Walk 113 Swanage to Worth Matravers (Dorset)

 Walk  113 Swanage to Worth Matravers (Dorset)

(Second leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs to Lands End)

Map: L/R 195

Distance: 12 miles or 18km approx.

Difficulty: quite challenging

Terrain: cliff paths, some road

Access: Parking at both ends

Public transport: Difficult both ways. No 44 bus goes from Swanage to the village at 12:11 and 14:11, the latest return journey appears to be 12:43.Taxi to the village might be the best option.

Start the walk from the pier and go westwards out of Swanage. You will pass a couple of pillars of Purbeck stone on the land side of the road. The Dorset coast and countryside are the setting of Thomas Hardy’s novels. He stayed in Swanage in 1875 and the town is referred to as Knollsea in his novel, The Hand of Ethelberta.

Continue the walk to Pevril Point. From here there is a view back to Old Harry Rocks and another forward to Durlston Head. Near the coastguard building are underground tunnels which connect to disused gun emplacements. Peveril point is made from limestone does not erode easily compared to Dalston Bay which is clay and does.

The walk passes around Durlston Bay, and goes through the country park The whole of the area is known as The Isle of Purbeck and it was joined to the Isle of Wight about 50000 years ago.

The next main feature is the globe at Durlston Head, a nearby plaque shows that the head is 1491 feet above sea level. The Great Globe is made from 40 tons of Portland Stone. From this point, the first Dolphin Watch was set up in 1967 – bottle nosed dolphins are the most frequently seen species. Much of the Dorset coast is known as the Jurassic Coast and it was England’s first World Heritage Site.

Just before the Tilly Whim Caves is Freestone an old tourist attraction which is no longer open to the public because of a rock fall. It was used extensively in the Napoleonic Wars for fortifications, however, after 1815 there was little activity apart from smuggling. It was closed in 1976.

A bit further round are the Tilly Whim Caves. These were originally limestone quarries mainly worked during the 18^th century. The name comes from a quarryman named Tilly and type of crane used then called a Whim. Skilled stonemasons worked much of the stone on site e.g. into sinks and troughs.

A short walk from the caves is Anvil Point. The lighthouse here is open to the public for most of the year. It was built in 1881 and was opened by Neville Chamberlain’s (the former prime minister) father who was Minister of Transport. It provides a way-marker for ships passing along the English Channel.

In about a couple of miles look out for the rocks of Dancing Ledge. It was called this because it was the same size as a ballroom floor and is a remnant of the Purbeck quarrying industry; it was last used in the 1930s. Stone from here was shipped to Ramsgate in Kent to build the harbour there. A swimming pool was once blasted into the rocks at Dancing Ledge for use by local preparatory schools. The cave at the eastern end houses some Great Horseshoe bats – an endangered species.

The walk continues along Seacombe Cliffs where there is further evidence of quarrying. Further along is Winspit which provides an interesting landscape of quarrying remains and World War 2 gun emplacements. The quarry closed in 1950 but it was used for a 1979 episode of Doctor Who.

The next main feature is St Adhelm’s or St Alban’s Head. Look out for the metal sculpture on the cliff top. This commemorates the radar research carried out at nearby Worth Martravers between 1940-42 – crucial to the war and modern telecommunications. The chapel on the Head is thought to date back to 1150 and is dedicated to the first Saxon bishop of Sherborne (in west Dorset). The square building has corners which point to the 4 main points of the compass. It is thought to have been a chantry where mass was said for sailors and it was also a beacon for shipping.

Continue the walk across Emmetts Hill, with views to Chapman’s Pool. Descend the steep steps and navigate into Worth Martravers. This is a picturesque village that dates from the 14^th century and was the home of the wealthy Martravers family. Most of the current buildings date from the 18^th and 19^th centuries. In 2004, local fishermen had their work sabotaged by The Lobster Liberation Group. The local pub, The Square and Compasses, has an annual stone carving competition marking the importance of quarrying to the area.    

Photos show: Worth Martravers; St Aldhelm's Chapel; Dancing Ledge; Tilly Whim Caves; The Great Globe; Winspit.

