Kimmeridge

 We awoke to the news that there had been a big football match yesterday and the country was still drunk. I had slept great in the squishy bed, so slipped out to do the Misty Ablutions. It was very peaceful, although I noticed that all the other rooms had cars parked outside. We were told explicitly that we had to return ours to the car park. Mmmm.  It was wet underfoot and the valley shrouded in mist, but no rain and relatively warm. 

To those of you who thought that Ian and Misty were alone on their walk yesterday, I was there. Just underphotoed. But here are a couple he sent me this morning.

I am in Dorset! See!

We went down for breakfast at our allotted time, Misty was allowed to join us and was a great hit with the waitresses. Breakfast was a great hit with us. Homemade bread and a hash brown on a piece of fried bread. 

I had decided on a walk, as being Sunday I thought places would be busy, so we drove to a nearby humongous estate owned by an American billionaire. Encombe Estate kindly provides car parks. I had ummed and aahed over legwear before deciding on my new waterproof trousers. We set off up the path toward a magnificent viewpoint, only to find fog, and then belting rain. 

On top of the viewpoint 

Looking over the ridge toward the sea

Fog and rain

Eventually we dropped down into the village of Kimmeridge, and it was like stepping off Caradhras. Sun shining, birds singing. Calmness. My waterproof trousers had held up though. We stopped at the pub for a coffee and flapjack before dropping down to Kimmeridge bay.

 

We had decided to take the coastal path back before taking a path up through the Encombe estate that we ha seen on the OS map. The views all along were stunning, although the wind had begun to pick up.

Clavells tower

The wind was getting really strong and my hair was blowing in my eyes all the time. I really needed a Jack Grealish, so I had To improvise.

As we neared our path we came to an uphill bit near to the edge. A bit too near for my liking, and in the wind I freaked out a bit. I made it up, barely. Thank god there would be no more ascents like that! Unfortunately, the path did not exist. The only way was up a horrendous looking slope in the full force of the wind. I was petrified. My lovely husband held on to my arm and talked me up it. At the top I was so relieved I just threw myself down into the grass. What a wimp! 

Glad to be alive

Worth it for the view? Not really!

We were now walking along the opposite ridge to this morning, and what a view! All the way over to one of our old haunts, Portland Bill. We skirted the enormous mansion in the bottom of the valley and made our way back to the car.

It was an amazing, but hair raising walk, ten mile in all, and all three of us were shattered.

A bath and rest later we were ready for tea so ventured into Swanage. At first it appeared to be a gentile Dorset seaside town, but turned out to be full of chavs. Who knew! We did find a lovely cafe to sit outside and eat crab though.

View from the cafe

Tea