country life | The Dorset Rambler

Tag Archives: country life

A great llloooonnnnnggggg walk :)

I was clearing out my office today when I came across the journal I wrote during my first end to end walk……….so I thought I would post it !

Most of my walks are circular day walks but I like nothing better than just taking off with a pack on my back and walking wherever the mood takes me. No car, just my legs………and hopefully a B&B at the end of a days walking (not as easy as you might think!). This walk was quite some time ago now and the pictures are therefore quite old.

Day 1

It’s here at last! Something I’ve always wanted to do – an end to end walk over several days. Someday perhaps I’ll walk the whole of the South West Coast Path, but for now, this is great – a 4 day walk along the Dorset coast starting from Osmington and reaching wherever. Around 15/20 miles a day, can I do that for four days whilst loaded up? We will soon know!

Early in the morning my ‘taxi’ arrived as a friend was giving me a lift to my starting point. I was ready and waiting although still debating which waterproofs to take, how many layers I needed, whether to wear boots or shoes – it’s so difficult to know in this country! It was 11.30am by the time I actually set off walking.

Osmington is a really nice village, very unspoilt and pretty with lots of cottages. The first part of the walk took me through the village and along a lane which became a farm track where I caught my first glimpse of the famous white horse etched into the downs above the village………actually ‘grey’ horse was probably more accurate as it had lost some of its whiteness! It’s strange but when I actually reached the top and stood by the horse, it looked like nothing, just some unrecognisable bare patches in the grass. I guess life is a bit like that – things often look clearer from a distance!

Here’s looking at ewe!

Walking along the top of the ridge was lovely, there were lots of lambs, and the skylarks were out in force – it was beautiful to hear them. The day was perfect, quite balmy and still, and although the sun wasn’t out, it was a bright day. The only downside was that it was hazy so I couldn’t fully enjoy the amazing views. I took my life into my hands a couple of times as I had to walk through some fields of cows. Now sheep, they are lovely, friendly, cuddly things, but cows, they are a different kettle of fish altogether ! Anyway, I survived the ordeal!!

Mist in the valley

I had lunch near Bincombe and then dropped down into the village to have a look round the old church…..and to take some photos of course! It was a lovely old church but a bit of a nothing village, so I passed on up the hill. I must say I had no problem route finding, with my map/book and the clear waymark signs it was straight forward. In fact I surprised myself!

Leaving the village, I could see my next target in the distance, about 7/8 miles distant. It was The Hardy Monument and I set myself a goal to not stop until I reached it. This was a goal my head had set but my feet hadn’t necessarily agreed with! And they started to complain about it too – not verbally of course, but in every other way!! Note to self – set shorter goals in future! But as always with me, a goal once set cannot be changed or it means FAILURE ! So I trudged on – and it was a bit of a trudge towards the end! But I was determined! And I made it, too, without too many sore places, and no blisters.

Hardy Monument

I rewarded my feet by letting them have some air as I sat beneath the monument – i.e. I took my shoes and socks off. I could hear my feet audibly sigh with relief! It was funny how all the other visitors disappeared at that point ! Ah well, its one way to get the place to yourself. I was really pleased as I had covered 10 miles in 4 hours and I was ahead of schedule. I could afford to take my time a bit more for the last 4/5 miles.

Having aired my feet for half an hour and taken on some energy, aka food, I set off again. After a mile or two the promised rain came but it was a bit of an apology of a downpour, thank goodness. I didn’t even need waterproofs so they had the luxury of being taken for a ride without having to work for it. I eventually dropped off the hill through yet more sheep with lambs, some clearly called Shawn as they had no wool, and into Abbotsbury, my stopping point for the night. It was 6 o’clock when I checked into a B&B.

A bit of a sunset!

What a fantastic day! I thoroughly enjoyed it! And I thoroughly enjoyed my hot shower and cuppa too ! In fact, in the evening I was so energised that I went out for a walk, climbing up to St Catherine’s Chapel that sits at the top of a hill overlooking the village. By then, the haze had cleared and there was even a bit of a sunset, although the emphasis was on the ‘bit’! When the sun had gone down, it was time to retreat to the local hostelry for a well earned drink.

A great end to a great day!

Day 2

Surprisingly after a poor nights sleep, I was up early. I was dressed and down for breakfast at 8.00 and a great breakfast it was too – full English with toast, marmalade and tea. Just what I needed to set me up for the day.

St Catherine’s Chapel

I was out and walking before 9.00, first of all climbing back up to St Catherine’s Chapel before dropping down the other side to Chesil Beach. It was a fabulous sunny morning. I expected my first few miles to be nice and easy as they are flat but I forgot they followed the edge of Chesil Beach which means walking on shingle – hard work! It’s just the greatest place though and I spent some time trying to capture the essence of the place with the camera.

On Chesil Beach

All along this part of the walk through West Bexington and on to Burton Bradstock, there was a fantastic display of wild flowers of all colours and they were picked out beautifully by the bright sunlight. The footpath after Burton Bradstock was lovely too. There were only minor climbs and lots of nice flat, wide grassy paths – very kind to feet and knees ! They didn’t complain a bit even after yesterday’s exertions.

A myriad of wild flowers

After a few hours I dropped down into West Bay, which was just as well as I was hungry and also had no water left – this hot weather exhausts the water supply very easily. Mind you, I had to take quite a detour before West Bay, going inland through a caravan site just to get across a narrow stream – it would have been quicker to have taken my shoes and socks off and paddled across rather than walk all the way to the bridge and back on the other side.

I also had quite a detour in West Bay too, but that was of my own making as I kept going up walkways only to find there was no way across the harbour entrance and having to retrace my steps – should have checked the map first…….but that is far too easy and sensible, and after all, I am a man ! Anyway, my spirits lifted when I saw a sign over a kiosk saying ‘bacon rolls and tea’, so I just about ran over to it – and got them to fill my water bottle as well. I sat and ate beside the harbour wall with just the starlings for company – they kept landing on the table right in front of me and looked longingly at my roll. I almost felt guilty at not giving them some – almost, but not quite! I figured my need was greater than theirs!

Give me some food!

It was time to get on the road (or path) again so I said a cheery goodbye to the starlings - and they just ignored me. Well they were probably put out with me! With lunch inside me and 10 miles behind me, I walked with a new spring in my step – until I saw Golden Cap, the highest point on the south coast of England, in the distance. I would have to climb that later, but there were numerous others before and after as well. Its funny how sights like that can suddenly sap your energy ! Anyway, I ignored it and carried on.

Do I really have to climb that?

The views from the top of each peak were amazing…….but why do they have to make them so difficult to get to? Why can’t someone invent an eco friendly country escalator? Golden Cap, when I reached it, was a difficult climb, especially after 15 miles of walking. My feet and legs were now complaining in unison! My body was soaking up water like a sponge too and I had very little left. But when I reached the top, it was worth it…….because I could sit down ! The annoying thing was that there were people on the top which meant I had to pretend to be climbing it easily – well it wouldn’t do to let people know I am not a superwalker ! There is a need to create the impression that I am strong, energetic and young. Vanity, vanity!!

From Golden Cap

The disappointing thing was that having reached the pinnacle on this days walking, I still had another three and a half miles to walk…..and more climbs! In fact the last climb of the day was the toughest, with a heavy pack and virtually no water, I was relieved when I reached the top. I just kept telling myself that all I had to do was keep putting one foot in front of the other, one step at a time and I would get there. Simples! Yeah right!!

Showing the way

From this point, my route took me down hill into Charmouth where because of cliff falls I would have to follow the road into Lyme Regis, my stopping point for the day. Walking along a road with noisy traffic flying past is not my idea of fun but I was determined that I would still walk it even though I had already walked 20 miles. And then, after a mile or two of torture I spied……..a bus stop! And not only that, but a bus was due in 5 minutes ! It was just meant to be, so I did!

The Cobb, Lyme Regis

Tired but happy, I checked into a B&B – which was no easy task as they were all fully booked! It was something of a disappointment after last night’s accommodation but I was so tired that I didn’t care! After a refreshing shower and cuppa, I went off for……..you guessed it……..a walk!

Day 3 – to follow next time

Be blessed!

Thanks for stopping by and reading the ramblings of The Dorset Rambler.

Until next time,
Your friend
The Dorset Rambler.

If you would like to contact me, my details are on my website which is http://www.yarrowphotography.com – comments and feedback are welcomed.

