18th - 21st July

18th July day 499

It was a sunny morning which if you're laid out on a lovely sandy beach is exactly the weather you would hope for. I was to start the day not lavishing myself in the hot rays emanating from the sun but in fact climbing steep hills. After making a few ascents i caught view of a long beach heading towards beer.

When the path descended onto the beach i seized the opportunity to see if i could get all the way. It was certainly worth a go. After a good hike and arriving at the headland at the far end of the beach it was apparent i couldn't make it all the way but it did bring me up at a small seaside resort.

Immediately i headed to the beach cafe to get an ice cream and can of sprite to help cool me down. Feeling very much refreshed i was back to hiking the coastal path and back to following the little acorns. Approaching beer i could see seaton along the coasy a mere couple of miles away.

Leaving beer i came across a couple of wild cherry trees laden with its ripe and juicy black cherries. I had to stop and take a nibble from mother natures larder. It was just after lunch time when i arrived at seaton so after a short break for lunch i set off for lyme regis. Rumours of the path had been circulating and reached me and i wasn't sure if I'd be able to use the coastal path to reach the days destination.  I had to find out for myself no matter how it ended.

Reaching the section of path that descended to the under cliff i came across a sign confirming the order of closure. Thankfully leading up to the sign I'd met martin from my home town of Bournemouth who himself had just navigated that particular section of footpath. He'd warned me there were signs of subsidence however ropes had been left to aid walkers tackling the path.

I headed down feeling quite excited passing signs advising  that should the path be closed for whatever reason the only exit route would be the way you came. No access was available to the foreshore or the clifftops. Awesome,  an adventure.

I followed the path for a while before coming across a wooden barricade which i easily squeezed past. Then i was confronted by a sudden drop. Sure enough there was a knotted rope tide round a nearby tree. Game on. The descent was relatively easy so i continued. Coming across more steps that had fallen away i carefully lowered myself down and kept going. Then i came across an ascent. Again there was a knotted rope secured above so i hauled myself and pack up. I was thoroughly enjoying the challenge.

The rest of the path ran through a thick woodland similar  to a rain forest I'd hiked in Malaysia several years earlier. I arrived in lyme regis around 6:30pm. Immediately once I'd left the forest i got a call from Marion who'd offered me the use of her summer house, a shower and a bite for dinner.

19th July day 500

With clean clothes and feeling surprisingly refreshed Marion and her husband paul dropped me back at the lyme regis lifeboat station. Walking along the promenade i came across Adrian gray who'd been rock balancing. A master of this unusual pastime Adrian had been balancing rocks for over 15 years. It was really quite an impressive skill.

Leaving lyme regis I wondered if I'd be able to get all the way to Abbotsbury the start of chesil beach staying on the coastline in front of the cliffs. It certainly looked like it as i gazed along the coastline. It was certainly worth a crack especially as the tides were on my side and had started going out as i approached the first set of cliffs.

After a few hard shingly miles i passed beneath golden point the highest point on the south west coastal path. Looking up the cliff towered to a point above me. I carried on. I still had a very long way to go before I'd reach seatown and ultimately portland bill.

At seatown i was faced with a headland i couldn't see past. It was uncertain as to what i would find on the other side but i thought I'd have a go anyway. Gradually the shingles were replaced by large rocks but nothing i hadn't already come across on the trek.

From west bay i spent the rest of the day hiking on shingle. After a few hours i wished i had snow shoes feeling sure they'd make life so much easier. When i finally found solid ground again the first few steps felt strange but my pace soon quickened.

Arrived at West bexington about 4 miles from Abbotsbury around 6:30pm to meet encyclopedia lee and the boys. It was great seeing the guys after being away for so long. I can't remember the last time I'd laughed so much. I had tears poring down my face whem lee had decided to show off the time lapse capabilities of his iPhone by filming the sun setting. We waited patiently and once the sun had disappeared behind the hills on the horizon he played his time lapsed footage back. It was in real time, i had the same setting on my phone it was called normal.

20th July day 501

Ahead of me was 13km of shingle, chesil beach.

It was hard going and a heavy mist was reducing my visibility to a mere few yards. By the time I'd eventually arrived at the road joining portland to the Weymouth I'd either pulled a muscle, trapped a nerve or damaged my hip. Making my way to the farthest point of portland bill was excruciating. I tried to put the nagging pain out of my head and refused to take painkillers.

Following the coastal path i came across a couple of sections that had been closed due to cliff falls but ignoring them i continued and thankfully was able to make my way through without any difficulty.

It had been misty all day with the odd patch of rain. Reaching portland bill the farthest point i had very little to see.

I continued to follow the coastal path but after a couple of miles the nagging pain in my hip was too much to bare so I decided to pitch my tent in one of the old quarries and got an early night.