– – – Exploring The Countryside and Lanes of Dorset – – –
So far this week we have talked about rape fields, bluebell woods, and spring green foliage, all things that typify this season of new birth. Plus of course the enigmatic cuckoo. Today we continue the theme of spring with some pictures of another spring event, the blossoming of the trees.
Cherry Blossom
Everyone loves to see the trees in blossom, its like putting decorations on a Christmas tree – it makes it come alive and brightens up the area. Technically, in botanical terms, blossom occurs on stone fruit trees only but we tend to see any flowering tree as being in blossom. But it is in the fruit trees that it provides a vital role in supplying pollen to attract pollinators so that cross pollinating can occur. This is essential for the tree to produce fruit.
Blossom and Blue Skies
At the end of spring when the blossom has served its purpose, the petals drop in their masses. Borne on the wind, they fall like snow and settle on the ground, providing a snowy carpet of colour, often pink but sometimes white or even orange. This is another stage in the lifecycle of the tree.
Fly Past – Fluffy Rowan Blossom
Whether it be apple, pear, plum, cherry, peach, orange, or whatever, blossom brightens up the spring orchards, gardens and wood margins. And of course church yards as well.
Blossom in the Churchyard at Gussage All Saints
I guess the strangest of the flowering trees must be the rowan as there is so much folklore written about it. It seems it is very effective in use against witches and spells, with people planting them beside cottage doors, and shepherds even driving flocks of sheep through a circle of rowans to protect them! I just think they look great in their white garments of spring 🙂 !
Aside from Cherry Blossom Shoe Polish which we used when I was at school, the word ‘blossom’ just makes me think of spring, of blue skies and of sunshine. And what could be better?
Thanks for stopping by.
Until next time,
Your friend The Dorset Rambler
If you would like to contact me, my email address is terry.yarrow@gmail.com – comments and feedback are always welcomed.
All photographs, poems and words in this blog are the copyright of The Dorset Rambler and must not be reproduced without permission.
There are thousands of ancient paths criss crossing Dorset’s wonderful countryside but none more fascinating than these labyrinthine paths like the one in the picture above which goes by the interesting name of Hell Lane! These are known as Holloways, although they do have other names such as shutes, bostels or grundles depending on the area they are in, and they are only seen in areas where the bedrock is soft – West Dorset is predominantly sandstone and therefore has many Holloways.
So what are Holloways?
Well the name Holloway comes from the anglo-saxon word which literally means ‘sunken road’, and they date from at least 300 years ago, many going back as far as the iron age. They started life as either drove trails used to move cattle and other animals from farms to markets, routes from inland to the sea ports, pilgrimage routes, or simply boundary ditches. I am not sure whether the term Holloway would have been applied much when the usage of these ‘highways’ was at its peak – I suspect they might well have been referred to as simply ‘lanes’. Holloway, as a name, seems to have come much more to the fore in recent years having been popularised by Dan Richards’ and Robert Macfarlane’s book of the same name. In terms of literature, they also feature strongly in Geoffrey Household’s book Rogue Male, where the main character fleeing his pursuers goes to ground and hides out in a disused Dorset Holloway.
They certainly wouldn’t have started their lives as Holloways because most would have initially been at ground level but centuries of use by cattle, carts and people gradually eroded the soft surface creating a ditch which was then deepened and widened by yet more ‘traffic’ and also by water running off the surrounding land as the ditch became at times a river. Eventually, many have become as deep as 20 or 30 feet creating in effect gorges rather than paths.
Holloways, and indeed all the ancient byways, are a record of the habits of our ancestors with hundreds of years of repeated use and that makes them rich in heritage and mystery……which is why I love walking them. With walls towering on either side and trees growing out of the top with their network of roots holding the walls in place, these paths have a real air of mystery. You feel like you are walking a natural and secret tunnel as the mesh of intertwined trees and branches above makes you feel shut in. And there is lots of wildlife too! Gilbert White, a pioneering naturalist from the 18th century once said that to walk the holloways was to ‘Access a world of deep history, an unexpectedly wild world, buried amid the familiar and close at hand’. He wasn’t wrong!
I have a number of regular walks that take in one or more holloways and they are always a delight to walk. On a grey, stormy day you could almost fear to walk them as the gloom and darkness created by the high walls and overhanging branches creates a feeling of shadowy threat. On a bright sunny day with lovely dappled light filtering through the trees, they take on an altogether different feel! But always secret and mysterious. So where are these Holloways? Well the truth is they are many and varied, ranging from the gorge-like to simply shallow sunken paths, worn by feet, wheels, and hooves.