All photographs, poems and words in this blog are the copyright of The Dorset Rambler and must not be reproduced without permission.

Tags: country life, Dorset, Dorset Coast Path, flowers, meadow, nature, photography, rambling, spring, trees, walking

Comments 5 Comments
Categories Dorset, Photography, Rambling, Walking, Wildlife

Of dancing waves, hovering clouds, diving Chinooks, and patterns in the sand!

21 Feb

This is a walk that started with one of my favourite modes of transport, the ferry that plies its trade to and fro across the entrance to Poole Harbour. As the ferry leaves on its journey, we can see the results of the devastating action of the tides which have over the years undermined the foreshore putting buildings at risk. It seems that no matter what man does, he cannot defeat the forces of nature.

Repairing the foreshore

This is a ferry that I have travelled on all my life, in fact I travelled this even before I was born…..in my mother’s womb ! I like it so much that I bought a metre of the chain to add to the cornucopia of quirky things that I have collected on my walks over the years and that now adorn my garden. Why only a metre? Well, it is heavy and it took two of us to lift just that length into the car! The chains are each 1,235 feet long and are replaced every 15 to 18 months because they stretch and wear out – so I have a very small piece of history in my garden !

Getting off the ferry is like entering another world, we leave one side inhabited by man and land on the other side inhabited by nature. Suddenly we are transported from some of the most expensive real estate in the world into the wide open spaces with three miles of the most broad, clean, sandy beaches you could wish to find!

Wide open spaces

Flanked by the most delightful sand dunes and beyond that, acres of heather clad heathland – entering this world, you just revel in the sense of freedom and with the bracing wind blowing off the sea, you can just feel yourself coming alive! No matter how many times I walk this beach, I never lose that wonderful sense of freedom………and I never run out of new photos to take!

The beauty of the sand dunes

On this day the wind was strong and the waves rolled relentlessly to the shore, one after the other without losing any momentum. As one finally dissipates its energy onto the beach, another three pile in behind it, like some perpetual motion machine. Standing on the shore, you get some sense of what King Canute must have felt! And that great Iona song, ‘Wave After Wave’ comes to mind.

Three in a row

Even with their relentless and unceasing power, the waves do not have it all their own way as the wind seemingly does battle with them, whipping the tops off as they break. What an amazing sight and one that a photo can never do justice to. As we stand watching the dancing waves and flitting spray carrying out their performance, it is like watching a well choreographed stage show, only so much better! Ah the wonders of God’s creation completely outdoes the best that man can offer!

Whipping the wave tops

Even the clouds seem to join in as they hover like giant airships! As we watch them, we can’t help but let our imaginations run free and wonder what it would be like to stand on top and see the world from their perspective.

A hovering airship!

This beach is not only a walker’s paradise but it is a horse rider’s paradise too as the local stables offer beach rides in the winter months. The picture below just typifies freedom to me.

Freedom

But it is time for us to leave this captivating scene and head on with our walk. Passing through a delightful village, we cross the graveyard that surrounds the beautiful Norman church and it is alive with snowdrops – a timely reminder that spring, and new birth, is not too far away.

Snowdrops in the churchyard

And then beyond the village we are met with a stiff climb that takes us up onto a ridge of hills and once again we are met with that same bracing wind that has us reaching for our gloves again. From here we have amazing views back across the village and beyond we can see almost the whole of the four miles we have walked so far. In the summer, these hills are rife with skylarks rising high above but today, it is a bird of a very different kind that sings overhead!

What a view

With a thunderous roar, like a giant bird coming out of the sun, the Chinook appears…..and it will accompany us for some time. This is a military machine on manoevers, landing on the headland and hovering over the water by turns, depositing and picking up troops on a training exercise. With precision timing, it is another, if different, spectacle to behold. As much as I love the solitude and silence of the countryside, these helicopters make an awesome sight with their massive power and yet incredible manoeuvrability - to quote Cassius Clay, they ‘float like a butterfly and sting like a bee’!

A bird of a different kind

With the Chinook following us, we continue on our way round the famous landmark that is Old Harry Rocks with its strong tidal race curving around the headland. A few years ago I kayaked round these stacks which was easy and great fun on the way out but somewhat more difficult on the way back, fighting a fast flowing tide. By the time I reached the safety of the beach, my arms felt like lead but it was great to see this chalk headland from a different viewpoint.

Old Harry Rocks

Having stopped off to enjoy a flask of hot Bovril at the top of the chalk cliffs in the one sheltered spot that was available, we continue along the track that leads back to the beach as for the last three miles, we would be retracing our steps from earlier in the day. By now the tide had gone out, revealing another of those quirky things that litter this coast.

This is The Training Bank, a man made reef of rocks laid to help maintain the deep water channel through the entrance to Poole Harbour by directing the tidal flow. This is only visible at low tide and it makes an interesting spectacle stretching out across the bay towards Old Harry Rocks.

The Training Bank

One of the amazing things about The Training Bank is the beautiful red seaweed which clothes all of the rocks.

Red seaweed

I love walking the beach as the sun sets. Apart from the wonderful peace, the soft evening light and low tide just seem to bring out the most beautiful patterns in the sand. It is a sight that I can never resist photographing!

Patterns in the sand

As we near the end of the walk, we have to cross several streams that are watersheds from the heathland. These are normally shallow and no bother to cross but with the rain that we have had in recent times, they were somewhat deeper than normal and the result of this is………wet feet! Ah well, I normally manage to get wet feet anyway as I am usually so busy taking pictures at the water’s edge that I don’t notice the incoming tide reaching out to grab me by the ankles ! Reflecting the post sunset glow in the sky, these little streams do make picturesque subjects for the camera !

Watershed wonder

And of course, the dunes with their Marram Grass also provide some photographic fodder !

Sunset in the dunes

And so finally after a fantastic day along the Dorset coast we reach the ferry again. Now that the sun has gone, the temperature dips to below freezing so the little bit of protection that the ferry provides is welcome. And we take the ride back across the harbour entrance with just the last remaining glow in the sky. What a great day!

A twilight journey back

Thanks for joining me on this walk – I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Be blessed!

Thanks for stopping by and reading the ramblings of The Dorset Rambler.

Until next time,
Your friend
The Dorset Rambler.

If you would like to contact me, my details are on my website which is http://www.yarrowphotography.com – comments and feedback are welcomed.

All photographs, poems and words in this blog are the copyright of The Dorset Rambler and must not be reproduced without permission.

Tags: church, conceptual photography, country life, Dorset, Dorset Coast Path, flowers, Iona, nature, new life, photography, rambling, walking, weather, wildlife

Comments 4 Comments
Categories Dorset, Photography, Rambling, Walking, Wildlife

Happiness is snow shaped :)

3 Feb

Now Dorset and snow don’t usually go together, especially South Dorset! We get the occasional light scattering, just to tantalise us and remind us of what we are missing and it has usually gone within hours. But recently we actually had a fall of snow that was worth walking in……and I did just that ! Now I don’t like snow for what it does to the community, the slippery roads that can make driving difficult, and the effect it has on the elderly who can’t get out, but I love it for the effect it has on the landscape, turning it into a magical fairyland, a delight to walk in!

This walk started from a wonderful Dorset village, probably one of the prettiest you could wish to see, a designer village that exists simply because one man didn’t want the view from his manor house spoilt by houses and cottages! But more of that later.

A designer village cottage

The village nestles in a valley with its single street lined on both sides with identical cottages and with its almshouses and church part way down. These cottages are always picturesque but with the myriad icicles hanging from the eaves of each one, they took on a real fairy story look – you could almost expect to see Hansel and Gretel appear from the doorway!

I have said that the cottages are all identical, and they are from the outside, but internally they now differ. With their single front door, you would imagine that they were all built as substantial single dwellings but in fact they were semi-detached – inside the front door of each was a lobby with secondary front doors into separate cottages on each side. There was much overcrowding in the days when these were built and it is said that at one time as many as 36 people lived in one of these small cottages……with two bedrooms! Many have now been knocked into one single larger cottage.

The post office and shop

As I walked down this street, I met one of the villagers and we fell into conversation – I was to bump into him again later in the walk. He had lived in the village for 14 months and was undertaking a project to film the village through the year. Naturally with rare snow on the ground, he was making the most of this as he captured the scene! As I left him and continued down the road, I wondered if he was still filming and if I would feature in his production!

