To Seacombe
An early morning walk from Worth Matravers down to Seacombe, not taking the shorter path, which involves a steep descent nearing Seacombe and a steep ascent on the return to Worth. "No to steep!", I say. Instead headed off through the fields to Eastington, and took the track which curves gently down to the sea.
A leisurely descent along a track lined with wild flowers. The wind fresh and the sun not too warm.
Down to the valley bottom:
Then a scramble down a little rocky gully, lined with Sea Aster and Samphire:
Onto the old quarry ledges, where once stone would have been loaded onto ships.
Drank my coffee, then sat for a while, thinking of nothing as the waves broke against the rocks.
But the waves will keep breaking, whether or not there is anyone watching over them, so I headed back up the gully - the climb up so much easier than the scramble down - and joined the Coast Path heading west to Winspit.
Here’s the place. Stand still. How fearful
And dizzy ‘tis to cast one’s eyes so low!
The crows and choughs that wing the midway air
Show scarce so gross as beetles. Halfway down
Hangs one that gathers samphire - dreadful trade;
King Lear
Rock Samphire & Rocks.
Climbing up from Seacombe.
Coast Path, through the meadows.
Knapweed, Field Scabious, Catsear, Wild Carrot, Ragwort & Thistles, and yellow late summer grasses.
Not many people walking the Coast Path here, even on a sunny Sunday morning. I don't understand why so many people head for the beaches instead. Why would you want to lie on a crowded beach, covered in oil like a sardine, when instead you could be walking along the cliffs, into the wind, with the golden grasses stirring all around you, and the blue sea below?
Lots of Buff-tailed Bumblebees about, which was good to see at last. And even a few Red-tailed Bumblebees, though nowhere near as many as in a normal year.
Lulworth Skipper on Wild Marjoram.
Near where the Wild Cabbage grows along the cliffs, Large White butterflies lifting in clouds above the grasses.
Nearing Winspit, time for another cup of coffee, sitting on a handy rock. Carrying on the wind, distant sound of guitars and drums, something dark-sounding. Goth-rock?
By the entrance to cave, three figures in black wearing white masks. Maybe someone was filming a music video in the caves? (I hope they were wearing hard hats. The caves were recently declared unsafe, and Disney had to cancel using them as a location for a Star Wars series...)
The path climbing back up the valley towards Worth Matravers. Not too steep. But always warm going in summer, down in the valley where the breeze cannot find you.
Stone cottages, Worth Matravers.