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squiz Member Member#: 6644 Location: Registered: 27-05-2007 Diary Entries: 2894 |
12th May 2018 Hiking - Walking: Kimmeridge Quarry to Worbarrow Bay via Tyneham Wind Direction: Wind Stength: Surf / Sea State: Air Temperature: Sea Temperature: Weather: overcast and still Max Speed: Distance Covered: 10 miles (Nautical Miles - unless stated otherwise) Saturday 12th May – walk ***** Kimmeridge Quarry to Worbarrow Bay via Tyneham – overcast and still. Last night was a good reason to best avoid weekends in a campervan, first some oaf in an old camper rocked up at two in the morning making loads of noise waking everyone up, inconsiderate w*****s ! then at nine all hell broke loose as the small Kimmeridge Quarry carpark became full to bursting with cars, just chaos. Everyone was just sitting in their cars waiting and then it became clear - as 10 o clock approached they all got out. It was parents dropping off about 50 14-year-old girls with the biggest backpacks you have ever seen and we think it was probably Duke of Edinburgh? The trouble was it took an age to organise the groups before they set of and the chatter was absolutely deafening:( but we were pleased to hear they had come prepared when one of the youngsters said she had her dressing gown, just what you want to carry on this up and down path! Then just after ten as if by magic they all disappeared and it quietened down so we could have breakfast. We were then entertained by a couple in a brand-new camper try every parking spot in the quarry before eventually settling, putting the blocks under, fitting a steering lock and wheel clamp and trying to tent peg down their tarpaulin door mat into hard car park – then moving again!! To make matters worse the lady was really inappropriately dressed in a tiny top and shorts showing way too much flabby flesh:( its chilly too! Our original plan was to take a look at Swanage but we had seen way too many people for our liking so I checked to see if the Lulworth Range walks were open - they had been live firing all week and only open at weekends - and it was. The day, although overcast, was still and Kimmeridge Bay looked amazing, calm sea, loads of surfers, stand up paddle boarders, kayakers and fishing boats so we made a decision - to walk to Tyneham. This is famous in these parts as a small coastal village evacuated in 1943 so the military could use it as a practice area with the understanding that after the conflict the villagers could return, sadly for the locals this never happened and it is to this day a closed area for live arms firing and is only open about 179 days a year:( Mag soon made another top mixed salad, we are just so healthy:) taped up her sore toe and we headed off to the top ridge path at eleven. The views from high above the sea are truly spectacular, everyone should come and walk some of the Dorset Coastal path. You are warned to stay on the footpath between the yellow makers and don’t touch any metal objects or danger of death! At the top of the ridge the path drops down to meet the coastal path and to say that the overhanging undulating sea cliffs are spectacular is an understatement with the large overhanging rock off Gad Cliff the most impressive. Mag follows the marked footpath away from the edge while I climb up and follow a sheep path close to the edge covered in wild flowers, just stunning. We chat to a couple of young German lads over on a student exchange doing a 22-mile walk with the 70-year-old couple they are staying with, who they had left far behind, what a great couple of lads they were too:) We came to a sign, straight on was Worbarrow Bay with derelict Tyneham down to the right, but you couldn’t see it as its hidden in the trees. After having a chat with a nice couple, we had first meet in the carpark who said you could still get to Tyneham from Worbarrow we continued to the bay. There is a small peninsular – Worbarrow Tout - just before the crystal blue bay which we climbed up. It was a very steep path, it then continues down the other side on a very narrow ridge towards a finger of rock like a whales back right down to the sea. While Mag sent a pic to the family I risked life and limb heading down the path and found the perfect spot for our picnic. All I had to do then was hope Mag was brave enough to follow, I needn’t have worried as she soon joined me for lunch – far away and above the beach which was busy as there is a carpark nearby making access easy! A kayaker paddled up used the rocks below as a turning point before paddling back to Kimmeridge. Refreshed from lunch we took the sheep trail back to a small rocky beach with some cool sea caves before having a look at the large bay the other side and then on to Tyneham. We detoured slightly through the beautiful woodland walk full of bluebells and the strongly smelling wild garlic which brings you out to the carpark, a reasonable £2 but no machine only an honesty box so I bet loads don’t pay:( Not sure where to go we turned left and found the old farm full of old machinery and tools and in the barn, it was set like a theatre because in the old days the family put on plays. There was loads of interesting information boards with fantastic sepia photos too:) You could learn to lay a dry-stone wall and there were loads of old shells from the Second World War to the modern day concreted into another wall. We still hadn’t found the village so turned back through the carpark and soon found the first row of cottages nearly hidden in the trees where several local Dorset volunteers were working:) Most of the cottages were missing their roofs but they had been made safe after much campaigning in the 60/70’s to allow access from the MOD. With detailed boards in each cottage it was a pleasure weaving in and out reading them. Then we came to the school house including roof and inside was set up with rows of desks including copies of some of the youngster’s text book including the teachers marking in red, with amended spellings and encouraging comments. The handwriting and drawing were of a very high standard, not like today - with the invention of the dreadful mobile phone, kids of today can only communicate in abbreviations and emojis:( Lastly the complete chapel where descendants of the villagers are still buried today! All of this was free too, just amazing and well worth a visit. Now all we had to do was walk up the hill to the coastal path! It was slow going back and hard going too with six-mile legs! But we made it to the top and then instead of taking the high ridge, the way we came, we turned right and headed down to the sea cliffs passing surfers who had been out for hours in cold water not catching many waves as a poor surf day. You can keep surfing, too much laying around in cold water for not much action - I would rather get my fun on the water not in it! We passed two enormous bulls in with the sheep - but also in with us! - before turning down a closed eroded path to Kimmeridge beach. Not really that pleasing on the eye just flat rocks or boulders to scramble over with black oil rich crumbling rocks behind making it all a little unsafe. Not a fossil in sight, although a group of youngsters with hammer and chisel were breaking all the rules fossil hunting but at least they weren’t drinking lager like another group of oafs further along! Its then just a mile climb back through Kimmeridge village to the van absolutely knackered after being out 6.5 hours covering over 10 miles but soon revived with a cuppa followed by yummy Lidl lasagne and the paragliders flying overhead after soaring the ridge! We were then treated to the most amazing sunset, one of the best of the year, lets hope for a peaceful night although the pratt who disturbed us at two last night is now having a noisy BBQ in the corner! Photo Gallery Here |
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