to change direction and I start walking in an easterly direction along the ridge of West High Down. It is a pleasant but uneventful walk towards Freshwater Bay.

I continue along Tennyson Down where I come across a half size replica of the ancient navigation sea mark known as the Nodes Beacon which used to stand where the Tennyson Monument now stands..

I climb up Tennyson Down and the views back over West High Down are magnificent.

I pass by the Tennyson Monument, a granite cross erected in 1897 in the memory of Alfred, Lord Tennyson and then head along the ridge of Tennyson Down above the chalk cliffs and pass inland of Fort Redoubt, another fort built to defend against the French.

I continue along Tennyson Down and have lovely views over Freshwater Bay.

I pass a man strimming grass and then a party of school children. I head along the sea wall and then climb steps out of Freshwater Bay.

I now have magnificent views back over Freshwater Bay and the white cliffs.

I come across a memorial to a dead child. There's no name but the initials E.L.M. and the age 15.

“Erected in remembrance of a most dear and only child who was suddenly removed into eternity by a fall from the adjacent cliff on the rocks beneath 28 August 1846.

Reader prepare to meet thy God for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”

I head along the low cliffs below the busy A3055 and head behind Compton Down where I have magnificent views over Compton Bay.

I pass through a car park at Shippards Chine. It's rather eroded here and some of the parking spaces seem to have been lost to the sea.

I could climb down some steps here to reach the shoreline which is one of the best beaches to spot dinosaur fossils at low tide but it's getting on and I've still got a bit of walking to do.

I continue along the low cliffs which are now made of clay and rather fragile and head along Brook Bay. I reach the car park at Brook Chine and then head out along Roughland Cliff.

I skirt around Chilton Chine and come across a herd of very friendly cows.

I then come across the Isle of Wight Pearl, dedicated to the art of pearl jewellery.

I walk through a rather faded holiday park and then the wildlife and fauna conservation area at Grange Farm. There are bird boxes, bee boxes and bug houses dotted around the farm.

I now negotiate a series of chines, starting with Grange Chine and followed by Barnes Chine, Cowleaze Chine and Shepherd's Chine. The cliffs are crumbling away and the sea is coloured the same brown as the cliffs.

I head towards Whale Chine, the largest of the chines I've come across. There's a set of steps down to the beach but they are off limits as the chine is closed due to erosion.

I have to round this chine and at its head pass through the car park next to the busy Military Road (A3055). This road was built in the 1930s, following the coastline from Chale to Freshwater Bay and is under constant threat from erosion.

I head back along the other side of Whale Chine to reach the coast again and head towards my destination for the day, the village of Chale. I pass the Wight Mouse Inn followed by the St Andrew's Church and the village school and then the other side of the pub to reach an oddly placed car park where my lift awaits.

It has been a spectacular day of walking.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

red admirals
marestail
oaks
hips
honeysuckle
fuchsias
pheasants
wall brown butterflies
speckled wood butterflies
comma butterflies
buddleia
ragwort
heather
rosebay willowherb

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 21.8 miles today which amounts to 48097 steps. That's quite a long way for me. It has been cold and blustery but the walking has been fantastic and I've actually walked along quite a bit of coastline today. Ten out of ten!

My total ascent today has been, err, I don't know as my Ordnance Survey app has failed me for a second day running. It hasn't been much though.

MAP

west cowes to yarmouth

September 16, 2017 by Mark Seymour in isle of wight coast path

isle of wight COAST PATH

sunday, 10TH september 2017

Today's weather forecast looks to be OK although it's a bit on the cold side and a bit too blustery for me.

Cowes low tide 07:46

Cowes high tide 14:18

I start the day back in Cowes at the car park above the ferry terminal before walking down the road to reach the Red Jet terminal where the ferry crosses over to Southampton.

I wander along the High Street before turning into Watchouse Lane and wander down the Esplanade headed towards Cowes Castle, home to the Royal Yacht Squadron.

The castle was built in 1539 as part of Henry VIII's chain of coastal defences.

I continue along Egypt Esplanade passing a series of lions.

I reach the lighthouse on Egypt Point, the northenmost point on the Isle of Wight. The lighthouse was first established by the Corporation of Trinity House in 1897 to provide a guide to those navigating the Solent and was discontinued in 1989.

I continue ambling out of Cowes to reach the Watersedge Beach Cafe in the village of Gurnard.

I climb up through the village and then turn down a footpath signed as Winding Way. I turn into Solent View Road and have a rubbish view across The Solent. I pass the Little Gloster Restaurant and Bar.