A beautiful lane

From the village, my route took me down a lovely lane with parkland on each side and past one of the many manor houses that stand in the area. High on the side of the hill, this manor house had commanding views across this beautiful valley.

One of the manor houses

But this manor house would pale into insignificance compared to the main feature in this part of Dorset, the magnificent Milton Abbey and House.

Milton Abbey and its grounds

The abbey was originally founded in 925 by King Athelstan although those buildings were destroyed by fire in 1309. The current abbey dates from the 14th and 15th century and as huge as the church is, it is only a fraction of what it was meant to be as the eastern chapels have been demolished and the main nave was never built. An interesting story is told of John Tregonwell who at the age of 5 fell from the tower……and lived! It seems that his petticoat which was the fashion of the day acted as a parachute, enabling him to ‘land’ safely!

The parkland around the abbey, designed by Capability Brown, is truly magnificent and my walk took me through this beautiful countryside.

Through the parkland

Coming to the end of the lane in the picture above gives us a chance to turn and look back at not only the church itself but also the impressive mansion that is attached to it. This was the home of Joseph Damer, later Lord Milton. He bought the estate from the Tregonwell family who had acquired the abbey after the dissolution of the monasteries to use as their private residence. Joseph Damer had the ‘new’ mansion built in 1774.

At the time, the village, then known as Middleton, was below it in the valley but Joseph Damer did not like his view being ‘spoilt’ by the cottages so he had them all demolished and built a new village out of sight round the corner! As hard as that was for the then villagers, one of whom refused to leave and had to be literally flooded out, I guess we have him to thank for the picturesque 18th century designer village we now see.

The abbey and house, as is often the case with old mansions, has now been turned into a private school.

Across the Capability Brown parkland

But we must move on! For a short time, our route takes us along a quiet country lane where I again bumped into my friend with his camera filming a different view of village life. And in the distance we can see the next unspoilt village on this walk.

Down the country lane

But we don’t stay on the road long before detouring across the fields and footpaths to reach that village.

Across fields and footpaths

Eventually the path brings us out to another of those quintessentially Dorset villages with its delightful thatched cottages and its church standing proud in the centre.

An unspoilt Dorset village

It is always a pleasure walking through this interesting village whatever the time of year but all too soon, we have to head out into the country again to climb up to one of the highest points in Dorset with its amazing views over the Blackmore Vale and across four different counties.

The route up will take us through varied scenery.

Through beautiful woodlands…….

……..through lovely open farmland…….

…….and out onto the open hillside with another of my favourite views back down the valley. Amazingly, the gorse here was still in flower and provided a lovely splash of yellow in a monochrome landscape.

On the open hillside

Reaching the ridge of the hill, my route took me along the country lane which was a blessing because the views are spectacular and walking on the road means that you can enjoy the scenery to the full without having to look where you are walking……..well, apart from the occasional patch of ice ! Now I know why I carry a walking pole – it has saved my backside several times !

The Blackmore Vale

Soon though I had to turn off the road and drop down into another snowy valley and along this section, it was 12 inches deep in places………apart from where the sheep had worn it away in their quest to find grass.

Snow grazing!

And I even managed to find some virgin snow, not yet walked upon, it almost seemed a shame to spoil it. I never could resist a gate or stile and in the virgin snow, this gate looked particularly attractive.

The gate and the virgin snow

So I spoilt the snow by walking across it and then continued down the valley along a lovely farm lane.

Looking both ways!

As I was walking down this section, the clouds produced a spectacular display and it seemed like it was just for me as it added a different dimension to the pictures. Eventually I had to climb up the side of the valley again and spoil yet more virgin snow which came up to my knees making it hard work climbing up what wasn’t really a very steep hill. But there is always something special about being the first person to walk in the snow !

Almost too lovely to spoil!

And it was the same as I crossed the next field; and looking back with the snow, the sunshine and the blue sky, it was quite breathtaking. Just stand with me a moment and admire the creator’s handiwork. ’The fool has said in his heart there is no God’.

Rolling hills of snow

And so it was on down the farm track again where I could feel less guilty because the tractors had already christened the snow ! It was along this section that there was a sad sight – animal tracks in the snow with drops of blood at regular intervals ! I wondered what had made the tracks and whether they had survived……..I hope so!

Tractor tracks

We are nearing the end of the walk now but there is yet another valley to drop into and a view made all the better by the foreground stubble that has managed to poke through the layer of snow on this more sheltered side of the hill. With the patchwork quilt of snowy fields on the opposite hillside, it made a delightful view as the light faded into evening.

In the fading light

And so my route brought me full circle as I dropped into the designer village again to pass the now redundant old school with its streetlamp shining brightly out into the gathering gloom. And the rows of cottages in the distance seem to welcome me back.

The old school

As I look back at this walk, it brings back such great memories, memories of post card perfect views across not only a designer village but also a designer landscape with its natural beauty enhanced by a heavy fall of snow. It was a 12 mile walk that felt more like 20, but it was 20 miles of heaven on earth ! But aren’t all walks in this amazing creation like that?

I have put up more pictures than I normally would but I hope you have enjoyed walking with me!

Be blessed!

Thanks for stopping by and reading the ramblings of The Dorset Rambler.

Until next time,
Your friend
The Dorset Rambler.

If you would like to contact me, my details are on my website which is http://www.yarrowphotography.com – comments and feedback are welcomed.

All photographs, poems and words in this blog are the copyright of The Dorset Rambler and must not be reproduced without permission.

Tags: church, country life, Dorset, farming, nature, photography, rambling, snow, village life, walking, weather, wildlife

Comments 11 Comments
Categories Dorset, Photography, Rambling, Walking

Twas on a cold wintry day……

23 Dec

Ah what a fabulous walk this was! For almost the first time this year I could walk on solid ground, not because there wasn’t any mud but because for once the mud was frozen. After the rain we have had seemingly all year, it was such a refreshing change to have seasonably cold, frosty weather which froze even the deepest puddles. So it was hat and gloves on, and a hot drink to have on the way!

Mind you, before I even got to walking, the camera came out as I passed the beautiful valley in the picture below – I thought it looked as if Santa had passed by in his sleigh on his way to deliver presents to all the lovely children !

Where is Santa

I arrived at the starting point of my walk and parked in a delightfully picturesque village with its picture postcard cottages and leafy lanes. With the dappled sunlight, it made a beautiful start to the walk – but later, the darkness would reveal something even more special!

Dappled light on a village street

Leaving the village, the first mile or two took me down one of those quintessentially timeless Dorset country lanes. With the crisp frost and the dancing sunlight, it seemed that I was walking in an age more familiar to my grandparents and I almost expected to see a horse and wagon come by on their way to market. It is truly wonderful how some things just don’t change, especially in this fast moving 21st century technological society that we live in. How grateful I am for these timeless places, these quiet moments, and for the ability to enjoy them.

Timeless

Turning off the lane, my route took me onto a farm track, passing the farmhouse on the way. Seeing this farmhouse bathed in sunshine on this crisp day made me understand afresh the pleasures of living in a rural area. I know there are ‘disadvantages’ to being a farmer like having to get up at 4.00 am every day but, hey, as they say, ‘every silver lining has a cloud’! Hmm, or is that the other way round !

The farmhouse

But just standing there gazing at the view…….well, you couldn’t help but sigh and drink it all in. With the frost in the foreground echoing the shape of the fence, and the gentle mist settled over the valley in the early morning light, it was magical What a morning, what a view! Stand there with me and realise afresh the truth of the poets words, ‘What is life, if full of care, we have no time to stand and stare’!

‘What is life, if full of care, we have no time to stand and stare’

But, move on we must, before the cold freezes us to the spot! From here, the route winds its way across farmland…….and loses its way a little! A lack of signposting and some poor stiles can make it difficult to follow the path, especially when one field looks much like the next, but this is all part of the enjoyment of a good walk, creating some small challenges along the way and making the compass and map worth carrying.

We have a good system here in Dorset, a system that allows any problems with the footpath to be reported to the local authority – you can love or hate the Internet, but how did we manage without it? Within days of my sending through the report, I received an email advising me that the corrective works had been commissioned so next time I walk this way, the path should be clear again ! I bet they love me!!

One of the things I love about this county of Dorset is the variety of habitat and terrain. After the farmland, the path gently winds down into a lovely area of woodland with the frost clinging to the trees and shrubs creating a fairytale land. If you let your imagination go, you could almost expect to see little snowmen running free. And then, it is out into the open hillside again to be greeted by the most wonderful view.