These are a few I have walked.
Hell Lane, Symondsbury
Hell Lane is perhaps one of the most impressive and interesting. With Shutes Lane it connects Symondsbury with North Chideock, climbing up over the ridge near Quarry Hill. It is interesting because the eastern part is much more gorge like than the western half – to walk from the ridge down to North Chideock is a bit like walking a shallow river bed! The reason for this difference might well be the fact that the church and other buildings at Symondsbury were built with stone from the quarry. You can just imagine how the constant traffic of heavy laden carts running between quarry and village would have considerably deepened that part of the track to the gorge it now is.
The Winneford Valley – the Holloway runs into the trees, top right
There are others in this area, tracks such as the one, now part of the Monarch’s Way, that climbs from North Chideock, through the Winneford Valley up over Coppet Hill.
On Henwood Hill
And a smaller, but none the less beautiful, path that runs across the ridge at Henwood Hill. This is a lovely path to walk in spring when the bluebells and wild garlic are in flower.
Coombe Down
Moving away from this immediate area, there is a fine Holloway that climbs from the A3066 south of Beaminster up over Coombe Down. This is deep and wild with gnarled tree roots growing out of the steep sided walls, holding them in place. It is a well walked path, forming part of The Jubilee Trail.
Near South Poorton
Another smaller lane (or is it a river!) runs from the road at South Poorton and drops down to the nature reserve. With it’s fern lined walls and it’s stony, waterlogged bottom, this is a lovely haven for wildlife and this, together with the nature reserve beyond, makes a delightful walk.
The track drops down steeply at West Milton
And there is evidence of further Holloways at the other end of the nature reserve as the track drops down to another interesting village, West Milton.
Lewesdon Hill Lane
One further path that I feel is worthy of inclusion is Lewesdon Hill Lane, although this is not perhaps a Holloway in the true sense. I include it because it is ancient and sunken and a beautiful track to walk – it has even been suggested by some to have been part of the Ickneild Way, that ancient super-highway. With moss covered banks on either side and surrounded by ancient woodlands, there are some wonderful views from this path.
The access road down to Stoke Abbot
If you walk Lewesdon Hill Lane, you may well eventually reach the track that drops from the ridge down to the delightful village of Stoke Abbot. It really is worth walking this part as the deeply cut access road that leads to the village is a Holloway in itself, and of course the village with its pub is a pleasant detour.
Near Chetnole – this section is fairly clear but later it becomes overgrown Cutty Stubbs
Sadly, not all of our old sunken byways have been well maintained and with the development of other forms of transport many have fallen into disrepair. The pictures above show sunken paths at Cutty Stubbs and Chetnole – both are now impassable. At Cutty Stubbs, I couldn’t even find the entrance to the sunken path and had to ask the farmer for permission to cross his field to find it! I did once question this with the authorities in an effort to have them cleared and reopened but sadly they ‘fall between stools’ and no-one has a budget that they wish to apply. The reason is that these are often Byways Open to All Transport (BOAT’s) rather than footpaths and responsibility for these falls with the Highways authority. The Footpaths authorities have a budget to maintain footpaths and Highways have a budget to maintain roads and BOAT’s………but naturally their funding is always exhausted keeping the roads in reasonable repair, with nothing left for our ‘off-road’ tracks.
Holloways may have been popularised by more recent writings but justifiably so. They are ever changing, ever different, ever mysterious, but always delightful! And as is often the case when I walk, I travel along them wondering about those who have trod that way before – were they early drovers, were they pilgrims heading for one of the Dorset abbeys, were they smugglers, were they just ordinary people making their way to the port perhaps to emigrate to other lands! Who were they and what was their purpose in travelling these ancient routes? If only the walls could speak! These days walkers and wildlife are the companions of the Holloway and to go there is to enter another world.
Thanks for stopping by.
Until next time,
Your friend The Dorset Rambler.
Comments and feedback on this blog are welcome. If you would like to contact me, my details are on my website which is http://www.yarrowphotography.com.
All photographs, poems and words in this blog are the copyright of The Dorset Rambler and must not be reproduced without permission.
The morning was bright and for once I decided to leave Dorset for the neighbouring county to do a 15 mile walk through some wonderful countryside and villages. The day started in one of those beautiful meadows that are a dream to walk; the long grass swaying in the gentle breeze, the skylarks’ sweet song soaring above me, the butterflies fluttering by, the bees and bugs buzzing all around – just a dream!