I cross Gurnard Luck over a footbridge and follow muddy footpaths infested with stinging nettles that climb up onto the low cliffs where I have magnificent views over Gurnard Bay and over to the mainland.

I amble leisurely along the cliffs, passing Gurnard Ledge before coming across lovely views over Thorness Bay before descending down to the beach, not named on my Ordnance Survey map but is known simply as Thorness Bay Beach.

I amble along the beach and ascend a grassy slope headed inland. I pass through the grounds of Thorness Bay Holiday Park and head inland along muddy footpaths through fields.

I turn right onto a minor road at Buntshill Farm and follow this road to the village of Porchfield where I pass the Sportman's Rest pub.

I continue out of the village and come across a road closure.

Fortunately I can still walk down the road and I cross over Clamerkin Brook where bridge strengthening works are taking place.

I pass Clamerkin Farm, now owned by the National Trust, and skirt around Walter's Copse and follow rubbish yellow arrows through Newtown Meadows, a series of lovely meadows enclosed by hedges. These provided grazing land for centuries of farmers.

I head towards Newtown, once a thriving settlement but now just a small hamlet. I emerge onto a lane next to what was once the Newtown Arms Inn but closed in 1916.

I head down past the Old Town Hall, a rather grand affair for such a tiny place, restored in 1813 and again in the 1930s and pass some black sheep grazing in long grass before crossing a bridge over a brook feeding into Causeway Lake.

I follow the road out of Newtown heading even further inland so as to round the various tributaries of Newtown Harbour.

I follow footpaths next to the minor road as well as sections of the road and walk through a field of corn before crossing a footbridge over a stream, where i pass Shalfleet Mill, on the way towards Shalfleet. I walk along the quiet road passing the rather lovely The New Inn.

I turn onto the main road and pass St Michael the Archangel and the village shop and outside the village turn right back onto a footpath.

I'm now a long way inland but I start heading back out towards the coast. I cross Ningwood Lake (apparently - it just seems to be a river tributary) and pass Pigeon Coo Farm, Forestview Farm and Lower Hamstead Farm along a track through woods. I now have magnificent, if murky, views over Newtown Harbour. The harbour seems to be vast.

I cross a number of dodgy boardwalks over water and cross through fields to regain the coast at Hamstead Point. I thought I was still miles inland but am suddenly spat out onto the coast.

I amble along the stony beach at Hamstead Ledge and somehow manage to miss a Celtic cross, a memorial to two young friends and a third young man who drowned in two separate boating accidents near here in the 1930s.

“IN LOVING MEMORY OF DAVID GEORGE COX AGED 20 LOST AT SEA OFF HAMSTEAD LEDGE WITH HIS FRIEND WILLIAM PATRICK HOPE POLLOCK AGED 20 ON NOV 27 1932
THE SEA IS HIS

ROBIN MURRAY COX AGE 21 LOST AT SEA JUNE 2 1934 IN DEATH THEY ARE NOT DIVIDED
GOD GIVE THEM REST
”

The path heads back inland through fields and I pass Hamstead Farm and West Hamstead Farm before entering Bouldnor Forest or Bouldnor Copse as it's marked on my Ordnance Survey map and how the Forestry Commission call it.

Red squirrels abound here and the trees are full of crossbills, goldcrests and ravens. I keep my eyes peeled but see and hear nothing! I enjoy my amble through the forest before regaining the coast.

I continue through woodland to reach the Newport to Yarmouth A3054 which I follow towards Yarmouth. At the village of Bouldnor I come across a car park and viewpoint. The view is rubbish and all I see is vegetation. Just past the car park I climb down steps to the reach the shoreline again.

I now follow the sea wall into Yarmouth and head below Yarmouth Common and follow the High Street into the centre of Yarmouth, passing 18th and 19th century houses as well as shops and restaurants. It's rather lovely around here even if the weather is rather murky now.

It's now chucking it down and blowing a gale so I briefly venture out onto the grade 2 listed pier before finding shelter from the wind and rain and heading off to the car park where my lift awaits. What a thoroughly lovely day even though the weather hasn't been great and the promised coastal path was more of an inland stroll!

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

oaks
wisteria
rosemary
sunflowers
red admirals
jays
goldfinches
cuttlefish
swallows
sloes
hips and haws
honeysuckle
bistort
cows
black sheep
peacock butterflies
speckled wood butterflies

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 17.5 miles today which amounts to 40065 steps. It has been cold and blustery but the walking has been lovely even tough the walking has been largely inland. Nine out of ten!