Walk 112 Brownsea Island then Sandbanks to Swanage

Walk  112 Brownsea Island then Sandbanks to Swanage (Dorset)

(Second leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs to Lands End)

Map: L/R 195

Distance: 13 miles or 21 km approx
Difficulty: moderate
Terrain: paths/ pavement/sand
Access: Parking at both ends
Public transport: Regular bus links from Poole to Swanage and Sandbanks. Ferry to Brownsea Island runs late March to early November – check times before travelling.

Brownsea Island is owned by the National Trust and it is worth signing up for one of their conducted tours (if available) to find out much of interest. These walks don’t cover the whole island but here are paths which can be walked independently.

There have been settlements on Brownsea since the 5^th century BC and these include Viking settlers and an abbey. Henry V111 first built a castle on the island and there were several owners who have added to it or rebuilt it. These include ‘Mad’ Benson in the 1700s who was said to dabble in black magic, a Colonel and his wife in the 1800s who became bankrupt after building a large pottery and chapel, Major Balfour who rebuilt it after a fire, the Van Raalte family who filled it with musical instruments and Mary Bonham Christie a reclusive eccentric who let the island drift back into a natural state. When she died in 1961 the island was taken over by the National Trust. The major retailing company John Lewis has contributed to the repair of the island including the castle which is now used by their employees as a hotel.  There are red squirrels, deer and a wide variety of birds to spot.

On return to Sandbanks get the chain ferry over to South Haven Point on the opposite bank. The ferry has been running since 1923 and saves a 25 mile road journey. On the other side there is a short walk to Studland Bay and the start of the South West Coastal Path – announced in a metal sculpted sign. The path is over 600 miles long and ends in Minehead in Somerset.

The walk across Shell and Studland bays is probably best undertaken on the firmer sand nearer to the sea. The area is home to three of Britain’s native snakes: the adder, the grass snake and the rarer smooth snake. The latter creature feeds on the equally rare sand lizard which also lives here. Studland means ‘land where horses were kept’- presumably some of these would have belonged to pirates and smugglers who were active here in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. Parts of the beach are frequented by naturists – I took some children across the sands several years ago without realising this  – judging by the sniggers my pathetic attempts to persuade them to avert their eyes were largely ignored.

After a couple of miles or so the path leaves the beach and goes along the cliff top. Near Redend Point is Fort Henry – the largest and strongest World War 2 observation post to be built in Britain. It was constructed by Canadian engineers in 1943. Studland Beach had a high profile throughout the war, even the sea was set alight with petrol as part of a deterrent and around 5000 mines were positioned on the sands.

Continue the cliff walk to The Foreland or Handfast Point. The area is known as the Isle of Purbeck but it has long ceased to be an island. Next to the sheer chalk white cliffs is Old Harry a stack that marks the point where the Purbeck Hills fall into the sea below Ballard Down. Old Harry is about 200 years old and it used to be accompanied by a smaller stump called Old Harry’s Wife but this collapsed in the 1950s. If you are lucky you can still see this during low spring tides. The name Old Harry refers to the devil who is said to have rested on the rock, although others suggest it was named after a famous pirate.

Continue around Ballard Point enjoying the spectacular white cliffs beneath your feet. As far back as the middle ages this area was quarried for lime stone and Purbeck marble was used in Salisbury Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. Soon Swanage comes into view where the stone has been used to help improve the appearance of the town.

Before tourists became the main source of the town’s income Swanage was the centre for shipping Purbeck stone to London. When the empty sailing ketches started sinking on their return from London they were loaded with unwanted heavy street items from the Victorian streets of the capital. Swanage then earned the name Little London as many of these ballast items were incorporated into the streets of the town. Look out for them!

Carry on the walk to the pier. The original pier was built in 1860 and used mainly for shipping stone. It is now used for leisure and volunteers have helped to repair recent storm damage. Walk inland from the pier to the Swanage Railway terminus. Trains first ran on the branch line to Swanage in 1882 but it all came to an end in 1972 when British Rail closed it. Fortunately, The Swanage Railway, a charity, took it over and it has been rebuilt by volunteers. Steam and diesel trains operate daily during the summer and at certain other times. This is a great way to go to inland Corfe Castle (on another day) and explore the ruins where Edward the Martyr was murdered in 978.