In the meadow
Have you ever thought of a walk being tactile? Walking through the meadow hearing, seeing, smelling (if I had a sense of smell), but feeling too as I walked with fingers outstretched combing through the heads of the long swaying grass. It was a lovely feeling that added another dimension – a real multi-sensory meadow!
After a mile or two my route took me along a lane rife with tall, delicate cow parsley, always a delight in summer.
A lane lined with cow parsley
Pushing my way through the at times overgrown lane with grass and flowers brushing my legs, I was somewhat glad that the recent weather had been dry. The lane eventually gave way to more open ground as I reached the edge of a field and passed an old, rustic fence post, its rough solidness contrasting with the flimsy grasses around it. I ran my fingers over the post, feeling its roughness and wondering who else’s hands had done that same thing over the many years it had been there. With hedging and missing gate, the post seemed surplus and yet still added something to a lovely rural scene.
A lovely rural scene
Eventually I reached the first village, and a beautiful village it was. I love walking the countryside but I also love walking these old villages with their old cottages, some picturesque and some functional, all part of a local community that has existed and seen many changes over the centuries. Strange to think that cottages like the one below once housed poor farm workers but so often now are second homes for the wealthy. How times have changed and what stories these cottages could tell. Picturesque or functional, always a delight
Passing out of the village along a quiet country lane, I joined another footpath that skirted round a hill. The heights reached on this walk are not mountainous but the views are none-the-less beautiful for that and I stopped to take in the landscape below me. Low hills but still great views
The hill itself was a real surprise! Known as Windmill Hill, presumably because at one time there was a windmill there, the area was covered in beautiful blue flax, not the most common farm crop. The breeze blowing across the hill rustled through the flowers creating a waving sea of blue. A waving sea of blue
There was more tactile to come but unfortunately not so positive – the path beyond the blue hill was overgrown with stinging nettles; shorts and nettles are not a good combination! I picked my way carefully through and eventually reached clearer ground as the path skirted along the edge of some woodland with some lovely dappled sunlight filtering through. It was like a fairyland and I tried to capture it with the camera. A fairyland
Another picturesque village, and a lunch stop, followed before I once again made my way out into the countryside. The crops in the fields were already ripening and the paths through them were narrow and once again I walked with outstretched fingers feeling the touch of the full seed heads. The golden grain swayed in the breeze as I walked. Golden grain
And naturally a poppy or two joined in. Poppy
More fields followed with contrasting crops, the delicacy of oats to the touch and the robustness of barley. The feel of these is so different, and the look too of course with the barley field seeming to impersonate the sea as wave after wave rolls across the field ahead of the breeze. Narrow paths and high crops, I couldn’t resist running my outstretched fingers through the heads once again. Contrasting crops
I stopped in the middle of the barley field, watching the ‘waves’ and listening to the rustling of swaying stalks. It was a delight and made me think of W H Davies words, ‘What is life, if full of care, we have no time to stand and stare?’ We should, indeed, must taketime to stand and stare, and to touch and feel too, to fully take in all that is around us.
But I needed to move on, as the day was ticking by, and leaving the field behind me, I joined a wonderfully picturesque path along a ridge top, again not a high ridge but with lovely views on each side.
Along the ridge
Eventually I neared the end of my journey, but there was more to come. For the last stretch, I joined a rampart and ditch that had once formed the fortification along the county boundary. I sat for some time with the long meadow grass waving around me, drinking in the scene. What history there is in these ramparts, what blood must have been shed on their flanks that are now covered with the most delightful wild flowers and butterflies – a beautiful place of peace after centuries of strife.
On the rampart
The final part of my walk was back through the meadows that I had started out from. Still with skylarks serenading me overhead, and a myriad wild flowers to welcome me back, I took some time to capture the scene, and to try to capture the essence of the meadow which I love so much. In reality, this is an impossible task since the meadow is a place that needs all of your senses to take in its joys and a camera can only do the visual. The essence of a beautiful meadow
God gave us all our senses to enjoy but so often we neglect to use them, rushing through life hardly noticing what is around us. The sense of touch is particularly not associated with walking as much as sight and sound but it can really add another dimension to a good walk – so next time you go out walking, make it a tactile walk.
Thanks for stopping by.
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.
This walk started and finished in one of those beautiful Dorset villages that you know so well because you drive through it so often, but you don’t actually know at all because you drive through it so often! It is only as you explore the little streets and lanes on foot that you really discover those special hidden beauties, those little corners of Dorsetness…..and this one had a major surprise. But more of that later :)!