Across the open valley

Lunch time was beckoning and I knew that there was a lovely village church not far away. That is significant because it is always nice to sit down to eat but that is not something that is straight forward in the winter when the ground is so wet. However, most churchyards have a bench or two which solves the problem ! I often think it would be nice if more farmers would provide a seat or two beside footpaths crossing their land – it doesn’t need to be a padded sofa, just an old log or two will do ! But on this day, it was a churchyard, and a beautifully peaceful one at that, and as I sat there, the weak winter sunlight falling on the delightfully coloured gravestones caught my eye.

In the graveyard

On these cold days, it is always nice to have a hot drink so I usually carry either a flask or my small camping stove which in many ways is even better because it means I can brew a hot drink whenever I want to. And today I wanted to! Sat in that peaceful churchyard with food and a hot drink reflecting on life is one of the pleasures even on a cold day like this. And so often, these country churchyards are a haven for wildlife too.

The second half of the walk crosses some pristine parklands, with two old stately homes to pass, with the usual array of cottages. I think the one below with its mansard roof and country garden must be the perfect place to live.

The country cottage

And then a little further on, another old and now disused but beautifully positioned building which probably housed farm workers in time gone by. Its days of usefulness are long gone and it looks forlornly out across the land that its inhabitants once served. And yet it still has a picturesque beauty that enhances the distant view, and a heritage that stretches even further.

Empty but beautiful

Climbing up onto the ridge just as the sun was setting, my route took in some amazing views across the valley. The evening mist was creeping stealthily across the low lying land creating a mystical atmosphere which was lit by the gentle pastel colours that are typical of a Dorset winter evening. And the frost that had lingered on the ground all day, grew crisper as the temperature dropped even further.

The evening mist settles across the valley

And as I dropped down off the hillside again, the village of Evershot was sat in shade with the blue mist creating a winter wonderland.

A winter wonderland

Passing through the village and out into the countryside again, I looked back to see the last vestiges of the milky sunset reflecting off the smoke from the bonfires in the cottage gardens.

Bonfires in the sunset

The last two miles took me across the most perfect parkland with its landscaped grounds and beautifully laid out trees. One in particular seemed as if it was standing out from its peers, like a lookout on the ramparts of a hill fort.

The lookout

And as darkness fell and the frost grew heavier and whiter still, I walked on alone apart from the many deer that roamed free. They were my company for what I often think is the best part of the day.

The parklands

And of course past the old mansion itself, now looming out of the darkness.

The old mansion

Eventually, I walked back into the village I had started from and it was there that the darkness brought to light that ‘something special’ that I mentioned at the start. It was a beautiful nativity scene set up in the window of one of the old cottages, lit up and glowing with its warm light shining out into the cold, darkness outside. I stood and looked, and thought what a great message, light shining into darkness, and a what a wonderful reminder of what this Christmas time is all about!

Be blessed!

Thanks for stopping by and reading the ramblings of The Dorset Rambler.

Until next time,
Your friend
The Dorset Rambler.

If you would like to contact me, my details are on my website which ishttp://www.yarrowphotography.com – comments and feedback are welcomed.

All photographs, poems and words in this blog are the copyright of The Dorset Rambler and must not be reproduced without permission.

Tags: church, churches, country life, Dorset, farming, nature, photography, poem, poetry, rambling, trees, village life, walking, wildlife

Comments 11 Comments
Categories Dorset, Photography, Poetry, Rambling, Walking, Wildlife

On White Nothe (or is it Nose) again :)

6 Dec

I did say that it was a place that I love to walk…….well, I walked there again last week so I thought I would add a few more quirky and interesting facts about this remote and lovely place.

The first thing is that name and where it came from. Well it comes from the shape and its resemblance to a facial appendage but I have not been able to establish whether it is the profile shape of the whole headland or, as one source suggests, just the rocky outcrop shown in the picture below. Does it matter? Well only to me as I’m inquisitive and like things to be settled! Actually I think the whole headland looks like a nose – all it needs is a couple of caves for nostrils…..

Just as an aside, I wonder why the name changed from Nose to Nothe – do you think someone had a cold and couldn’t pronounce his S’s properly – I have this picture in mind of someone talking to a cartographer who was drawing up a map of the area and the mispronunciation stuck !

White Nose

In fact, the outcrop in the picture is not the only one on this headland. There is a far less well known and perhaps more impressive outcrop below. It is a massive pillar of chalk known as The Fountain Rock and is seen by few people because it is somewhat off the beaten track, and the beach it stands on is inaccessible. Which leads me to one of the things on my wish list – one day I want to stand on the shore at the foot of this rock ! Now I could get my kayak out again or I could walk the shoreline from Ringstead and take a chance on the tides !! One day……

The Fountain Rock

Moving further along the headland in an easterly direction leads us to some more interesting features of this fantastic place. The first is a series of three shell sculptures, each in its own cupboard – I say three but sadly there are now only two because one has been damaged. These sculptures were carved by Peter Randall in 1985 at the request of the Weld Estates as part of Common Ground’s New Milestones project. This aimed to stimulate small scale art works to express a sense of history and the natural world and they feature in a number of places across Dorset. It seems incongruous somehow to come across these in the middle of nowhere but what a great idea, and a very pleasant, not to mention intriguing, surprise for anyone walking these parts for the first time.

The Wayside Carvings

Just a short distance away is something that puzzled me all my life until finally I managed to get to the bottom of what was a real conundrum. There are two obelisks perhaps a quarter of a mile apart and nowhere was there any mention of their purpose or who erected them. They are both identical and one is inland of the other – but why were they put there? Clearly it wasn’t just a random thought someone had on a quiet day when they were bored, and they are far two functional in appearance to be any form of memorial, so what are they? Answers on a postcard to…….

The inland obelisk

Actually as mentioned before, the riddle is solved – well at least in part! After spending a day making numerous telephone calls to various ‘authorities’, each of whom suggested another, I reached the Hydrographic Office in Taunton and they found a reference to these in a publication entitled The Channel Pilot Part 1 (I believe it is a sort of seaman’s guide to the British coast). This dates from 1908 and the reference actually says, ‘Two white beacons, 24 feet high for the use of His Majesty’s ships when prize firing, have been erected on high land east of White Nose (now known as White Nothe)’.

So the next puzzle was, what is or was ‘prize firing’? Well it was the test of a ship’s proficiency for battle and on Admiralty orders this was to be carried out annually. Basically it was a yearly competition to see if the naval gunners were any good – if they were then they went into battle and if they weren’t then it was back for more training. What I am not totally sure on is exactly how the obelisks were used apart from the fact that they obviously had to be lined up when viewed from the ship. As the observant will have noticed, they are no longer painted white.

The coastal obelisk

There is one final point of interest at the top of the headland and that is a memorial to the author Llewelyn Powis. He was one of a family of eleven, many of whom were writers, and for a number of years he lived in White Nothe Cottages that I showed in my last blog. The cottages went through a bohemian period when many noted people, including Augustus John, visited.

In my last blog entry I mentioned the Smuggler’s Path and the fact that the last 30 feet or so down to the shore involved climbing down a rather rickety looking ladder – well I have now found my pictures of this contraption which I have climbed up and down many times! I think this is pretty quirky so I thought I should post them !

The stairway to heaven – well White Nothe actually

The view from the top

Ringstead Bay through the ladder

Oh yes, and did I mention the old fence posts ! I love them – they are almost as quirky as The Dorset Rambler! Its amazing what you see when you walk with your eyes really open.

Another wonderful old fence post

One pleasure I did have on my last visit is that I again bumped into my friend Sally who lives in one of the cottages and we had a long and enjoyable chat. She did correct one thing from my last post – she does have internet! So just a tiny bit of the 21st century has finally come to these wonderful old cottages ! Apart from that, the historic features and charm have been amazingly preserved – and long may it stay that way.

Well, for the time being at least, we must leave this delightful place with the strange name of White Nothe and move on to other areas – but more of that next time. Before we go though, stand with me once more on the cliff top and look out to the setting sun across the mist that has settled on the sea.

Thanks for stopping by and reading the ramblings of The Dorset Rambler.

Until next time,
Your friend
The Dorset Rambler.

If you would like to contact me, my details are on my website which is http://www.yarrowphotography.com – comments and feedback are welcomed.

