Day 90 Thames Path walk through Central London

In London for the weekend so for the next couple of walks we'll be taking advantage of some of the pathways around our capital city.

We are staying very near to The Monument in the City and so one obvious walk today is along the banks of the River Thames. We find a path leading through the cluster of buildings which line the river at this point and reach the Thames Path which is adjacent to the river here and follow it towards the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. The views down river to these two great monuments are spectacular. We pass riverside of the Tower of London and then climb the steps onto Tower Bridge, before crossing to the south side. Here we turn back towards central London and the seat of government at Westminster.

We pass in turn City Hall, HMS Belfast, Southwark Cathedral, the reconstructed Globe Theatre and Tate Modern before arriving at Blackfriars. Then its South Bank with the National Theatre, the Royal Festival Hall, The London Eye and the "entertainment" complex which is now the old London County Council County Hall.

Westminster Bridge is adorned with flowers on every lamppost and tied to the railings of the Palace of Westminster following the terrorist attack just a week ago. But Londoners and visitors alike appear undaunted and it is as busy as usual for a spring day at the beginning of the tourist season in the capital.

We decide to take the tube back from Westminster Station.

3.3 miles

Day 84 Brownsea Island Walk

A perfect day and Spring is in the air! We get the Breezer 40 bus into Poole to catch the ferry across to Brownsea Island and by 11.00 we are ready to start our walk for today. We have a downloaded OS map, the Garmin SatNav, Mary's phone and a National Trust guide to the island so we shouldn't get lost! We decide to walk a combination of the three marked routes, so that should cover most of the island; and the first section is through woodland where we hope to catch at least a glimpse of the rare red squirrels which inhabit the island.

I think we are very lucky but also because we are ahead of the majority of visitors and headed into a part of the island which is well away from the visitors centre, the cafe and people! There, in the trees above us, we spot a movement! Running along the branches and leaping from one tree to the next we see our first and as it turns out our one and only red squirrel. We see it very clearly as it scurries up trunks and jumps from branch to branch and tree to tree.

As we reach the end of the island we drop down onto the foreshore and work our way along this until we reach Pottery Pier. Many memories for Mary and I having visited the island with Mary's father on his boat in the seventies. In those days we just dropped anchor and rowed ashore.


From Pottery Pier, still unsafe as it was then, we continue along the southern side of the island taking in a number of stunning viewpoints, the site of Baden Powell's first campsite for scouts in 1907, the commemorative stone and further views of Poole Harbour, the Sandbanks Ferry and harbour entrance; and beyond that the cliffs above Studland Village and Old Harry. All in brilliant sunshine.

 We end with a visit to St Mary's Church, still lit by candles alone; and a short stop to watch wading birds from the hides at the lagoon. Identified Avocets and Shell ducks amongst the many feeding just in front
of us.

The RNLI Inshore Lifeboat just before it ran aground!

The return boat trip is an around the harbour tour and the crew take great delight in pointing out vessels either already aground in shallow water, or about to become so! This included an RNLI lifeboat which was predicted to hit a sandbank and did, much to everyone aboard's amusement.



In spite of the small size of the island only 1.5 miles from end to end our doubling back, detours down every path leading to a viewpoint means we manage over 5.5 before we embark at the end of our walk.

5.7 miles

Day 83 Poole Harbour Trail to Poole Quay

We delay our start as the weather forecast predicts all rain for the day will be over by 11.00 so we aim to catch the 10.55 bus to Upton House Country Park where the walk for today will begin. We aren't sure exactly where we need to get off and Mr Grumpy driver doesn't seem inclined to be of much help, but another passenger gives us the nod and presses the Stop button for us. The walk begins with a stroll through the Country Park and down to the foreshore.

The trail in places has been diverted due to conservation measures and the protection of migrating birds, but we are soon on the edge of Poole Harbour itself. This is right at the very top end of the largest natural harbour in England and here it is mostly mud flats and rushes on the water's edge. We pause a while to watch feeding birds including Black Tailed Godwits, Crested Grebes and Little Egrets amongst others!

The walk is an amazing contrast - on one side the peace and natural world of the shoreline of Poole Harbour with all the wildlife of the mud flats; and, on the other, the busy traffic filled A350 into Poole where we eventually arrive.

We follow signs to the Old Town and Quay and the route takes us down a depressingly distressed High Street filled with Charity Shops, low price outlets and bookmakers. Even the Quay area looks and feels rundown and our lunch at the Jolly Sailor an experience we would rather forget!

Finally it is back through he town to buy a replacement waterproof jacket from Go Outdoors and the the bus back to Lychett Minster.

7.5 miles

Day 81 Studland, Ballard Down and Old Harry Rocks

View over Poole Harbour

A short drive to Studland Bay and we park at the car park we had stopped at on our first trip in the “old” Marianne. Mary positions the van in probably the very same location. We are walking today in the opposite direction from the last time we had been here. So we start with the steep climb up to Ballard Down, stopping a number of times to look back on the stunning vista of Poole Harbour. On attaining the ridge we turn west and head for the coast.

This is a beautiful open grassy ridge with 360 degree views. We follow the ridge, meet the coast path and turn towards the picturesque coastal formations at Old Harry Rocks. There is a school group here on a geography field trip and the staff clearly have the students under close control as they near the cliff edge.

