Log No 296. Sat 26th Apr 2014 - Weymouth to Lulworth, 10 miles (4512 miles walked)

I got back to Weymouth for 11.00 and although the forecast for today wasn't great it was dry when I set off but pretty windy.

I don't know that the rest day helped my leg much but I was only going to do 10 miles today and try to take it easy.


It was 2 miles along the promenade and there was a lot activity at this end of Weymouth Bay with wind surfers and kite surfers making the most of the windy conditions.

Leaving the sea front the footpath climbed up to Redcliff Point and then along the level a bit with a view The (not so) White Horse on the side of the Dorset Ridgeway.

I stopped in the shelter of a few bushes for my lunch and with black clouds threatening rain put on all my waterproofs.

Luckily the rain cloud just missed me, only delivering a few drops, and it looked like being clear for a while now.

The path went up and down to Osmington Mills and it was more of the same to Ringstead Bay before a steady climb up round the edge of the slopes to the headland of White Nothe.

Coming round this headland the landscape changed dramatically to the vertical white chalk cliffs and roller coaster cliff top.

It was tempting to take a small detour to go and see "Scratchy Bottom" but I stuck to the Coast Path.

There were lots of walkers on the coastal path today and quite a few just just on Day 2 of the SWCP heading for Lands End. One lad who was backpacking said he was knackered already.

Another couple, Ian & Sally, where doing it the sensible way using B&B's to do the whole way to Minehead but over 2 years. Ian suffers from vertigo so he would have some testing days ahead of him.

There was no let up in the wind and the blustery conditions made it difficult to walk in a straight line.

The cloudburst that had missed me had caught a few people out, the one chap only had time to put his jacket on and he got soaked below the waist but the wind was helping him dry out.

Durdle Door was as popular as ever with easy access from the car park and a holiday park close by.

The last holiday park I stopped at was £24.80 but I was only charged £7 at this one and she booked me in for 2 nights when I said I might stay another night if weather is very bad for tomorrow.

As I'm writing this log at 21.45 it sounds like it is blowing a gale and chucking it down, I'm just pleased it didn't start a lot earlier.

10 steady miles but still with a painful leg.