All photographs, poems and words in this blog are the copyright of The Dorset Rambler and must not be reproduced without permission.

Tags: books, country life, Dorset, Dorset Coast Path, Llewelyn Powis, photography, quirky, rambling, reading, walking, White Nothe

Comments 2 Comments
Categories Dorset, Photography, Rambling, Walking

On White Nothe.

27 Nov

I am sitting in my office this afternoon looking out of my window at the most amazing sunset……and I am frustrated! You see, this week I have been unwell so have not been able to get out walking and one of Yarrow’s Laws states that, ‘When not walking, there shall be a blazing sunset, and when walking, there shall be grey skies only’ ! Ah well, tomorrow is another day.

Since I am at home, I thought I would catch up with another blog, and this one was sparked by a television programme that I watched earlier. But more of that later!

The subject of this blog is White Nothe which is a fabulous headland on the Jurassic Coast of Dorset. Also known as White Nose because of its distinctive shape, it is an area that I love to walk as it seems to be filled with interest and intrigue, not to mention wild, windy weather at times.

The distinctive shape of White Nothe, AKA White Nose, at sunset

The chalk headland with its flat top juts out to sea and has amazing views all along the coast to the east and the west. To the east, the views take in Bat’s Head, Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove.

The view to the east

To the west, the views spread out across the beautiful Ringstead Bay and through to Weymouth.

The Dorset Cost Path and the view to the west

And looking directly South, the view takes in The Isle of Portland, which in reality is not an island as it is connected to the mainland by a causeway.

The view south to Portland

With the Dorset Coast Path running along this whole area, I am sure you can appreciate why I love walking it so much – well, who wouldn’t. I mentioned that this area is intriguing, well it is to me, and one of the quirky things is the famous Smuggler’s Path which zig zags steeply down the end of the headland to the shore. This path was made famous by J Meade Falkner in his book, ‘Moonfleet’ which is a tale of smuggling in Dorset. In part of the book he wrote:

‘Forgive me, lad,’ he said, ‘if I have spoke too roughly. There is yet another way that we may try; and if thou hadst but two whole legs, I would have tried it, but now ’tis little short of madness. And yet, if thou fear’st not, I will still try it. Just at the end of this flat ledge, farthest from where the bridle-path leads down, but not a hundred yards from where we stand, there is a sheep-track leading up the cliff. It starts where the under-cliff dies back again into the chalk face, and climbs by slants and elbow-turns up to the top. The shepherds call it the Zigzag, and even sheep lose their footing on it; and of men I never heard but one had climbed it, and that was lander Jordan, when the Excise was on his heels, half a century back. But he that tries it stakes all on head and foot, and a wounded bird like thee may not dare that flight. Yet, if thou art content to hang thy life upon a hair, I will carry thee some way; and where there is no room to carry, thou must down on hands and knees and trail thy foot.’

(From Moonfleet by J Meade Falkner – as young John Trenchard and Elzevir Block flee from the Excise Men)

The Smuggler’s Path

Actually, the path itself, whilst steep, is not that scary although when you reach the bottom there is a somewhat shaky and exposed ‘ladder’ that takes you the last 30 feet to the shore. This is a path I always enjoy walking, especially down……well its tough going up it !

One of the other quirky things is the ‘pill box’ which stands at the top of the zig zag. It was in fact a communication post during the war, and I once scrambled up to the top to take some pictures. These places always intrigue me because as I stand there, I find myself wondering about all the men that served there, and the legacy they left. What also amuses me is that as I stand beside this communication post, I have no signal on my mobile phone!!

The communication post

The most intriguing thing about the headland is the row of cottages behind in the picture above. These puzzled me for years until I got talking to a very pleasant lady who lives in one of them and she told me all about them. This is another very quirky part of this wonderful county!

White Nothe Cottages

The cottages were built to house coastguards, with the nearest three story house being that of the captain and the other six cottages housing his men. At one time, with wives and children, there were 44 people living in this short row of cottages. They are well placed for the coastguards, simply because of the all round views.

The coastguards’ view

These days, the cottages are in private ownership, although they are nonetheless quirky for that. These are the facts:

1. They have no road access. The only way to reach then is along a muddy farm track.
2. They have no mains electricity. Power comes from a number of sources, a) an LPG powered generator, b) a car battery charged by solar panels, or c) for lighting, gas mantles, oil lamps or candles.
3. They have no mains gas. Gas is by LPG bottle and since there are no deliveries, the residents have to go and collect them.
4. There is no running water. Water provision is simply rain water captured off the roofs and stored in underground tanks. This then needs to be pumped up to the header tank as needed.
5. Heating is by log burners which feed a small number of radiators.
6. There is no telephone or Internet.
7. There is no mains drainage, just a septic tank.

Quirky? I think so, but fantastic too, and I would love to live in one ! In the middle of nowhere, with those views and being able to walk straight out of you front door onto the coast path…..bliss!

Just down from the top of the headland stands another interesting feature of this amazing coast. It is a tiny hamlet of Holworth with its beautiful wooden chapel. I had thought that this was unused but in fact it has recently been extended. It stands in the perfect position right on the cliff edge.

Holworth Church with its perfect view

I think it is fair to say that yet another quirky thing about this place is its weather! Often windy, as you would expect, it also has frequent mists which blow across the headland and role down to the sea like water pouring off a hillside. It is an awesome sight to stand and watch this phenomenon which frequently occurs when the lower coast is clear.

The mist covers White Nothe whilst Ringstead Bay stays clear

The mist roles across the headland

Ah yes, one more feature about White Nothe – it seems to have a lot of old, broken fence posts which I seem to photograph with monotonous regularity ! The picture below, I called ‘Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let your hair down’ – I wonder if you can see why?

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let your hair down

So that is White Nothe, with its amazing views and intrigue, a place I love. Oh yes, and the programme that sparked this blog? The cottages were featured on a property programme from which I discovered that three of them are on the market………now, where’s my cheque book?

Actually, according to the programme, the three story cottage is on at £575K. Ah well, I’ll just dream on!

The sun fades over White Nothe

Thanks for stopping by and reading the ramblings of The Dorset Rambler.

Until next time,
Your friend
The Dorset Rambler.

If you would like to contact me, my details are on my website which is http://www.yarrowphotography.com – comments and feedback are welcomed.

All photographs, poems and words in this blog are the copyright of The Dorset Rambler and must not be reproduced without permission.

Tags: church, churches, country life, Dorset, Dorset Coast Path, J Meade Falkner, mist, Moonfleet, photography, rambling, reading, weather, White Nothe

Comments 9 Comments
Categories Dorset, Photography, Rambling, Walking

Of autumn mists and mellow fruitfulness ……..well, just mist really!!

4 Nov

I think we all like walking in the lovely bright summer sunshine, but I’m a strange person in that I like to walk in all weathers! In fact there are times when bad weather really improves a walk – for instance, on a bright summers day mountains can seem quite tame but bring down some stormy weather and they take on a whole different character, much more threatening and dangerous. On this walk, the day was very misty and with heavy cloud that really suited the landscape so well, as I think you will see.

It started with a walk around the southern shore of Poole Harbour, said to be the second largest natural harbour in the world with 100 miles of coastline. Initially, the walk was straight forward with sandy beaches, gently lapping water, and……and house boats!

The house boats at Bramble Bush Bay

These always intrigue me as some are not really boats at all – because they were effectively falling apart, they have been embedded in concrete to ‘stop the rot’. They still lean at crazy angles and you would be justified in thinking they were derelict, but they are not. They are still occupied in the summer months when the concrete bedded ones are joined by a number of additional floating houses to form a village by the beach. It is one of those quirky things of Dorset that I have known all my life.

A little further on in my walk I came across another of those mysteries, a row of dragon’s teeth – but are they?

Dragon’s Teeth?

This line of heavy concrete blocks stretches a short distance into the harbour’s water and are usually referred to as Dragon’s Teeth, a wartime anti-tank blockade, but I often wonder if that really was their purpose. At one time, Brownsea Island, the largest island in the harbour, had a pottery industry and raw materials were transported by boat to the island, and in turn, the pottery goods were exported. To do this, the barges used to berth at a number of landing stages on the harbour shore and I wonder if these blocks are the remains of one of these. I have never been able to totally prove one way or the other but in many ways, it is the very mystery that makes these utilitarian blocks fascinating.