Mary as we reach the ridge of Ballard Down

The obligatory photos taken and we continue along the coast path into Studland Bay, drop down onto the beach at the first opportunity and make our way back, dodging the gently breaking waves, for another late lunch back at the van.

We later drive along to the chain ferry and walk along the beach in the low late afternoon sunshine. We each have our own memories of sailing in and out of this magnificent harbour entrance on vessels large and small. Additional distance not recorded!

Old Harry Rocks

4.8 miles

Day 80 Corfe Castle to Swanage via Worth Matravers and the Coastpath

Our Route

We have done this walk before and even though it was just nine years ago neither of us had much recollection of doing it, except we could both recall where we had sat at the Square & Compass in Worth Matravers for a half-way drink.  This is a combination of two 1001 AA walks but it doesn’t help that the instructions are in the reverse direction! This time we have the Garmin to assist and we need it to navigate around Corfe before picking up the “official” route.

This first section is across more Dorset heathland and once again on Corfe Common there are ponies, though these look more domesticated and some even have coats! We make a brief re-acquaintance with the Hardy Way, but soon we are on the Purbeck Way and we shall follow this almost all the way to Worth Matravers. We stop to chat with some fellow walkers coming towards us – a vicar and her husband; who, new to walking, had taken it up during her sabbatical to get fit. Then it was on southwards to skirt the enormous Stanwith Quarries before the gentle climb into Worth Matravers. 

Spot the Fossil

We are spoilt for quirky pubs in Somerset, but this one is rather special. In the same family for many generations the low ceilinged building has serving hatches into the corridor which links the various rooms but on a sunny day we have found a sheltered spot and sit outside. It’s the only pub I know of with its own museum attached! This is a proper walker’s pub and although home made pasties are on offer we just have a drink before setting off once again to walk down the field path, observing some prominent strip lychetts as we head for the coast path and a picnic stop at Seacombe out of the cold wind and in a warm sunny spot.

Gateway to the Coastpath

Unlike much of the SW Coastpath this section in Dorset is relatively level and we can keep up a good pace as we head East, with interesting geological formations and industrial archaeology in the cliffs below us. In the past these were sea facing quarries and the best stone was lowered from the cliff quarries into small boats before the stone was transferred to larger vessels standing just off the shore. Dancing Ledge is one of the most spectacular of these and today the cliffs and quarry face are used for adventurous outdoor activities.

Strange Globe at Durlston Head

We are familiar with this section of the coast from the sea and we pass the first of the mile markers we had often observed sailing here with Mary’s dad, Brian. Then a mile later we pass the second pair just past the lighthouse at Anvil Point. On rounding this there are views to Durlston Head and beyond that the Isle of Wight. At Durlston Head there is a giant stone globe and we pause here before turning the corner and heading towards Swanage. The view here is across Swanage Bay to Old Harry Rocks and the high rise of Bournemouth beyond.

View Over Swanage Bay to Old Harry and Bournemouth

As time is pressing we cut a corner and head down into the town to catch the local bus service back to Corfe and the final leg of the walk around the edge of the ruined castle and back on field tracks to the campsite.

12.5 miles

Day 79 Hardy’s Birthplace Cottage Walk

Hardy's Birthplace Cottage

A varied walk from the car park at Hardy’s Birthplace Cottage (NT) on Dorset heath, through woodland, field paths amongst the newborn spring lambs and the water meadows by a tributary of the River Frome.  We take the newly laid path up the hill sign posted Hardy’s Cottage and then descend once more to the Visitor Centre as we have failed to obtain our entrance tickets. Then the climb once more to the viewpoint of the cottage beyond the orchard and surrounded by productive vegetable plot. It’s picture postcard Dorset.

A proper start to the walk is postponed while we visit the Cottage, birthplace of author Thomas Hardy and enjoy wandering through the rooms of this tiny cottage furnished as it would have been during Hardy’s childhood.

Vandalism was taken seriously

Then we embark on the walk proper, climbing once again to the open heathland of Duddle Heath with its wild ponies and desperate attempts to clear back the gorse scrub. This is a lovely walk with open views to the south and west and we follow the path as it descends and enters a forest of pine trees.  A small navigational error before we regain the route and cross farmland on field paths with sheep and lambs on either side.

At Lower Bockhampton we take a raised causeway with fast flowing water on either side of the track and into the village of Stinsford. The small church is an important stop on the Hardy tourist trail as he was christened here, played viola for weddings and is the location of the graves of many members of his family. Although his ashes are buried in Poet’s Corner of Westminster Abbey his heart was buried here along with his first and second wives. Close by is the grave of Cecil Day Lewis, poet laureate, who requested  to be buried alongside his inspiration, Thomas Hardy.

The Church where Hardy's heart is buried

The return walk crosses further fields and a gentle climb back to our starting point. Once again we are just too late for lunch so it has to be tea and cake!

"Time changes everything except something within us which is always surprised by change."

Thomas Hardy

7 miles

Day 74 Portishead to Clevedon

Mary, Caro, Emme and Hobie are delivered to the start of the walk at The Windmill and follow the coastline of the Bristol Channel.

Today's guest blogger Caro. OK... well she didn't quite get around to it!

The walk follows the coastline of the Bristol Channel and links Portishead and Clevedon. Always worth doing as you can have lunch or tea and cake at "5 The Beach". Great place to be picked up by Ian and returned to Portishead!

5.5 miles