Snaps show: Studland Bay; the start of the South West Coastal path;Old Harry rocks; Swanage Beach; the twin Purbeck pillars on the walk out of Swanage; the Swanage Railway.

Walk 111 Bournemouth to Poole (Dorset)

 Walk  111 Bournemouth to Poole (Dorset)

 (Second leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs to Lands End)

 Map: L/R 195

Distance: 13 miles or 20km approx.
Difficulty: quite easy
Terrain: paths/ pavement
Access: Parking at both ends
Public transport: Rail and bus links Bournemouth/Poole

Start the walk at Bournemouth Pier. Follow the cycle route along the coast as marked on the OS map.

The first main feature is Alum Chine. It gets its name from an unsuccessful attempt to mine alum (a fixative used in the dye industry) and copperas (a black die used in ink). It proved uneconomical and mining ceased by the end of the 17^th century. If you enjoy gardens, look out for the Alum Chine Tropical Gardens which can be viewed from a special platform.

There are a few chines (wooded valleys) along this stretch including Flag Head Chine and Canford Cliffs Chine. The valley at Branksome Chine cuts inland for about 1.5 miles.

Continue walking to Poole Head then follow the cycle track over the B3369 where it continues towards Sandbanks. Take a stroll along here where the view is to Brownsea Island and Poole. Much of the coast around Sandbanks is inaccessible because the gardens of some very expensive housing run down to the beach. This area has one of the highest (probably the highest) property values in the UK. I understand several celebrities and Premiership footballers live here.

After the stroll turn around and follow the road (a bit of a route march in parts) around to Poole then walk around Parkstone Bay following the cycle route. The entrance to Poole Harbour is soon reached.

Poole has been a port since the 12^th century prospering during the height of the wool trade to become one of the busiest ports in the UK in the 18^th century. It also prospered as a base for privateers (had a licence from the government to act moreless like pirates) and in 1405 was sacked (attacked and plundered) in vengeance by the French and Spanish.  During World War 2 it was one of the main departure points for the D Day landings. Sixty cutters of the US Coastguard Rescue service were stationed here – they were completely made of wool.

The harbour, the largest natural one in Europe, is full of extremely expensive looking boats – some under construction. There is a double high tide which means it remains high for more than half the day.

On the harbour side, look out for the seated figure of Baden Powell. This is a memorial to the man who organised the first scout camp at nearby Brownsea Island. (Details on next walk). A sculpture called ‘Sea Music’ by the artist Sir Anthony Caro is also at the edge of the harbour. The HQ of the RNLI together with the lifeboat college can be found further round on the walk to Holes Bay with its odd sculptures on the harbour side. At Holes Bay return to Poole centre and bus/train/car.

Snaps show: coast near Branksome Chine;  'Sea Music' sculpture, Poole; a view to Sandbanks; Poole Harbour.

Walk 110 Christchurch to Bournemouth (Hants)

 Walk  110 Christchurch to Bournemouth (Dorset)

(Second leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs to Lands End)

Map: L/R 195

Distance: 10 miles or 16km approx.
Difficulty: quite easy
Terrain: paths/ pavement/beach
Access: Parking at both ends
Public transport: Rail links with Bournemouth and Christchurch. Good bus links

Start by crossing the River Stour at Christchurch and join the Stour Valley Way to Hengistbury Head. The crossing by the River Stour is near to Wick Ferry which is an alternative method of getting to Hengistbury Head. Looking back over the Stour there is an attractive view to Christchurch. In Saxon times the town was known as Twynham which means the town between the waters. Look out for Place Mill, this was mentioned in the Domesday Survey of 1086. The building has medieval stonework and Tudor and 18^th century brickwork. It was used both for fulling (cleaning and thickening cloth) and corn grinding until 1908.

The soft sands and wooden frame buildings provide an attractive foreground to the coast further east. Hengistbury Head is part of a massive nature reserve. Birds with different bill lengths take full advantage of the different crustaceans and worms. The head has been occupied many times since the Stone Age. In the Bronze Age it was used as a cemetery - evidenced by many archaeological finds. It is reckoned that 2000 years ago this was Britain’s most important port. Between 1840 and 1880 the area was mined for iron ore which was taken to Wales for smelting.