Continuing round the shoreline, I passed below the beautiful low sandstone cliffs with their amazing array of warm colours ranging from yellow, through the whole spectrum of oranges, to deep browns. And below, the sandy beach begins to turn a little more rugged.

Sandstone

There is quite a lot of debris along this part of the coast, remains from the days when there were thriving industries. This is very evident at Redhorn Quay. The old jetty itself has long since disappeared but there is a rusting hulk, still standing proud, determined to hold out till the last. I fear it will not be there much longer as the weather over the years has destroyed most of it already.

The wreck at Redhorn Quay

I always linger at Redhorn because as you stand there with the wind whipping around you and the sound of the sea lapping on the shore, you can almost sense what it would have been like all those years ago when the wreck was a working barge plying its trade around the harbour. With other derelict vessels nearby, it feels like a graveyard.

But it was time to move on. Now this is not an easy walk and in some ways that is what makes it special because it is not frequented by many people. This makes it seem all the more remote. What makes the walk difficult is that it is extremely marshy and great care is needed to avoid stepping in the wrong place! But it has a very beautiful loneliness about it. With the heavy mist and cloud, the marshes take on real character as you walk carefully beside the water. The tide was out revealing vast expanses of mud flats which were frequented by a whole range of waders, and their plaintive cries echoing across the harbour just emphasised the feeling of loneliness that this area evokes. I love those plaintive cries, especially that of the curlew and the oyster catcher!

Marshes and mud flats in Poole Harbour

I lingered as long as I could but had to move on because there was a lot more to enjoy on this walk. As I left the harbour shore, I took one last look back across the wonderful autumn marsh grass.

Across the marsh grass

From the marshlands of the harbour, I walked on across the heathland further inland, with its famous Agglestone (holy stone). This stone stands proud on its hilltop as if it was monarch of all he surveys…..but the truth is it is not meant to be there! It is a massive block of sandstone, not necessarily massive by world standards but massive in the context of the sandy heathland that surrounds it. It is this incongruity which makes it another of Dorset’s curiosities. Legend has it that it was thrown by the devil from the Isle of Wight when he was aiming to destroy Corfe Castle which is a few miles away. Clearly his aim was not that good…….or maybe it is just that it is a relic of the ice age !

The Agglestone on Godlingston Heath

One of the things I like about this walk is the varied terrain, from marshes to heathland and on to much more civilised ground as I crossed the well manicured grass of Isle of Purbeck Golf Course, famed for being owned by Enid Blyton. Even here though there was wetness!!!

Tracks in the wet grass on the Isle of Purbeck Golf Course

And having passed across the fairway, watching for low flying golf balls , my route took me up over to the top of Ballard Down with its well known obelisk looming out of the mist. This obelisk was erected for the first time in 1883 to commemorate the coming of a clean water supply to Swanage. I say ‘for the first time’ because it was taken down during the Second World War to prevent its being used by enemy pilots to aid navigation. It was erected for a second time in 1952 but somewhat shorter because the bottom section had been damaged.

The ‘shorter’ obelisk on Ballard Down

The view from the obelisk is wonderful and it was a view that stayed with me as my route followed the ridge for several miles. Normally on this part of the walk I would be serenaded by skylarks but not on this day. I did however come across some fungi, grouped together as if they were deliberately posing for a family photograph. Naturally I obliged !

A fungi family gathering on Ballard Down

Having enjoyed the spectacular views…..and the bracing wind……on the ridge top, I eventually dropped down into the valley again to pass through a farm with the usual array of ‘abandoned’ farm machinery. Some of this was clearly just parked until needed again but it always amuses me how much machinery simply gets left to rust away. On some walks it almost seems like someone has deliberately set up a museum of farming through the ages!

Waiting to be used again

I was nearing the end of my walk now but there was still time to look for some more pictures. I like to look for a different view of things and recently have been searching for what I call ‘alternative autumn pictures’. I found one on this walk in a river bed which reflected the trees above – the ‘autumn leaves’ were in fact pebbles under the water.

Autumn in the river bed

The final stretch of this wonderful and varied walk should have taken me along the beach back to my starting point but I took a detour to revisit the early part of my walk again, hoping for an amazingly vibrant sunset across the Dragon’s Teeth and house boats – but as often happens it didn’t come!! Well I guess the sun did set, but hidden from view behind a huge bank of cloud! Ah well, I took the pictures anyway.

Somehow, in the fading light, the random concrete blocks seem even more imposing.

Poole Harbour in the fading light

And standing on the shore on this crisp evening with the water gently washing across the sand with the mist still lingering across the harbour, there was a special atmosphere. It is what makes walking so enjoyable and memorable!

Darkness falls on The Bramble Bush Bay houseboats

By the time I reached the Sandbanks Chain Ferry for my trip back across the Poole Harbour entrance, it was dark – but then, I finish nearly all of my walks in the dark….just to make them last a little longer. And this was a walk I didn’t want to end.

The Sandbanks Chain Ferry

Not much sun, lots of cloud and mist, chill breezes, waders and fungi, marshland, heath, hilltops and beach, and a good smattering of Dorset quirkiness – a wonderfully varied and evocative walk. I hope you enjoyed walking it with me.

Thanks for stopping by and reading the ramblings of The Dorset Rambler.

Until next time,
Your friend
The Dorset Rambler.

If you would like to contact me, my details are on my website which is http://www.yarrowphotography.com – comments and feedback are welcomed.

All photographs, poems and words in this blog are the copyright of The Dorset Rambler and must not be reproduced without permission.

Tags: country life, Dorset, Dorset Coast Path, Enid Blyton, farming, nature, photography, Poole Harbour, rambling, walking, weather, wildlife

Comments 8 Comments
Categories Dorset, Photography, Rambling, Walking, Wildlife

Of summer and autumn, Dorset heathlands, memories of a hero, and a spider rescued!

5 Oct

Betwixt and between seems to summarise where we are at the moment and this was a betwixt and between walk! In terms of flora and fauna, summer has not quite gone and yet autumn is here; in terms of weather, autumn is definitely here! On this walk there was evidence of both seasons and there is such beauty in both and so much to be enjoyed if we just walk with our eyes open.

The walk started off by crossing some classic old Dorset countryside……although there is precious little of it left now – I mean that mix of conifer plantations and open heathland that was made famous by one of Dorset’s great authors, Thomas Hardy. At one time, much of Dorset was covered with open heathland but gradually over the years it has either been built on or reclaimed for farming, making it a rare commodity in the 21st century. Fortunately some pockets remain dotted around the county and this walk took in several.

The beautiful Dorset heathland

Having crossed the high heathland in the midst of changing from its summer dress to its winter garb, my route dropped down into woodlands with ferns in a similar state of change. These look delightful as they gently unfurl in the spring but are equally delightful as they change into autumn colours on the ‘forest’s ferny floor’ as Walter De La Mare describes it.

The forest’s ferny floor

It was at this juncture that I rescued a spider!! Well to be exact, I avoided destroying him and his web! I was walking along the forest track just listening to the birds singing their myriad different songs – its strange really, who told the wren that he had to sing that particular tune, or the yellow hammer his particular tune? The wonders of this wonderful creation!

Anyway, as I walked, I noticed something glistening immediately in front of me so I stopped for a closer look. It was a single slender strand of web that stretched a full 10 feet from one side of the path to the other and that supported the web with the spider in the middle waiting for his prey to fly by (it conjures in my mind pictures of me walking into the web and being bound up by the spider like something out of a horror movie )! Well, I didn’t want to destroy his handiwork and it was at the wrong height for me to get over or under it so I detoured around it by fighting my way through the brambles and undergrowth to the other side, not an easy task!

A very grateful spider with his lunch!

A little farther along the trail, I came across some evidence of summer, just to contrast with the autumn heathland that I had just walked through. This was a hover fly on a corn marigold. It was almost as if summer was saying, ‘I haven’t quite gone yet!’

Hover fly on a corn marigold

For a time I left the heathland behind (although I would return to it later) as my route took me to the resting place of one of Dorset’s heroes. To get there, I had to cross the river, and a beautiful river crossing it was too with its hugely long and thin bridge alongside what was a ford. In fact whilst I was there, a group of cyclists thought it still was ‘fordable’ as they all rode into the river for a short distance before each in turn got stuck as their wheels sank into the shingle……and they fell off!