Leaving the village, the path climbed steadily upwards out of the valley and up to the ridge top. I just couldn’t help turning round to take in the views that were already emerging, and these wonderful views were to stay with me all day. It seemed that there was to be wildlife with me all day too as first a hare raced across the field in front of me and then a fox crossed the track. The latter was definitely a well fed country fox – they always look so much healthier than the town foxes that scavenge on dustbins. Foxes and hares are not rare but seeing them always adds to the enjoyment of a walk.
Emerging views
Having reached the ridge, my route took me through a woodland area, a forestry plantation, not quite so interesting as mixed deciduous woods but nevertheless an area that plays an important part in this world. Not only does it provide much needed timber but it provides much needed oxygen to repair that damaged ozone layer, so I guess it can be forgiven any perceived lack of excitement ;)! Actually I think any woodland is a delight to walk through.
Fruits of the Forest!
Overhead came the drone of a bi-plane and amazingly as I watched it looped the loop as part of an aerobatic display. It was interesting watching this plane – it seemed like it would stall as it tried to fly upwards to turn over but somehow, despite its age, it managed the loop and flew on. This genuinely was an old plane – it was like watching Biggles all over. Later in the walk, I was to get an even more impressive display of flying!
At this point, there was one of those slightly off-putting moments when I heard gunshots just across the field. It could have been someone shooting pigeons or it could have been a deer stalker but either way, I wondered if they knew I was around. I took comfort from the fact that I couldn’t see them so can’t have been in range but it did highlight that when you walk in the country, you trust that anyone out there with a gun knows what they are doing and observes the code. Fortunately the gun laws in the UK are stringent.
Ridge top meadows
There were some beautiful meadows along this walk and not only that but they were meadows with a view too. It is interesting to just count the variety of grasses so elegantly waving their heads in the gentle breeze, seemingly trying to dodge the many butterflies…..or flying flowers as I call them :)! They seem to have no aerobatic skills at all, as they flit to and fro in a seemingly random pattern. Someone once said that butterflies are in fact expert fliers because they use warm air currents to get around and thus avoid wasting energy. I don’t know if this is true but what I do know is that with the combination of waving grasses, the myriad wild flowers, and the ‘flying flowers’ the meadow is a place where you just want to sit and soak it all in. And of course. with the skylarks singing over head you could almost think that heaven must be like this.
A Fritillary in the meadow
And on the subject of skylarks, how do they manage to produce such an ethereal song whilst flying? Surely that must be like me running up hill whilst singing at the top of my voice. Amazing creation!
This was definitely a walk to be savoured as the paths are so delightful and so inviting. I actually didn’t plan my route in advance this time, preferring to go where my mood took me and with paths like these, there was no shortage of beckoning sights.
One path, both ways
Did I mention aerobatics? Well there was a treat in store that would knock spots off the biplane, butterflies or even the Red Arrows had they been around. This was the house martins out looking for food. Their agility is legendary as they swoop and climb at amazing speeds, doing hand brake turns, ducking and diving, and never flying into each other. What a sight, and it is free to all who want to stand and watch. Which I did :)!
Now we British are obsessed with the weather as you may know, but this was a hot day so I needed to move on and find a bit of coolness and a clump of trees provided the ideal spot to take in the view again, and to take in some fluid too.
Welcome shade
Ah, but it was time to move on again so it was out into the sun to continue my way along the ridge surrounded by trees and distant views. Whenever I walk, I seem to run out of superlatives to describe the beauty of this wonderful county and this amazing countryside. Sometimes I just stand and watch in awe as the breeze ripples through the vibrant green foliage and the words of the poet come to mind, ‘I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree’.
I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree
The next part of the walk took me down one of those gorgeous Dorset avenues that invariably speak of manor houses, lords and ladies. This is because most of them were planted many years ago as the drive way to some stately home. This is one of the most beautiful, especially with the dappled light of evening, and my path went right down the middle.
The Avenue
It is another of those parts not to be rushed but eventually the avenue ends and I find myself on the hilltop again, crossing a field of crops……..and it is one of those ‘good farmer’ fields :)! The law says that if a farmer ploughs or plants a field with a footpath running through it, the footpath must be reinstated within 24 hours. Good farmers, as in this case, do that, but ‘bad’ farmers don’t which means you have no idea where the footpath goes which is a pet hate of mine.