Follow the path or continue along the sands to Warren Hill. Hunter gatherers of the Stone Age camped here 12,500 years ago; many flint tools have been excavated. The sea was many miles distant then.

Continue the walk along the marked paths or along the beach – the latter is harder work because of the sand and the groynes. Join the marked cycle path to continue to the outskirts of Bournemouth. This is the start of the 7 miles of sandy beaches that make up Bournemouth sea front. The town has been the fastest growing British resort in recent times.

Along this stretch is Boscombe Pier and Boscombe Chine. Boscombe developed as a seaside resort when the first pier opened in 1889. Many of the Victorians came to the area believing that the sweet scented air from the many pine trees would cure their TB. I understand that John Lennon bought his mother a house near here, she thought it was the most beautiful view she had ever seen.

Boscombe pier closed in World War 2 and remained derelict until it was modernised in ‘fifties’ style and reopened in 1962. It was deemed unsafe in 2005 and was refurbished and reopened in 2008 with the old theatre building at the end being replaced with a platform for fishermen. Much of the cliff side walk is fronted by modern apartment developments.

Look out for Boscombe Chine (a chine is a valley). Earlier in the 19^th century the area was wild and desolate and a haven for smuggling. Later in the century this part was developed into a pleasure ground for the public. Near here was Boscombe Spa which allegedly had foul tasting water purporting to have health improving properties.

The land train which goes along the promenade to Bournemouth. Some jolly pictures from local primary school children mark the finishing point.

Continue along to Bournemouth Pier. This was built in 1880 and includes a theatre. It was designed by the same man who designed the now defunct West Pier in Brighton. You can either walk back into the town or use the nearby electrically operated cliff lift (one of 3 in the Bournemouth area) which was built in 1908 and has been in continuous use ever since.

On the walk back the International Centre, often used by our main political parties for conferences, is prominent.

Snaps show: Warren Hill; Hengistbury Head; Bournemouth Pier; The terminus of the Bournemouth land train; a view across the Stour to Christchurch.

Walk 109 Barton on Sea to Christchurch, Hants

 Walk  109 Barton on Sea to Christchurch (Dorset)

(Second leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs to Lands End)

Map: L/R 195

Distance: 10 miles or 16km approx.
Difficulty: moderate
Terrain: paths and pavement
Access: Parking at both ends
Public transport: Rail links with New Milton from surrounding areas (a mile or so inland from Barton on Sea). The X1 bus goes hour from Barton to Purewell (a part of Christchurch) and the X2 also hourly leaves from New Milton to Purewell.

Start the walk on the cliff top at Barton on Sea. The walk from here to Highcliffe is partly on the cliff top but some navigating around roads and open spaces near to the coast is required. I know it is possible having done it, however erosion may have got worse! The views along the cliff tops give good views of the coast around to Hengistbury Head.

After just over a mile the border between Hampshire and Dorset is crossed where Walkford Brook comes into the sea at Chewton Bunny.  A bunny is a local word meaning valley. The area is a special conservation area because of the 5 acres or so of ancient woodland.

A further mile along is Highcliffe Castle, positioned a short way back from the cliff top. This was built in 1831 by Lord Rothesay and has been described as “the most important example of the romantic and picturesque styles of architecture”. After falling in to disrepair the local council and English Heritage financed its restoration as a visitor attraction. It was reopened in 1999 and can also be booked for weddings and other functions.

Continue the walk towards Mudeford. It was possible to walk on the beach or on a low level promenade for part of this section. There is a feature here called Steamer Point which is marked locally but not on my OS map. The area got its name from a paddle steamer which got wedged into a cliff opening in 1829. Thirty years later Steamer Cottage was built on the cliff edge above and in line with the steamer. Unfortunately, this part of the cliff was removed in 1964.

Continue the walk around to Mudeford Quay. This is a very popular spot with a large car park, busy pub and many anglers. Opposite, across the entrance to Christchurch Harbour is Hengistbury Head.