A delightful river crossing

The goal was St Nicholas’ Church Moreton, famous for being the resting place of T E Lawrence, Lawrence of Arabia. It is a beautiful church with some spectacular windows, each engraved with lovely scenes. The original church was badly damaged in the Second World War when it was hit by a German bomber and instead of repairing the windows, it was decided to commission Lawrence Whistler to create new ones. They are beautiful and world famous!

St Nichols’ Church, Moreton and its windows

Lawrence’s grave itself sits in a small detached part of the graveyard.

Lawrence of Arabia’s resting place

For the time being, I left T E Lawrence but there would be more reminders of his life further on in my walk. My route took me back across the long bridge and through another pocket of heathland. This one was covered partly with wonderfully picturesque long, yellowing grass. I love this grass and I sat and ate my lunch in the middle of it, just listening to the gentle sounds of the Dorset countryside. It was a delightful place.

The lunch stop

And here too was a reminder (or is that a remainder!) of summer, with a plethora of butterflies all around me.

A speckled wood butterfly

All too soon it was time to leave my idyllic surroundings and continue on my way to an altogether different area in more ways than one. My route took me out of the heath and onto a country lane, but not just any country lane, this was the very place that T E Lawrence met his untimely death on 19th May 1935 at the age of 46. Having achieved and survived so much during the Arab campaign, Lawrence finally succumbed on this stretch of Dorset road when he lost control of his motorbike whilst trying to avoid two boys who were cycling in a hidden dip. It seemed fitting that as I walked this stretch of road, an army tank passed by.

The spot where Lawrence died

Of course Lawrence was an author, famous for The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, but that wasn’t his only legacy. As a result of his accident, crash helmets were ultimately introduced for all motorcyclists. Just a short distance away along the same road sits Clouds Hill, Lawrence’s cottage home for many years, now in the hands of that National Trust.

Clouds Hill

Leaving T E Lawrence behind, I continued my walk, and crossed yet another pocket of heathland. Here again there was a mix of summer and winter with the delightful Bell Heather still bearing its summer magenta-purple plumage whilst the equally delightful Bog Asphodel had changed from yellow to a wonderful autumn orangey red.

Colours of the heathland – Bell Heather and Bog Asphodel

I was nearing the end of my walk now but there were two quintessentially Dorset villages to pass through, picture postcard perfect villages! Apart from the usual array of delightful thatched cottages, the first village had a rather interesting village post office ! Sitting beside the old village hall, the shop was in what was at one time a granary with its arched foundations designed to keep unwanted visitors out! This was a wonderful village to walk through although I suspect that there may be less residents there now with some of the cottages having been turned into second homes. It is a shame that the soul has gone out of a lot of our lovely villages as local people are priced out by the ever increasing prices of these cottages!

A delightful village

The old granary

My final stopping point was another village of picture book cottages and the nice thing about this one was that although there is recent development, it has all been designed to blend in with the old. It does give you some faith in the authorities that control the planning requirements and a greater hope that our wonderful heritage will never be lost !

New and old alike

I started of by saying that we are betwixt and between and this wonderful walk contained much to prove that. It highlighted the beauty of both summer and autumn – in fact every season has its beauty and this is never more true than in this county and country of ours. With the changing seasons and weather, we never have a chance to tire of anything and I think that is a real positive………..unless it is rain, and I think we have had our fair share of that !!!!!

Thanks for stopping by and reading the ramblings of The Dorset Rambler.

Until next time,
Your friend
The Dorset Rambler.

All photographs, poems and words in this blog are the copyright of The Dorset Rambler and must not be reproduced without permission.

Tags: church, churches, conceptual photography, country life, Dorset, farming, flowers, Lawrence of Arabia, nature, photography, rain, rambling, Thomas Hardy, village life, walking, weather, wildlife

Comments 6 Comments
Categories Dorset, Rambling, Walking, Wildlife

What are your favourite sounds?

25 Sep

Since I am a photographer you might think I am a visual person, and I am. But I am also very much an audio person and I love sounds, not only music but all sounds – well, perhaps not literally all !! Many years ago I listed my favourite sounds so I thought I would share some of them with you.

The sound of surf washing over shingle

This is such a beautiful relaxing sound, especially at the end of a long walk as the evening light settles over the coast and everyone has gone home – the time when in the words of the poet, ‘All is left to darkness and to me’. Sitting in the solitude on one of Dorset’s shingle beaches with the gently washing surf is special.

The sound of the skylark singing on a warm summer day

To me, this is a quintessentially Dorset sound when walking the chalk uplands and it just typifies summer. I will never forget the evening at the end of a great day when I was walking along the coast with the skylarks singing on one side of me, the surf washing gently across the shore on the other, and a fantastic sunset straight ahead of me. Magical! Just lay on the grass and listen to the skylarks singing. I love it so much that I wrote a song about it once – perhaps I’ll share it one day.

The sound of children playing

What a cheerful sound this is! Children have such a sense of wonder and adventure, it is such a shame we lose it as we get older……not that I have ever lost mine as I am still a child at heart and I deliberately try to keep my sense of wonder and passion as you will probably have sensed from my blog. The innocence of children as they play is one of the wonders of the world.

The sound of a steam train

Maybe it reminds me of my youth. We don’t see them so much now but fortunately we have enthusiasts who still run preserved steam railways like the Swanage Railway in Dorset or the Toddington Railway in the picture above. I know they were slow and dirty but I can forgive all that for the wonderful sound they make!

The sound of a finely tuned bicycle wheel

This may seem a strange one but when I was younger I was a racing cyclist and I had lightweight aluminium wheels and tubular tyres on my bike and when you got up a good speed whilst racing, the wheels would just sing with the friction of the road and the air through the spokes. It was a great sound and a great feeling……but you would probably have to be a cyclist to understand it!

Sounds that travel on a very still summer evening

This is another ‘end of walk’ favourite. Occasionally we have those very still, balmy summer evenings and it is really great to be walking the hilltops just listening to the sounds that travel across the valley, sounds like dogs barking or cows mooing in the far distance. Normally you wouldn’t notice it but sounds travel a long way in the still summer air and they have a different quality.

The sound of push/pull lawn mowers

Its strange how whenever you sit down in the garden for a quiet read, there’s always someone who decides to mow their lawn! These days nearly everyone has either an electric or a motor mower, the former makes this stress inducing whine and the latter just makes a din! The old push/pull mowers like the one in the picture above have such a lovely relaxing sound……..when the neighbours are using them of course !

The singing of the blackbird

Always the last to sing as darkness falls, and usually from a favourite perch high in the tree. Such a beautiful sound!

The crackling of a blazing log fire

In the freezing cold depths of winter, there is nothing better than a blazing log fire that crackles and makes all sorts of strange patterns and pictures as you gaze at the flames. No need for a television or music, a log fire is entertainment all by itself. If its not in the hearth, a bonfire is equally good, or as in my garden, a chiminea! Wonderful…….even if everything does smell of smoke after – well, I can’t smell it anyway! When I was young, I used to take my dog Rex out for long walks and then together we would sit beside a blazing fire with the lights out and the room being lit by just the dancing flames.

The plaintive cry of the curlew

Walking through the mudflats at low tide with a myriad of different waders is fantastic, and there is no better sound than the lonely, plaintive cry of the curlew. It sends shivers down your spine!

The sound of seagulls

I guess they remind me of holidays long ago spent at the west country seaside or harbours. The sound to me just takes me back to holiday time when I was young.

My wife’s singing

She has a beautiful voice although she doesn’t think so!

So what are your favourite sounds? Have you listened to what is around you recently, I mean, really listened?

Thanks for stopping by and reading the ramblings of The Dorset Rambler.

Until next time,
Your friend
The Dorset Rambler.

All photographs, poems and words in this blog are the copyright of The Dorset Rambler and must not be reproduced without permission.

Tags: country life, Dorset, Dorset Coast Path, nature, photography, poetry, rambling, sounds, wildlife

Comments 9 Comments
Categories Dorset, Photography, Poetry, Rambling, Walking, Wildlife

Of an island that’s not an island, quarries and more quarries, and wind instruments with no wind!

12 Sep

I had a fabulous walk last week, a walk I have done many times but one which always provides something new and different each time. It was a circumnavigation around an island, The Isle of Portland, which is in fact not an island at all because it is connected to the mainland by a causeway and beach. Whether you would describe it as pretty or scenic depends on your point of view but I would describe it as rugged, probably some of the most rugged coast you will find. It is also probably one of the windiest and wild usually except on this day when I wanted it to be – but more of that later!