My total ascent today has been, err, I don't know as my Ordnance Survey app has failed me. It hasn't been much though.

MAP

st helen's to cowes

September 16, 2017 by Mark Seymour in isle of wight coast path

isle of wight coast path

saturday, 9th september 2017

The weather forecast for the week doesn't look particularly good but it has been a stinker of a year so any good weather is a bonus. Today's weather forecast looks OK but it's not going to be very warm. At least the wind has died down a bit!

Ryde low tide 07:12

Ryde high tide 13:42

I have never been on the Isle of Wight before and it feels like we are practically abroad! We caught the ferry over from Portsmouth to Fishbourne yesterday afternoon.

I start the day at our holiday cottage in St Helen's (some people use St Helen's with an apostrophe and some use St Helens without so I've no idea which is correct so I'll use the correct version with an apostrophe) and walk the short distance down the road and then down a track passing Old Mill Holiday Park to reach Bembridge Harbour.

I walk a short distance along the harbour until it turns into St Helen's Causeway and I follow the causeway above marshland. The marsh is covered in seabirds. It's rather a nice start to the day.

At the end of the causeway I reach St Helen's Duver, an island sand dune now owned by the National Trust. The dunes used to be the island's first golf course, home of the Royal Isle of Wight Golf Club. The course was opened in 1882 and had just 9 holes. The few remaining members presented the course to the National Trust in 1961. The National Trust know how to spell St Helen's!

The ex golf course is covered in sea thrift. Back at home the sea thrift all but disappeared at the end of June even though last year it made it all the way to the end of December.

I head across the dunes heading for the pillared Old Club House, now a National Trust holiday cottage.

At the end of the dune system I turn right to visit the tower of St Helen's Old Church, looking out to sea. It's peaceful around here and St Helen's Beach is rather lovely.

The tower is all that remains of the 13th century church which fell out of use in Tudor times. It was bricked up in 1703 and later replaced by a newer church inland. We passed the new church on our way into St Helen's yesterday and it's a long way inland.

On Saturday the 14th of September 1805, Admiral Lord Nelson boarded HMS Victory lying at anchor off St Helen's near to the old church. HMS Victory, with HMS Euryalus in company, sailed the following morning to join the fleet off Cadiz, prior to the battle of Trafalgar on the 21st of October 1805.

The official coast path heads inland of Priory Bay but I head out along the beach to reach Node's Point. It looks like I can continue along Priory Bay Beach.

I amble along the beach and I can indeed continue along the beach to Seagrove Bay, where I enjoy the lovely, golden sand.

I briefly walk along the seawall at the village of Seaview before dropping down to the beach again.

Ships holding thousands of brave troops from Great Britain, Canada, France and the United States of America sailed off from Seaview and other ports to the beaches of Normandy to free Europe from the tyranny of Hitler's Germany on D Day, the 6th of June 1944.

I head out onto Ryde East Sands. It is now a pleasant walk along golden sands heading into Ryde, passing Puckpool Point and Appley Tower. The beach is practically deserted.

I enjoy the sight of hovercrafts arriving and departing from Ryde before passing the hovercraft terminal.

I reach Ryde Pier, the second longest pier in the country, only being beaten by Southend's pier. I waste time here watching the train going up and down the pier.

I head along the esplanade and pass Prince Consort Building built in 1846 as a gift from Prince Albert to Queen Victoria and once home to the Royal Victoria Yacht Club. The club was founded due to the fact that the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes didn't allow female members, even royal ones.

I turn into Buckingham Road and then head along quiet country roads heading towards the main road. I pass Treefields Pond and just before reaching the main road I turn along a footpath which heads through the golf course, home of Ryde Golf Club.

At the end of the golf course I reach the Church of the Holy Cross, Binstead.

I come across butterflies feeding on red valerian.

I follow various roads and paths and pass the remains of Old Quarr Abbey, pronounced Cor but spelt Quarr. I can see the remains of a Cistercian abbey, constructed from 1132 and demolished in 1536 during the dissolution of the monasteries.

I continue along the footpath to reach Quarr Abbey. I detour off of the coast path to visit the abbey, home to a small group of Benedictine monks, where I enjoy the gardens. It's rather lovely around here and very peaceful.

The abbey is named after a nearby quarry, mined since Roman times and stone from the quarry was used in the construction of Winchester and Chichester cathedrals. The abbey was completed in 1912 to house a French Benedictine order.