Leaving Mudeford Quay, walk along the edge of Christchurch Harbour to Stanpit Marshes. The paths are clear across the nature reserve/golf course and enable you to walk to Christchurch Priory. In the past this area was used as a rubbish dump and by the military in both world wars. In connection with this, look out for the first prototype Bailey Bridge which is still here. (These were temporary bridges able to be quickly constructed and used in World War 2). Another interesting landmark is Tutton’s Well near the road and car park. The water from here was known for its medicinal properties and sold as The Christchurch Elixir. The well was capped in 1941.

Continue the walk around to the ruins of an old Norman Castle overlooking the River Stour. The stone keep replaced the original timber tower at the end of the twelfth century. The castle was mainly demolished in 1651 after the civil war between the king and parliament. Look out for the ducking stool a little further up the river in Ducking Stool Lane.

Christchurch Priory is a bit further around next to the River Avon. In 1043 Edward the Confessor founded a monastery here and it was rebuilt in 1095 giving the town the name of Christchurch. The monastery later became a priory reflecting its importance and that of the town.  

Snaps show: Tutton's Well on Stanpit Marshes; beach near Highcliffe; Place Mill (at start of next walk); Christchurch Priory.

Walk 108 Lymington to Barton on Sea, Hants

 Walk  108 Lymington to Barton on Sea (Hants)

(Second leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs to Lands End)

Map: L/R 196 and 195

Distance: 13 miles or 22km approx.
Difficulty: moderate
Terrain: paths and pavement
Access: Parking at both ends
Public transport: Rail links with Lymington and New Milton (a mile or so inland from Barton on Sea). Plenty of bus links in both towns.

Walk south along the road to Lymington harbour and marina, both on the River Lymington. It is a busy town mainly due to the yachting centre, the proximity of the New Forest and the regular ferry to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight. The town dates back to the 6^th century when it got its name after the then marshy river. Since then the town has had a turbulent history including suffering destruction twice in 100 years at the hands of the French. Smuggling has been rife in the area. Before 1860 it was a major salt producer with much of the salt sold to the dockyards at Portsmouth to preserve meat. (Salt production died out when salt began to be mined in Cheshire).

On the walk from Lymington to Keyhaven there is clear evidence of past saltworks. Look out for the shallow pools which were constructed to allow the seawater to evaporate before being pumped into pans. The remaining brine was then boiled down to leave the salt. A series of narrow docks were constructed so coal could be brought in by ships and used in the boiling houses. When I walked along here work was going on to restore the salt marshes mainly to protect the specialist wildlife that thrives here.

The path continues to Keyhaven. If you fancy a drink, drop in to the Gun Inn. Part of the pub’s lounge was once known as the Chapel Bar because it was used as a temporary morgue for corpses recovered locally. Early in the twentieth century there were plans to dig a tunnel to the Isle of Wight and to convert the nearby marshlands into a dockyard.

Continue round to Hurst Beach and walk the shingly/pebbly part of The Solent Way to the end of the spit. Look out for the large rocks imported from Norway in the 1990s; these were put here to help protect the spit and the surrounding conservation area. The end of the spit is the English mainland that is closest to the Isle of Wight. Hurst Castle was built by Henry V111 and Charles 1^st was temporarily imprisoned here in 1648 before his trial and execution. The castle was manned during the Napoleonic Wars and during World War 2. The building is open to the public and further information is available inside. The nearby impressive lighthouse replaces earlier lights and was built in 1867. It is still operational. There is a lighthouse exhibition in the castle for those wanting to know more.

Continue the walk along to Milford on Sea where the path overlooks the beach. Although the village goes back to the Domesday Book the lack of a rail link meant that it has never developed into a significant seaside resort. However, it is now a popular retirement area. Swimming can be especially dangerous when the sea is rough.

A little further along is Hordle Cliff. When I walked this section there was an interesting array of equipment on the cliff top. This belonged to a major study by scientists and engineers from Plymouth, Cambridge and Dundee universities. They were recording measurements on how the beach responded to waves, currents and water level changes. An acoustic wave and current profiler was deployed on the sea bed. I wonder if  restricted budgets have allowed this to carry on?