There is for me an amazing variety of interesting things on this walk, and it started straight away as soon as I parked the car at the highest point on the ‘island’ with amazing views straight down the causeway back to the mainland.

The view to the mainland

Having admired this spectacular view, I set off on my walk but within a mile I was ‘forced’ to detour off the track to take in the first of the interesting features of this rugged landscape, three of them in fact! The first is the remains of the old quarrying industry in the form of two bridges spanning the incline that drops off the hill. This is carved out of solid rock and as I stood looking down the rutway lines (grooves cut into the rock like railway lines), I could visualise the quarrymen working hard to get the heavy stone down to flatter ground – I wonder what modern health and safety consultants would have said about their practices! There will be much more quarrying references throughout this post as it was a major industry here.

Continuing a short distance, I passed the old military barracks dating from the late 1800′s. You can visit this, or at least the people who live there, but not as a tourist as it was converted to a prison in 1949! Opposite this, and once part of it, is another military establishment built around the same time and which you can visit, and a fascinating place it is too.

This is High Angle Battery. Built in a disused quarry in 1892, this fort once protected Portland Harbour far below, but was in the end only operational for 6 years. Being below ground level, it gets its name from the fact that the shells were fired high into the air to drop onto the decks of any attacking ships. I always enjoy exploring this fort with its gun posts and underground ammunition dumps and can imagine the busyness of the place when it was operational.

Part of the High Angle Battery ammunition dump with rails still in place

Leaving the fort behind, I continued my walk along the cliff top on the east side of Portland, with views over the extensive old quarry workings that run all along the coast, passing the Young Offenders Institution on the way – this is a Dorset walk with a difference! After a while, I dropped down into the quarry to continue my walk along a ledge part way down and that once formed the tramway for the quarry.

Looking back along the tramway

This path eventually took me to one of my favourite places, Church Ope Cove, a place with a real air of mystery and so much of interest. The first sight is of the old castle, one of three on Portland, known as Rufus Castle or Bow and Arrow Castle which stands proud on the cliff above the cove. Built for William Rufus, hence its name, this is very much in ruins now.

Rufus Castle

Beyond the castle and part way down to the cove my route passed the remains of St Andrew’s Church, once the main place of worship for the islanders. Destroyed by landslips and invasion by French pirates, the church is said to have smuggling connections and has some smugglers’ graves.

Smugglers’ graves with the skull and crossbones

Passing through the old churchyard, I was again ‘forced’ to take a detour to look at some other remains! Difficult to access because of erosion, this is the remains of John Penn’s Bath – a rather quirky Dorset curiosity! John Penn, previously governor of the colonial Pennsylvania and part of the family after whom the state was named, owned Pennsylvania Castle which stands on the cliff top above the cove. In the early 19th century, sea bathing was becoming very popular but John Penn didn’t fancy climbing all the way down to the cove so had a ‘bath’ cut out of the rock just below his castle. The idea was that his servants would carry sea water up in buckets from the cove to fill the bath each time he felt like bathing and he would then sit and soak happily whilst looking out through the window onto the sea. Unfortunately he made the mistake of building his bath on common land and was forced by the local community to pay to use it. It is said that he was so outraged that he abandoned it!!

John Penn’s Bath

A short distance away was another distraction from my walk, and one that was even more inaccessible! This was an old underground reservoir. It has been suggested that this might date from Roman times although this has not been proven. It may well have served the old cafe that once existed on the beach in the early 20th century but this also is just speculation. It is a fascinating, and dangerously fragile, place and one that is not easy to find if you did not know it was there. I did venture through the narrow entrance into what was a pitch black and very muddy interior to grab one or two pictures using flash.

The interior of the old underground reservoir

So, detours over, I continued to make my way down to the cove itself, and as I walked I thought about John Penn’s servants carrying hundreds of buckets of water up that path – I bet they were relieved when he abandoned the bath ! The cove itself is a wonderful place, and one I love to visit. It was once a sandy beach but remains of the quarrying industry has turned the beach into a stony one. There are remains of the fishing industry too in the form of an old winch, and some interesting old beach huts with their pebble wall surrounded ‘front gardens’.

Church Ope Cove – the old winch and beach huts

I sat on the beach and ate my lunch listening to the gentle and relaxing sound of the surf washing over the rocks before I continued on my way, following the cliff top quarry path above the sea to eventually reach the southern most tip at Portland Bill. Here too there are remains of quarrying with old derricks on the cliff top, once used to lower stone into the waiting barges below.

An old cliff top derrick

And they are not all disused either – well, there is no other way to get the boats into the sea!

A newer cliff top derrick

Strangely, despite the fact that it is almost impossible to reach the sea from this point without some serious climbing, there are still beach huts here and if you have around £20,000 in spare cash, you could buy one! As you can see, it is basically a shed !

Beach hut for sale!

Of course, Portland is not only famous for its stone but also for its lighthouse, and no walk around this area would be complete without a picture, or ten, of it ! I always think these old lighthouses are so attractive, this one particularly so with its red stripe.

The Portland Bill lighthouse

It is also famous for its Pulpit Rock – named for obvious reasons. It just begs to be climbed, and people regularly do, and in fact fish from the top too. This is a long exposure shot, hence the blurred clouds and sea.

Pulpit Rock, Portland

So, it was on with the return journey, this time along the west coast of the island as the cloud started to form, obscuring the sun but providing some delightful light for me to photograph. The walk along this coast is mainly along old quarry ledges, nice and flat, and being west facing, normally watched over by the setting sun – although not on this day! I walked along here with barely a whisper of breeze, accompanied by seagulls and butterflies, enjoying the stillness.

Every cloud not only has a silver lining but produces interesting light too

Ah, but sadly that lack of wind was to spoil the next highlight of my walk. This was a temporary art project called Inside Out Dorset with rather unusual events taking place throughout the county. The event on Portland was an audio visual experience with many instruments, both wind and percussion, set out all around one of the old disused coastal quarries – except it relied on wind and there was little of that on this day. There was though just enough to get a feel of what this project would be on a windier day and I think it would be amazing !

Part of the Inside Out Dorset project

I was nearing the end of my walk now but there was yet another interesting feature to take in, and it is such a great one – and yet another old quarry! This was Tout Quarry which is now being put to very good use as a sculpture park with lots of different artists and even classes on sculpturing. It is a place to take your time exploring as every corner you turn brings another surprise be it a face, a fireplace, a boat, an animal or whatever, all carved out of the solid rock. The most famous is undoubtedly Still Falling by Anthony Gormley.

Still Falling by Antony Gormley

Reluctantly, I had to leave the quarry as the light was fading and I completed my walk along the cliff edge accompanied by wheatear and the gentle sounds that drift across the still air. And as I returned to my starting point, I once more stopped to take in the breathtaking view across the causeway with the famous Chesil Beach curving away to the west into the gathering evening mist. What a delightful evening and finish to a great walk.

The causeway and Chesil Beach from the northern edge of the Isle of Portland

Portland is beautiful in a rugged way and although it is 100% Dorset, it has impacted many places in the world through its quarrying industry – Buckingham Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral, the National Gallery in Dublin, Casino Kursaal in Belgium, and even the United Nations building in New York are some of the places to have benefited from its limestone. There are parts of this corner of Dorset everywhere, but it is still my Dorset and I love it!

Thanks for stopping by and reading the ramblings of The Dorset Rambler.

Until next time,
Your friend
The Dorset Rambler.

All photographs, poems and words in this blog are the copyright of The Dorset Rambler and must not be reproduced without permission.

Tags: church, Church Ope Cove, churches, country life, Dorset, Dorset Coast Path, nature, photography, Portland, quarrying, rambling, walking, weather

Comments 12 Comments
Categories Dorset, Photography, Rambling, Walking, Wildlife

← Older Entries

Search

The Dorset Rambler

A great llloooonnnnnggggg walk :)

Of dancing waves, hovering clouds, diving Chinooks, and patterns in the sand!

Happiness is snow shaped :)

Twas on a cold wintry day……

On White Nothe (or is it Nose) again :)

On White Nothe.

Of autumn mists and mellow fruitfulness ……..well, just mist really!!

Of summer and autumn, Dorset heathlands, memories of a hero, and a spider rescued!

What are your favourite sounds?

Of an island that’s not an island, quarries and more quarries, and wind instruments with no wind!

Recent Posts

Archives

Categories

Meta

Flickr Photos

Follow “The Dorset Rambler”