back to Corfe Castle --last day of walking

137k of walking (and that doesn't include extras like up and down to dinner)
 what a week it has been
I finished about an hour ago
And it is now raining
How perfect has my trip to England been?
The weather has been absolutely spectacular
My host b&bs have been awesome
People along the way have been great, welcoming, smiling, friendly
My feet are very sore and tired, but not blistered!
Off to London by train tomorrow
Then off for a new adventure

Studland

Another beautiful walk along the coast.
Swanage has a beautiful beach area
And these very strange huts along the beach
They are about 8x8 or so and butted up against each other
They are little cabins with kitchen areas, sitting areas, and closet areas
Some are rented, some are owned
They have strings of about 20 of them together all along the beach
Today's walk took me to Old Harry's Rock at the point of Studland Beach and then on to Studland itself
There are in fact no studs there

I had lunch at a tiny shack on a small beach
There were lots of boats anchored offshore
Then these two octogenarians pulled up in a pontoon
They were lots of fun to watch, one was getting out and didn't want to get his feet wet, so they threw out the oars, which he stepped on to reach the beach. It took quite a while and the small crowd at the cafe cheered and clapped when he finally accomplished his feat.  Up he came to buy some ice cream and back he went to do it on reverse. it took quite a while again, and he almost fell in the water a few times, but he made it, and off they went.

Today was a loop, so back to town (4miles) a quick trip to the bookstore (nothing worth carrying) and the drugstore

Fish and chips (yum) and a climb back to the b&b

British Big Brother (a hoot --  they are almost impossible to understand) and an early night

since Weymouth?

i have walked miles and miles and miles
into Kingston, not one jail (yay)
onto Corfe Castle, pretty ruinous
through cow pastures
and cow patties
through sheep pastures
and sheep pies
along the coast
up the ridges
down the ridges
around beautiful coves
through lovely shaded woods
past prickly scrapy thorns
into sleepy seaside towns
and bustling seaside towns


had amazing fish and chips
yummy oysters
prawns (not so much fun peeling and eating those)

beautiful weather
and comfy beds

off to breakfast
and a spin through town,
for an 12mile walk
and to find a printer for my next set of trsin/plane tickets

more readable

i love the look of the other blog format
but it was a bit hard to read
hopefully this will be easier on the eyes

Weymouth, if you haven't been -- go

It is seriously a beautiful town

great promenade along the beach

beautiful historic buildings

lots of character

amazing beach, and the Brits are a hardy bunch, they were all swimming away, it is cold in that water

it was a breezy sunny evening, 

great for a stroll and findinf the perfect fish and chip shop

and it was very good  

my next stop is Lulworth Cove

walking along the cliffs 

with amazing views

but fierce winds

i have never experienced winds like that

i had to stop to brace myself against them

i worried that i would be impaled by the barbed wire fences or thrown over the cliff into the sea below

but perfect weather again for walking

it was a long walk today 10.5miles to the cove, then another mile to the b&b

i fell on the sidewalk when i was almost there

no blood thankfully

but an old man on the other side saw me

came over and then turned his back on me 

good thing, my pride was seriously hurt and i could feel the tears coming 

nice comfy b&b

fish and chips forndinner 

Abbotsbury to Weymouth

this one gets lists:
how many cattle fences was I zapped by? One, but that is definitely all it takes,
how many farmers laughed about said zapping?  one (prick)
how many backtracked routes?  at least 6
how many extra miles?  at least 5
how many stinging nettle patches?  three and those suckers are aptly named  -- capris are not the way to dive through them, thank goodness I thought to put on my raincoat
how many muddy bogs -- two, very nervously -- kept worrying about slipping and losing a boot
how many helpful strangers slipped on a cow pie, got covered in said cow pie and almost took me out with them?  also one, and again, that's all it takes, poor woman, she was a mess, but I am so glad it wasn't me, it was a long way to a laundry spot
how many wet soggy boots?" two, and it is 6am, they aren't dry yet, it is an easy roadway kind of day, think the sandals will have to do
how many sleepless nights?  one, not sure why  -- although the nearby bar seemed to party late into the night

West Bay to Abbotsbury

breakfast was bacon sandwich
really embracing my inner bread eater

a perfectly drizzly day for a walk
first i had to make it over the cliff
which I did, yay me
then another one,

it was misty and just the right temperature for walking
it was pretty easy going
and i didnt have too much trouble following the guidebook

had lunch at the Hive -- another bacon sandwich
i love british bacon, yum yum

i did walk into Abbotbury at about 2:30
and discovered that my room would not be available until 5
so off to the Swannery, where some cygnets are in the midst of hatching

great way to kill a few hours and add another 4 miles to your day

back into town and dinner at The Swan, baguette with BLT, yes more of that british bacon and it was a very yummy baguette

if i had read my guidebook clearly i would have seen that it was 15k, plus the extrabfor the swannery, i was bagged

the b&b was ready for me
by 9:00 lights were out and i was out as well