I come across some lovely autumn crocuses outside of the abbey before retracing my steps to rejoin the coast path and follow quiet paths.

At the far end of Quarr Abbey I come across some pigs wallowing in mud. I love pigs!

I amble along the quiet paths and a squirrel crosses my path. I think nothing of it as I see loads of squirrels at home. Hang on a sec! That squirrel is red!! It's a RED SQUIRREL!!! That's the first red squirrel I've ever seen. It disappears before I even remotely get a chance to pull out my camera.

I continue along the path which takes me to the Fishbourne Inn. I pass Fishbourne's ferry terminal, where we arrived on the Isle of Wight on Friday, and head through Fishbourne next to Wootton Creek.

I pass a small plantation and see another red squirrel before climbing up to the main road at Kite's Hill.

I head along the main road and cross over Wootton Bridge with Wootton Creek on my right and The Old Mill Pond on my left, to reach the village of Wootton Bridge. That's a rather large pond.

I pass the Sloop Inn at Mill Square and then odd footpaths and roads through Wootton near to the site of the 1969 Isle of Wight Festival.

I'm now far inland and follow the quiet Brocks Copse Road and then Alverstone Road for a couple of miles until it reaches the main road at Whippingham.

The coast path now follows the main road past Osborne House, once the home of Queen Victoria on the Isle of Wight and now owned by English Heritage, for a couple of miles into East Cowes.

Instead of following the coast path I turn into Beatrice Avenue and follow the minor road to reach the rather gothic looking St Mildred's Church, Whippingham.

Opposite the church are almshouses built on the orders of Queen Victoria in 1876 to house retired royal servants.

I head through the churchyard to enjoy the view over the River Medina before retracing my steps and heading back along the road and then a footpath beside the road which leads me to a row of multicoloured houses.

At Meadow Road I descend down a footpath heading towards the River Medina where I pass Vera Allotments who are holding their open day today. I turn right next to Kingston Wharf and pass East Cowes cemetery and head down Medina View to enjoy the view over Cowes Marina before heading back along the road into East Cowes.

I finally get very confused with the route. I should take the chain ferry over the River Medina but instead come across a massive floating bridge. This can't be the chain ferry can it? as I was expecting a passenger only service. I wander around for a bit and finally see a sign for the chain ferry but when I get there it doesn't seem to be running and instead suggests walking along the river for a bit to find a passenger ferry.

I wander along the river and come across some people milling on a pier so I wait and indeed, a passenger ferry turns up so I climb on board and pay the £1.50 fare to cross the River Medina to reach my destination for the day, West Cowes.

I head into town but can't see any signs of a car park so wander aimlessly for a while before finding Terminus Road which I head up to the car park where my lift awaits. It has been a confusing end to a thoroughly pleasant day.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

roses
fuchsias
sea thrift
oystercatchers
lavender
red valerian
red admirals
speckled woods
dahlias
cyclamen
oaks
marestail
fig trees
pears
apples
autumn crocuses
red campion
pigs
RED SQUIRRELS
hydrangeas
buzzards

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 15.6 miles today which amounts to 34831 steps. It has been a cold day and describing it as a coastal path is stretching things slightly but the walking has been lovely and completely new to me. Ten out of ten!

My total ascent today has been a measly 66 metres or 218 feet.

MAP

isle of portland

June 10, 2017 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

WEDNESDAY, 7TH june 2017

Today's weather forecast looks like it might be a bit on the blustery side and rather colder than I'd like. Having said that, the alternative BBC weather forecast has me down for a rather nice day with light breezes. I know which I'd prefer!

Chesil Cove low tide 11:41

Chesil Cove high tide 18:39

The walk begins at the Chesil Beach Visitors Centre located at the Ferrybridge car park. The road onto the Isle of Portland is extremely busy so I quickly cross the road and drop down onto the trackbed beside the road which used to be a railway line. I'm immediately greeted by skylark song. Quite why skylarks would choose to live here I don't know but it's a very welcome sound over the noise of the traffic.

It's blowing a gale and even Chesil Beach is failing to block the westerly winds.

Despite the rocky nature of the railway track the wildflowers are rather enjoying themselves.

I pass an Environment Agency sign telling me that 'The outfall that empties into Portland Harbour behind this stone wall is a critical part of local sea defences operated and maintained by the Environment Agency.'.