The path continues to Barton on Sea. The diminishing cliffs (erosion) are famous for fossils with specimens up to 45 million years old being found. On the road at Barton seafront is a memorial which commemorates the establishment of a convalescent home for Indian troops who fought in Europe during the Great War of 1914.

Snaps show: River Lymington; Keyhaven; rock defences on Hurst Spit; the cliff top, Milford on Sea.

Walk 107 Hythe, Calshot, Lepe and Bucklers Hard (Hants)

 Walk  107  Hythe, Calshot, Lepe and Bucklers Hard (Hants)

(Second leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs to Lands End)

Map: L/R 196

Distance: Four separate short walks totalling 3/4 miles at the most.
Difficulty: Easy
Terrain: paths and pavement
Access: Parking at all 4 locations
Public transport: Buses are possible from Southampton to Hythe (8 and 9) and from Hythe to Calshot (8). A passenger ferry from Southampton docks goes to and from the pier at Hythe. The other locations are to difficult to access using public transport.

This is one of those rare occasions when I have abandoned the idea of trying to walk from each location. It is no doubt possible using a lot of minor roads, mostly inland, but I prefer to focus on the coast only.

The first location is Hythe. Start at the marina and walk south to the pier which is a prominent feature. A passenger ferry to Southampton can be caught at the end. In 2003 a drunken captain of a dredger collided with the pier and it had to be rebuilt in 2004. The captain was jailed for 8 months. Hythe is a very old port with records going back to 1293. It was well positioned for trading, ship building and fishing. During World War 2 it was a base for motor torpedo boats and air sea rescue. The USA army also had a base here from 1968-2006. Christopher Cockerel (the inventor of the hovercraft in the 1960s) had his factory here.

The next stop is Calshot near the southern end of Southampton Water. Residents of the island of Tristan Da Cunha were evacuated to the village in 1961 when a volcano erupted. Many of them returned when the island was safe but some remained behind hence the community around Tristan Close. Looking west across the beach at Stanswood Bay the Isle of Wight is clearly visible. Walk to Calshot Spit with its activity centre and castle. The large activity centre is housed in hangars once used for flying boats and aircraft and in buildings once used by the navy. The facilities include an indoor climbing centre, a velodrome and a dry ski slope. The sea is used for many other activities.

The Royal Naval Flying Corps was based here in 1913. Look out for the two red brick buildings named after significant people. Lawrence House named after T E Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) was based here from 1929-1931. Houston House is named after Lady Houston who sponsored the R J Mitchell (of Spitfire fame) designed Supermarine which won the Schneider Trophy for the fastest seaplane. The competition was held here in 1931.

Near the end of Calshot Spit is Calshot Castle. This was built in 1540 by Henry V111 as part of his defence on the southern coast (device forts) when he split with the Catholic Church. From 1774 until 1956 it was used as a residence and is now owned by English Heritage. A moat surrounds the castle which can be visited at certain times. Calshot Spit is constantly changing shape due to gradual accretion and erosion. Nearby is a nature reserve. I was told that some unusual species live here due to the warming water that comes from nearby Fawley Power station.

The  next stop is Lepe where you can park very close to the beach. Looking west is Needs Ore Point which is in the estuary of the River Beaulieu. Henry 11 landed at Lepe to take possession of the English throne.

The last stop is Bucklers Hard. This owes its existence to the second Duke Of Montagu who aimed to create a port to import West Indian sugar. The idea came to nothing but a shipbuilding industry grew up instead and by the end of the 18^th century 4000 men were employed here.  It was at Bucklers Hard that many of the ships that fought in the Battle of Trafalgar were built by Henry Adams and Sons. Nelson’s ship Agamemmon was built here and it was while commanding the ship in Corsica that he lost his eye. The famous Mulberry Floating Harbours were also constructed for the D Day landings in Normandy in June 1944. Their role was to keep the allied forces supplied.

There are a number of interesting features and places to learn more including a maritime museum, a chapel and a workman’s cottage.

Snaps show: Calshot Castle; Bucklers Hard; River Beaulieu; Hythe Pier.