Coast 14, Lulworth Ranges

I woke at 7am and found I’d slept quite well, I seem to have slept right through! The tent was wringing wet from the rain and from condensation but, I was dry and so was my kit! I don’t have a tent liner because it’s added weight so in effect it’s like a tarp. I shook as much water as I could off and packed up.

I went to find someone to pay for my pitch but, couldn’t find anyone, I guess I’ll have to post what I owe.

I set off uphill on a very slippery cattle churned track back towards the coast. I thought I’d look at Kimmeridge on my way through. There is a museum about the Jurassic fossils and life of that period and what looks like a lovely ice-cream place but both were closed, damn it! It is a very sweet picturesque village, like something out of the Rupert the Bear Annuals of my childhood (actually my brother’s books). I’ll come back for a more conventional visit sometime.

It’s a strange place Kimmeridge Bay, it looks a bit lost in time. The bay is shallow and it is a marine wildlife reserve. It’s shallow with mud stone clay base.

To my surprise I came across a “nodding donkey”! An oil field here? Apparently one of the oldest continuously operational oil fields in Britain. One small nodding fairly quiet apparatus!

I had checked before I started that the next part of the trail would be open as it’s a danger area and known as the Lulworth Ranges.

I had 6 miles of strenuous walking to go and everyone was on it, people running, walking for charity, dogs and sheep. I wouldn’t say it was busy but it was very different from the day before.

I walk normally 2.5 miles an hour and this slows considerably on hills. The hills here are dramatic and steep, mostly grass for grazing, thistles and teasles.

There were some huge white giant puffballs growing in one grassy area, I didn’t investigate because of the signs telling everyone to stay out!

Hobarrow Bay looked lovely with it’s beach lit up in the sunlight and as I came down a fairly steep hill, I began to see the enormity of the next one looming, Tyneham Cap 167 meters from sea level and I was about to slog up 150 of them! Hmm I should have practiced for Ben Nevis here!

I stopped, sat for a bit and contemplated it, then ate something before the climb. It was ok, slow but at least when it’s that steep a few steps at a time shows your elevation quite obviously. The views from the top were wonderful. Occasionally you will see a rusting tank or similar in an otherwise undisturbed landscape inland.

Another lovely bay, Worbarrow Bay and Arish Mell a completely inaccessible beach in the danger area, these names sound old. Looking the latter up I couldn’t find anything about the names but I did find out rather alarmingly, there were pipes carrying effluent from the Winfrith Nuclear Power Station into the sea at one time! Not now though. On this day the sea was blue and the little beach empty and inviting!

Then another climb up Binden Hill, there I got a glimpse of Lulworth Cove and I suddenly realised I had to turn sharply down to an area of slumped land next to Mupe Bay called Little Binden. Below was my view and if you enlarge you will see the sign “Danger Cliff”. Now I’m not scared of heights but, I am scared of falling. If it’s a scramble with a heavy pack on my back, I’m not doing it! I hesitated and looked at other routes on my map. Then a chap emerged from the grass with a dog and walking as normally as you can up a steep hill. So that’s OK then!

This bit was strange, I didn’t see anyone. I could hear children playing in the bay but, I didn’t pass a soul for the next mile or so around Little Binden, through a gate and out of the Ranges. I had a feeling of dread, I could see the beautiful Cove and a trail going back up Binden Hill! Surely Not!

Thankfully the path lead me to the beach.  This bay looks as if a giant has taken a bite of the coastline Circular with steep sides and a shallow bay, absolutely beautiful. The beach is pebbles and hard to walk on. I could see a recent landslip in the cliff, a great white scar and a pile of cement like rocks on the beach. It was quite difficult to get across and after all the walking it would not have been funny to turn my ankle here! The other thing I’m rather nervous of is unstable cliffs. People were sat under the cliffs enjoying the sun right next to the fall that easily could have buried 20 people. I wasn’t happy scrambling across it let alone sitting under it.

Lulworth Cove, my destination! The village is opposite me in this picture and as I got there I was stunned by the difference between this and Kimmeridge. This is a World Heritage Site because of it’s geology, and that seems to mean loads of ice-cream shops, cafes and restaurants, visitor centres etc.

It is pretty and it’s geology is amazing but, it’s bustling on a hot day and I didn’t like that part. I was tired and hungry. I’d been thinking about the next leg of my trip and rain was forecast. I decided I would catch the bus here and head home. I’ll come back to start the next bit another time, maybe the winter when most of the people are gone.

I caught the train at Wool, I had to change at Southampton and was wobbling and stiff as I stood to get my pack back on when the train stopped. The platform was full of Southampton Football supporters, there had obviously been a game. So when the doors opened I hesitated still a bit unsteady. I obviously looked like I needed help because one chap took my elbow and another maneuvered me slowly onto the platform. I almost laughed out loud, poor old dear, she needs a hand! Never mind it was very courteous all the same!

Anyway untill next time!