I reach what used to be Mere Tank Farm, an old oil storage depot, but this has now been demolished as part of the Olympic developments around here. What an eyesore it used to be but I rather liked the depot welcoming me on to Portland and I can't see anything of merit that has replaced it.

It's now called Osprey Quay and seems to be a place where you park up your rather large yacht.

I pass Portland Port and then the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. I pass a sign warning me that I'm next to 'PRIVATE LAND. No public access or right of way.' Why on earth would I want to trespass on that dump?! Needless to say I come across more of these signs.

Despite (or because of) being near to deserted the flowers are putting on a good show.

I head past what used to be HMS Osprey before all of the redevelopments, where I come across a Westland Lynx HAS 3 XZ 250 helicopter, which has apparently played a major role in the fight against drugs and piracy and entered service with the Royal Navy in 1978 and was operational for 32 years and 8 days accumulating 7667 hours and 10 minutes flying. That's very precise!

I pass The Boat That Rocks and then pass a big lump of timber telling me 'Remember, always keep a good lookout!'. Apparently this lump of timber was recovered 15 miles south east of Portland Bill in April 2010. It was then towed to Portland Marina in the interest of safety for other seafarers. Good to know.

I pass a flood risk area (there are many around here) and then pass a sign telling be about the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics Games sailing events where I have nice views back along the deserted marina.

It is properly blowing a gale and a windsock at the old heliport confirms this.

I'm now confused by all of the new developments and somehow manage to head off the wrong way around the island heading down the east side rather than the west side. I pass Portland Castle which English Heritage claim is one of Henry VIII's finest coastal forts, built in the early 1540s to protect against French and Spanish invasion. It looks a bit pathetic!

I head into Castletown, passing the Osprey Leisure Centre and pass a coast path stone telling me that Portland Bill is five and a half miles away. A grubby path strimmed to within an inch of its life and covered in crisp packets climbs up onto East Cliff. It appears that this was once Merchant's Railway, a horse drawn and cable operated incline railway, built for the stone trade on the island. It was operational from 1826 to 1939.

I pass some massive echiums growing in an allotment before reaching Verne Citadel, used as a category C men's prison but closed in 2013 before becoming an immigration removal centre in 2014. There aren't any clues as to whether it is still being used or not. Signs seem to indicate that it is still a prison.

I pass a dead seagull with its head ripped off and then come across Fancys Family Farm where I come across goats, sheep, WALLABIES and horses. I pass quarries where the vehicles down below are making an awful racket shunting stone.

I'm clearly now in quarry country and I'm on the East Weares and Groves Cliffs, where I come across a great big memorial bench made out of the local limestone. Despite all of the rocks the wildflowers are putting on a good show.

I pass Portland Young Offenders Institution where I'm warned not to throw anything into the prison or I could face an unlimited fine and up to 10 years in prison. UNLIMITED?! Really. Needless to say I don't throw anything over the fence just in case!

I now have lovely views out over the breakwater, over to where I should have been walking yesterday and also over to the towering cliff faces above me.

I'm now heading towards Church Ope Cove. Signs seem to indicate that the path has been recently closed due to rock falls but they are now open again. I amble along the coast path admiring the wildflowers.

I come across a small group of pyramidal orchids, just coming into flower, and then a common blue butterfly.

The path around here is popular with dog walkers and rock climbers.

I reach a viewpoint and then climb down steps to Church Ope Cove where I walk through the beach huts and clamber out onto the pebbly beach. It is deserted except for one person who has opened up his beach hut and is braving the gales. Actually it's a bit more sheltered here but the shelter won't last for long.

I regain the coast path and walk behind the beach huts before climbing up through abandoned quarries where I come across a few more pyramidal orchids.

I head along a grassy verge beside the road to reach a viewpoint at Cheyne Weare. A sign here claims that I can see the chalk coastline along Weymouth Bay, the Purbecks, St Albans Head near Swanage and Lulworth Cove. For a change it's absolutely true!

I pass Coombefield Quarry which is apparently still active although I see no signs of life and it's coming to the end of its life anyway.

I recall following the road here but a coast path sign points through abandoned quarries where I enjoy more of the wildflowers.

I amble along paths through the quarries where I come across some hand cranes. It's rather enjoyable if a little on the windy side.

I pass Cave Hole, a large cave with a blow hole, but I'm now walking in an easterly direction and the westerly wind is blasting in my face so it's not a time to stop.

I head along the grassy paths towards the red and white lighthouse at Portland Bill where the Lighthouse Visitor Centre can be found.