A reinstated footpath
Evening was upon me as I crossed the field and started to drop down off the ridge back to the village. It was a beautifully still evening when sounds seem to travel across the valley.
Have you ever stopped and specifically listened and tried to pick out all the different sounds that surround you? So often we miss things because we are just not aware of what is around so sometimes I stop and listen! Standing looking across the valley in the picture below, these are the sounds I heard in just a minute or two – the wind, rustling grass, trees creaking, crickets, sheep bleating, many birds but particularly the strong song of the wren, a distant tractor, children’s happy voices, gunshots, wood pigeons cooing, buzzards, the buzzing of bees and flies, cows mooing, the crowing of a cockerel, rooks with their rasping voices, a barking dog, church bells in the distant valley, and so much more. Try it when you are next out walking.
The sounds of an echoing valley
But there was something even more surprising awaiting me in the village as I reached the end of my walk. Walking through the narrow lanes between delightful cottages, a single female voice was drifting out into the open. I could hear it down the street and as I drew closer to the cottage the singing was coming from, I could not help but stop and listen. It was unexpected, beautiful and mesmerising, one of those special moments that will remain in my memory always. I wanted to knock on the door and say how lovely it was but I didn’t intrude but continued on my way. A beautiful end to a beautiful day!
A delightful Dorset village
Thanks for walking with me. I hope you have enjoyed the sights and sounds of our wonderful countryside.
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.
Sitting here in my office on a dull, dreary day, gazing out of the window across the local park, my mind wanders back to a delightful walk that I took recently. It was in many ways a literary walk taking in some wonderful Dorset countryside and several wonderful old Dorset churches. It was a walk to inspire the imagination! Join with me and we will walk together.
It started in a delightful area of woodland, made all the more special by the dappled light and amazingly fresh spring colours in the trees. Verdant new life that just takes your breath away! As I walked along the track that wound its way through the woodlands accompanied by the bird song all around, I could not help but think of Thomas Hardy’s Tess. I could picture her walking these ancient tracks with her friends as they made their way to church in their Sunday best dresses with Angel Clare not too far away. It was sad that the event that led to her demise came in a similar glade at the hands of Alec d’Urberville! Thomas Hardy wrote of such tragedy that seems to contradict the joy of this location.
The countryside of Tess
With these typical Hardy woodlands and the nearby open heathland that once covered the whole of Dorset, it is not surprising that his novels come to mind because sandwiched betwixt wood and heath stands Hardy’s Cottage. Built by his great grandfather, this is where Hardy was born in 1840 and where he started his writing career so it is fitting that he wrote of the area that surrounded him. The cottage, now delightfully preserved by The National Trust, could have easily jumped out of one of his novels. Looking across the garden, you can just hear Gabriel Oak’s voice drifting out of the open window saying to Bathsheba, ‘And at home by the fire, whenever you look up there I shall be – and whenever I look up, there will be you’.
Thomas Hardy’s Cottage
Passing on down the narrow lane that seems little changed since Hardy’s day, I passed the first of several orchards, beautifully adorned with blossom and bluebells. It would have been a great place to ‘stand and stare’ awhile…….but there was a walk to complete :)!
A beautiful orchard
Not that I got very far because just down the lane I came across a very friendly lamb who needed a bit of fuss! So I obliged :)! Well, it is unusual to find a lamb who comes towards you rather than running away.
A very friendly lamb
In fact it was one unusual sight to another because I hadn’t gone half a mile further before I saw the nest box below. It seemed a somewhat random place to hang a nest box. Needless to say, it was empty.
A random nest box
But there was more to come because just a little further along the track I passed the sheep below – for some reason all clustered together under a small clump of trees despite having a whole field of lush grass! I wondered if they knew something I didn’t :)!
A ‘cluster’ of sheep
All along this walk you can see the ‘Hardy factor’. Passing through a tiny village I passed thatched cottages along either side of the narrow country lane, including the old school house and the old post office. These would have been two thriving gathering points in this small community in Hardy’s day but no longer. As with a lot of villages, these ‘centres’ are no more as they have been converted to private houses.
The Old Post Office
This was a spring walk and that was very evident too in this village with one of my favourite plants, the wisteria, growing over some cottages.
Wisteria
Passing on through the village, my route took me over a lovely old bridge which had the usual warning notice about transportation if anyone caused damage to it – these are often seen in Dorset although it seems a harsh penalty – and onto a delightful causeway between two streams. This really was a lovely part of the walk with the rippling stream on either side and a spectacular display of beautifully delicate cow parsley, not to mention a swan with a family of tiny cygnets.
