Day 7 - Lulworth - Worth Matravers
Looking back towards Lulworth direction from the top of Rings Hill.
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Author: Dave
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Lulworth Cove.
The firing ranges
Last night's rain had stopped during the early hours and as we left the B&B (after the most enormous breakfast so far this week) we noticed the roads were almost completely dry already. The rain had come down pretty hard during the night so the paths were still going to be a bit muddy but we had been extremely lucky so far this week so we couldn't really complain.
The big concern today was whether Jason would make it the half mile down to Lulworth Cove with the blister still fresh and raw rubbing away on the heel of his boot.
We set off down the hill where we were to cut up a track to follow the cliff path around the back of Lulworth cove. We reached the start of the path behind the ice cream hut to find it fenced off and closed due to a landslip. This left us with two options - walk along the beach if the tide was out far enough or take a 10 miles road detour. Fortunately the tide was out just far enough for us to get around the edge of the back to some wooded steps that took us back to the path after the landslip section. Jason was making decent progress all be it with a rather odd gait that resembled more of a waddle on the up hill sections rather than a stride. There were some big climbs today, which were always tough but especially with boots that rubbed your heel ! My concern was, in the absence of any real bail out options today, that if Jason's feet got any worse we were going to be a bit stuck as we couldn't stray from the tracks on the ranges which were a long way from the roads. As it turned out my fears were unfounded and Jason plodded along at a slightly slower pace than earlier in the week up the hills, but a consistent plodding none the less. And the hills were pretty substantial !
Last night's rain had stopped during the early hours and as we left the B&B (after the most enormous breakfast so far this week) we noticed the roads were almost completely dry already. The rain had come down pretty hard during the night so the paths were still going to be a bit muddy but we had been extremely lucky so far this week so we couldn't really complain.
The big concern today was whether Jason would make it the half mile down to Lulworth Cove with the blister still fresh and raw rubbing away on the heel of his boot.
We set off down the hill where we were to cut up a track to follow the cliff path around the back of Lulworth cove. We reached the start of the path behind the ice cream hut to find it fenced off and closed due to a landslip. This left us with two options - walk along the beach if the tide was out far enough or take a 10 miles road detour. Fortunately the tide was out just far enough for us to get around the edge of the back to some wooded steps that took us back to the path after the landslip section. Jason was making decent progress all be it with a rather odd gait that resembled more of a waddle on the up hill sections rather than a stride. There were some big climbs today, which were always tough but especially with boots that rubbed your heel ! My concern was, in the absence of any real bail out options today, that if Jason's feet got any worse we were going to be a bit stuck as we couldn't stray from the tracks on the ranges which were a long way from the roads. As it turned out my fears were unfounded and Jason plodded along at a slightly slower pace than earlier in the week up the hills, but a consistent plodding none the less. And the hills were pretty substantial !
Tynham Church.
This was a particular stage I had been looking forward to as the ranges were a section of the coast I had never walked due to limited access. We had planned our trip around this stage and it didn't disappoint. We walked over steep rolling hills and cliff tops on paths that were quite indistinct at times. There were a few old tracked vehicles and remains of tanks just visible through the gorse that had enveloped them over the many years they had been left to decay in their abandoned places of rest. Because the land is closed to the general public and despite the regular shelling that goes on, it has become almost an unofficial nature reserve.
By mid morning we had caught up with Reiner again and walked with him along the ridges. Unfortunately we missed a right turn to take us down off Worbarrow and instead carried on along the ridge. Or mistake soon became apparent and we cut a right down a track that took us back to the bottom of the hill via Tyneham village. This village was abandoned in 1943 when the MoD (then the war office) commandeered the land for troop training. There were 225 people moved out of their homes and one such sole put a note on the church door saying -
"Please treat the church and houses with care; we have given up our homes where many of us lived for generations to help win the war to keep men free. We shall return one day and thank you for treating the village kindly"
Following pressure from locals and tourists, the area was reopened in 1975 and the village can now be visited as a tourist attraction on certain days when the ranges are open to the public. The former residents however (or their families as most will passed on by now) have not yet returned and don't look to be able to in the forseeable future. Most of the village building are in ruins with a just a couple that have been renovated as a museums. The only building still fully intact is the church.