I continue around Portland Bill, passing the beach huts where I continue to be blasted by the wind. Most people are dressed as if for winter but I'm foolishly wandering along in shorts and t-shirt!

I pass the Lobster Pot Restaurant and a coast path stone informs me that I'm 581 miles from Minehead and 49 miles from Poole. For once the miles seem to be roughly accurate. I was born in Poole 50 years ago to this day.

“happy birthday to me
happy birthday to me
happy birthday dear me
happy birthday to me”

Pulpit Rock stands offshore and a couple of nutters have climbed onto the rock despite the gales.

It's now time to leave Portland Bill and I head up the grassy slopes passing the National Coastwatch Station and a disused lighthouse.

I'm now exposed to the worst of the icy blasts so there's not much more I can do other than grab hold of my hat to stop it blowing away across Portland and continue along the grassy slopes.

I now have lovely views across Chiswell and Chesil Beach but I can barely hold the camera straight in the wind.

The path ahead is closed due to cliff falls so I'm diverted inland through quarries where I get a bit of respite from the winds. This part of the path seems to have been closed since 16th April 2017.

I leave the quarry and come across a memorial to the late Keith Brown (Browner), a huge Liverpool Football Club supporter.

I come across another path closure, this time dating from 13th April 2016, and I'm diverted into Tout Quarry. The quarry is now disused and contains a sculture park which is well worth visiting and is also a nature reserve. I spend a bit of time photographing some of the sculptures. As I leave the quarry I come across a hummingbird hawk-moth but it's flitting about too much to be photographed.

I leave the quarry and head along the coast path again and I have magnificent views overlooking the mighty arc of Chesil Beach.

I wander down the path a bit to visit the 'Spirit of Portland' sculpture, showing a fisherman and a quarryman.

I climb steeply down at West Weare and have one last fantastic view in front of me over Chesil Beach before I pass by the now derelict and rather sad looking Underhill Community Junior School.

I pass the Cove House Inn and head inland where I pass the Bluefish Cafe and what appears to be the now closed Little Ship pub and the long derelict Royal Victoria Lodge. This pub was closed the last time I walked here in 2013.

That's the end of my walking around the Isle of Portland and it's now a noisy end to the walk along the busy A354 back to the car park at Ferrybridge where my lift awaits. The wind continues to blast across me and Chesil Beach gives me little in the way of protection. As I approach the car park a skylark bursts into song again, ignoring the icy winds. What cheerful fellows they are! Maybe it's the same skylark who greeted me this morning.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Flora and fauna encountered on the walk today includes :-

skylarks
white valerian
pied wagtails
red valerian
small tortoiseshells
swallows
echiums
speckled wood butterflies
poppies
ribwort plantain
agapanthus
mesembryanthemums
wall brown butterflies
red admirals
viper's-bugloss
herb robert
honeysuckle
pyramidal orchids
alexanders
fennel
hummingbird hawk-moth

PODCAST

The podcast of today's walk is now available. You can subscribe via the iTunes store or listen using the player below.

Conditions were terrible for recording today due to the high winds so I've done the best I can with the podcast.

MARKS OUT OF TEN?

According to my phone I've walked 13.3 miles today which amounts to 29802 steps. It has been a cold day tackling biting westerly winds in just a t-shirt and shorts but the walking has been lovely. The BBC weather forecast was utter rubbish. Nine out of ten!

My total ascent today has been 167 metres or 547 feet. The elevation graph still doesn't look correct but is much better than the previous two days.

MAP

worth matravers to south haven point

June 10, 2017 by Mark Seymour in south west coast path

SOUTH WEST COAST PATH

tuesday, 6TH june 2017

Today's weather forecast doesn't look very good and I could be in for a very blustery day. For some reason the wind speeds on my weather forecast app are completely different on my iPhone and iPad. It has not been a good week for reliable technology.

Poole high tide 06:17

Poole low tide 15:03

I start the day back at the Square and Compass pub in Worth Matravers and it is indeed a blustery start to the day.

It is clear as soon as I reach the coast that things are awry and the weather is a lot worse than either of my forecasts suggests and I get blown off of my feet several times in the blasting wind on the path to St Aldhelm's Head. This is far too dangerous to walk in.

I make it, somehow, to St Aldhelm's Chapel and, fortunately, the door is open so I shelter inside for 15 minutes hoping that the winds will die down. They don't so the tough decision is made to abandon the walk. This is the first time I've ever abandoned a walk.

I head along a track inland that takes me back to Worth Matravers.