The riverside walk
This was such a varied walk as the river led on to some lovely water meadows, rife with buttercups and with many relics from the past, including the old sluice gates and channels that would have been used to flood the meadows in spring. This was the method used to raise the ground temperature ready for the planting of seeds to ensure a speedy germination. Although derelict, these sluice gates are still in place, part of the heritage of past generations. I often wonder what life was really like back in those days – I would love to visit but I fancy I would want to come back to this century!
Sluice gates and buttercups in the meadow
Fortunately the weather has been drier so the meadows were easy walking. Before long, I found myself passing Hardy’s other home, Max Gate, currently shrouded in scaffolding as the National Trust carry out renovations. From here, my route took me down a lovely track that Hardy must have walked many times when visiting his friend and fellow author William Barnes. They were near neighbours when Barnes was resident at the Came Rectory.
En route to visit William Barnes
And of course this part of the walk would not be complete without a short detour to take in the old church where William Barnes was rector. Standing in this church, you could just imagine Barnes preaching from the pulpit. He must have had a broad Dorset accent as he wrote in the same dialect – not easy to read even for a Dorset born and bred man like myself.
Memories of William Barnes
And in the churchyard, another literary giant comes to mind – Thomas Gray in his Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard wrote, ‘Beneath those rugged elms, that yew tree’s shade……..Each in his narrow cell forever laid’. Such a great descriptive poem, and death is so final……..or is it?
Beneath the yew tree’s shade
And almost right outside the church was the loveliest display of ramsons and bluebells. A fitting tribute to a famous Dorset author.
Ramsons and bluebells
It seems that I am forever passing strange sights…..or maybe it is just that I am always on the lookout for quirky and unusual things. The picture below is no exception :)! This is something I have seen a number of times before where the corner of the field containing horses is essentially blocked off. I can only surmise that it is because horses fight if trapped in a corner so any potential areas are blocked off but I don’t know if that is the case.
A strange fence
Having walked cross country for a time, I reached civilisation again when I came to a lovely unspoilt hamlet with just a cluster of cottages, a tithe barn, a manor house, and a delightful little church. This is of course the make up of many Dorset hamlets.
A delightful unspoilt Dorset hamlet
The church, dating from the 12th century and of unknown dedication, is set apart from the hamlet in the middle of a field. It really is a beautiful sight and is another church being cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust who do a great work. The scene below is just so typically English, but the sign always makes me smile – it seems to be somewhat stating the obvious :)! Even here there are literary connections as it was in this little church that William Barnes preached his first and last sermon. For me, the peaceful churchyard made a great place for lunch in the company of birds and sheep.
A delightful church
Having had my late lunch in the churchyard, it was time to press on along country footpaths, accompanied by skylarks singing their sweet lilting songs overhead – isn’t it amazing that they can make such glorious music whilst flying (it must be like us trying to run and sing at the same time). Such a lovely sound that just lifts any stresses away and takes you into another place. The sound is so joyful you feel that they belong in church. And it wasn’t long before I came across the next church on this walk. Another lovely unspoilt village with a very old church that had been modernised inside to create a lovely light, airy worship space – a real ‘ancient and modern’.
Ancient yet modern
My route after leaving the village took me across farm land and quiet country lanes with verges that were breaking out with a myriad of different spring flowers, eventually crossing a railway line. Here I thought I’d try something different so I crouched down in the gateway and waited for a train to come along, which it did very soon……..and very quickly too! In fact as it passed, the air pressure created almost knocked me over :)! Well, it had to be done :)!
Whoosh!
I was nearing the end of the walk now but there were still more interesting things to see, such as the old King George post box buried in the hedge below.
A King George post box
And as I approached the end of my walk, Thomas Hardy returned as I negotiated a particularly muddy section of the track. It brought to mind the scene from Tess of the d’Urbervilles where Angel Clare carries Tess and all her friends one by one over the mud so that they didn’t get their clothes dirty. What a gentleman!!!
Where is Angel Clare?
And yet another scene came as the forecasted rain began to fall – I’m sure that is Joseph Poorgrass’ horse wandering free on the heath. He’s probably at the inn again!
Joseph Poorgrass’ horse?
Before we finish, let me take you back to a meadow near the end of the walk – what a lovely relaxing sound.
What a great walk! So much to see and hear, and so many connections with our literary giants. I hope you 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.
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.
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.