By mid morning we had caught up with Reiner again and walked with him along the ridges. Unfortunately we missed a right turn to take us down off Worbarrow and instead carried on along the ridge. Or mistake soon became apparent and we cut a right down a track that took us back to the bottom of the hill via Tyneham village. This village was abandoned in 1943 when the MoD (then the war office) commandeered the land for troop training. There were 225 people moved out of their homes and one such sole put a note on the church door saying -
"Please treat the church and houses with care; we have given up our homes where many of us lived for generations to help win the war to keep men free. We shall return one day and thank you for treating the village kindly"
Following pressure from locals and tourists, the area was reopened in 1975 and the village can now be visited as a tourist attraction on certain days when the ranges are open to the public. The former residents however (or their families as most will passed on by now) have not yet returned and don't look to be able to in the forseeable future. Most of the village building are in ruins with a just a couple that have been renovated as a museums. The only building still fully intact is the church.
A few steps Emmets Hill on St. Aldhelms Head.
From Tyneham we worked our way back up the hill to the coastal ridge and continued along broad grassy slopes with a few ascents and descents thrown in for good measure. Jason was making decent progress but I could tell he was suffering a fair bit. We came out of the range walk and into the top end of Kimmeridge bay past the oil well. We were on familiar territory here and had walked pretty much all of the next section of path all the way to Pool harbour over the years. Most of it on a geography school trip 30 years ago ! At the other side of the bay we opted for a sit down and a chocolate bar before proceeding back up past the Calvell tower which used to be much closer to the cliff. In 2008 the landmark trust, who own it, moved it back from the edge by 25 meters and renovated it. It can now be hired out as a holiday home - so long as you have a good head for heights !
The path from here on was pretty good and easy walking with only a few shallow ups and downs until we got to Houns Foot Hill, which was a big drag up and a steep descent on uneven steps and then a slight detour inland to get over a steep cutting made by a stream flowing to Chapmans Pool. I waited at the end of the valley for Jason and Reiner to catch up as I seemed to have had a descent turn of speed coming down the steps - with gravity on my side.
My intention from here was to work my way around St Aldhelm's Head and cut back inland just after Winspit Quarries to our stop for the night in Worth Matravers. Jason was really struggling with his feet by now though and decided to cut straight inland past Renscombe Farm and miss out the extra 3 miles on the basis he had already done it - allbeit 30 years ago. We agreed to meeting in the pub in an hour or two. It sounded like a very good plan to me !
I set off with Reiner and with the only big dip (Emmetts Hill) on this short section behind us, we carried on round on some easy walking pleasant paths where Reiner once again shared some of his expansive knowledge of the flora and fauna in the area. For example, the seeds of the milk thistle plant can apparently help with poisoning from the death cap toadstool ! I'm not sure how much they help given the death cap's fatal reputation and I'm not sure I would want to risk eating one of the deadly fungi to test the hypothosis - but interesting information none the less and just one of many facts and snippets of information imparted. Reiner himself was continuing on to Swanage with a planned rest day there tomorrow so, at Seacombe Cliff, I wished him the best of luck with the rest of his journey. He had been a good and interesting walking companion over the last couple of days and I hope he completed and enjoyed the rest of the walk. Myself; I headed back inland towards Worth Matravers and, more importantly at this point, the pub.
