Day 46 - Saturday 24 June 2017
Beer to Bridport (20.9 miles)
Another light rucksack day today for the almost 21 miles to Bridport where Angie was brought up and where her Mum still lives. Bank House is a very pleasant B&B and we enjoyed our stay - no frills, clean and in a fantastic location. The owners Bob & Lee are lovely people who gave us a super breakfast and Lee was hilarious as front of house. The weather today promised to be a mixed bag - one of those days when the forecaster just puts every symbol up on the chart because they do not really know.
As we were leaving Beer we saw a familiar face on the main street outside the shop. It was Penelope Keith who was filming "Hidden Villages". More erosion in evidence as we meandered along Seaton Hole Beach - Seaton itself was looking very tired. Just after Seaton Golf Course there began a dark, leafy and undulating path for 5 miles to Lyme Regis through the Undercliff - this was a dull, humid and seemingly endless trudge through woodland with no views and only one occasion where we had any real light. We finally popped out of the woods to see a welcome sight - The Cobb at Lyme Regis where we were hit by the masses. The village was absolutely mobbed and to be honest was quite overwhelming.
After a pricey lunch at The Ocean View we headed north out of the village for Charmouth - an area we knew had been plagued by diversions in the past. Stonebarrow Lane out of Charmouth was extremely long and excruciatingly steep and it was just a question of head down and getting on with it. As we neared Golden Cap the weather improved from overcast and humid to sunny with a light breeze. From the top of the Cap we dropped down into Seatown and a very pleasant stop at one of our favourite pubs, The Anchor. Really stunning early evening walk over the hills to West Bay with a final half mile through fields to Angie's Mums in Bridport. Ten and a half hours in the saddle today but we had the consolation of a late start plus a short day tomorrow.
As we were leaving Beer we saw a familiar face on the main street outside the shop. It was Penelope Keith who was filming "Hidden Villages". More erosion in evidence as we meandered along Seaton Hole Beach - Seaton itself was looking very tired. Just after Seaton Golf Course there began a dark, leafy and undulating path for 5 miles to Lyme Regis through the Undercliff - this was a dull, humid and seemingly endless trudge through woodland with no views and only one occasion where we had any real light. We finally popped out of the woods to see a welcome sight - The Cobb at Lyme Regis where we were hit by the masses. The village was absolutely mobbed and to be honest was quite overwhelming.
After a pricey lunch at The Ocean View we headed north out of the village for Charmouth - an area we knew had been plagued by diversions in the past. Stonebarrow Lane out of Charmouth was extremely long and excruciatingly steep and it was just a question of head down and getting on with it. As we neared Golden Cap the weather improved from overcast and humid to sunny with a light breeze. From the top of the Cap we dropped down into Seatown and a very pleasant stop at one of our favourite pubs, The Anchor. Really stunning early evening walk over the hills to West Bay with a final half mile through fields to Angie's Mums in Bridport. Ten and a half hours in the saddle today but we had the consolation of a late start plus a short day tomorrow.
Hobnobbing with Penelope Keith in Beer
Beer Harbour
Lots of information about the Jurassic Coast along this stretch
Seaton Hole Beach
The "Waves Shape the Shore" sculpture at Seaton Beach
Correct!
Just who are "Jill & Simon"?
No matter how much you dress it up, this part of today's walk was a real trudge. Took us just under 3 hours.
The only bit of light we saw as we trudged through endless woodland to Lyme Regis
The Cobb at Lyme Regis - a sight for sore eyes as we emerged from the woodland
Will just leave this here........
Above Dover Ledge - Golden Cap is ominously in cloud
It was warming up a bit now as we approached Golden Cap
A mile to Golden Cap although we still had a fair way to go to reach Bridport
Golden Cap ahead
A Golden Cap panorama
The ascent of Golden Cap
The memorial to the Earl of Antrim on Golden Cap
The Trig Point on Golden Cap
That's right Fudge - Seatown next and hopefully a drink in The Anchor
You can tell which way the wind blows here
We have been here a few times and it is a lovely pub - The Anchor in Seatown
Looking back to Seatown and Golden Cap
You can tell she had a light rucksack today - 18 miles in and still smiling
Thorncombe Beacon
Symondsbury
Not far now Fudge
Atop Thorncombe Beacon
The Bee Gees
Approaching Eype
West Bay
Overnight Accommodation
With relatives in Bridport
With relatives in Bridport
Day 46 Data
Mileage
Cumulative Mileage
Time
Cumulative Time
Total Ascent
Cumulative Ascent
Cumulative Mileage
Time
Cumulative Time
Total Ascent
Cumulative Ascent
20.9 miles
591 miles
10 hrs 30 mins
306 hrs 10 mins
5390 ft
137105 ft
591 miles
10 hrs 30 mins
306 hrs 10 mins
5390 ft
137105 ft