The route up to Worth Matravers was a bit torturous underfoot. Cows had been grazed during the wet weather and where the ground had dried out it was a mass of hard edged ankle breaking divots. I had also run out of water some way back and was pretty thirsty and needed urgent rehydration. I therefore headed straight for the pub, as planned, expecting Jason to be sitting in there - hopefully with most of the communal whip cash still intact. Despite my ever more frantic searching he wasn't there. Feeling the exertions of the day catching up with me I made my way down the road to the village centre in the hope of getting a brew at the B&B. And what a B&B it was ! Not only did I get my brew but as we also had a sitting room with a log burner in the fireplace, big TV and some comfy sofas. I collapsed into the latter with my tea in one hand and remote control in the other.
Before getting too comfortable I dragged myself off for a shower before a few pints of cider and our most exotic meal of the week - a pasty on a paper plate. The local pub (the only one for several miles) was very much a drinking pub with pub food limited to pasties, pickled eggs and crisps. It was a good pasty though and at least the plate was biodegradable. A few pints of the pub's home brewed cider and we decided to return back to the cottage and crash out in front of the TV. We had another brew while watching a bit of TV with a fire burning nicely in the log stove and Jason's socks hissing quitely as they dried on the top of it.....Not a bad way to end the penultimate day of our six year quest !
The path from here on was pretty good and easy walking with only a few shallow ups and downs until we got to Houns Foot Hill, which was a big drag up and a steep descent on uneven steps and then a slight detour inland to get over a steep cutting made by a stream flowing to Chapmans Pool. I waited at the end of the valley for Jason and Reiner to catch up as I seemed to have had a descent turn of speed coming down the steps - with gravity on my side.
My intention from here was to work my way around St Aldhelm's Head and cut back inland just after Winspit Quarries to our stop for the night in Worth Matravers. Jason was really struggling with his feet by now though and decided to cut straight inland past Renscombe Farm and miss out the extra 3 miles on the basis he had already done it - allbeit 30 years ago. We agreed to meeting in the pub in an hour or two. It sounded like a very good plan to me !
I set off with Reiner and with the only big dip (Emmetts Hill) on this short section behind us, we carried on round on some easy walking pleasant paths where Reiner once again shared some of his expansive knowledge of the flora and fauna in the area. For example, the seeds of the milk thistle plant can apparently help with poisoning from the death cap toadstool ! I'm not sure how much they help given the death cap's fatal reputation and I'm not sure I would want to risk eating one of the deadly fungi to test the hypothosis - but interesting information none the less and just one of many facts and snippets of information imparted. Reiner himself was continuing on to Swanage with a planned rest day there tomorrow so, at Seacombe Cliff, I wished him the best of luck with the rest of his journey. He had been a good and interesting walking companion over the last couple of days and I hope he completed and enjoyed the rest of the walk. Myself; I headed back inland towards Worth Matravers and, more importantly at this point, the pub.
The route up to Worth Matravers was a bit torturous underfoot. Cows had been grazed during the wet weather and where the ground had dried out it was a mass of hard edged ankle breaking divots. I had also run out of water some way back and was pretty thirsty and needed urgent rehydration. I therefore headed straight for the pub, as planned, expecting Jason to be sitting in there - hopefully with most of the communal whip cash still intact. Despite my ever more frantic searching he wasn't there. Feeling the exertions of the day catching up with me I made my way down the road to the village centre in the hope of getting a brew at the B&B. And what a B&B it was ! Not only did I get my brew but as we also had a sitting room with a log burner in the fireplace, big TV and some comfy sofas. I collapsed into the latter with my tea in one hand and remote control in the other.
Before getting too comfortable I dragged myself off for a shower before a few pints of cider and our most exotic meal of the week - a pasty on a paper plate. The local pub (the only one for several miles) was very much a drinking pub with pub food limited to pasties, pickled eggs and crisps. It was a good pasty though and at least the plate was biodegradable. A few pints of the pub's home brewed cider and we decided to return back to the cottage and crash out in front of the TV. We had another brew while watching a bit of TV with a fire burning nicely in the log stove and Jason's socks hissing quitely as they dried on the top of it.....Not a bad way to end the penultimate day of our six year quest !
Post office cottage, Worth Matravers.
