New Valley Hills

Lesson learnt today – pigeons will always win. Last night my allocated camp spot was under a tree. There was evidence of poop on part of the pitch. No problem, I’ll use the other half. You can see where this is going! Woke during to night to ‘things’ falling on the tent. The morning revealed this.

Luckily it washed off with water and a light rub. Ain’t SilPoly great!

Downhill back to Dancing Ledge to rejoin the path. Bumped into a fellow camper who told me the story about the missing chunk of the sea ledge.

Years ago there was a private school locally that took the kids swimming. They didn’t all return! The school took some explosives to the ledge and blew out a chunk creating a safe pool.

Also signs of previous industry.

At Winspit I bumped into Roman, the 9 year old who has spent 18 months leading his Dad section-hiking the whole path. One of the people I’d noticed on Facebook doing something interesting. His fundraiser is here https://gofund.me/47fd8c1c raising for the SWCP Association.

Walking past the CoastGuard lookout I overheard the shift change saying the visibility was obscured by the sand blown up from the Sahara.

Around Chapman’s Pool the hills were relentless. Thinking of my nephew Joe in training I paused for a much needed breather at the Royal Marines memorial garden.

I wanted to wild camp at Cuddle at Kimmeridge Ledges because I liked the name, but there were no good sleepy spots. I pressed on to Kimmeridge Bay.

Had my first cake of the hike. How very restrained! 😆 Some say I appear to live for cake. There are worse things to adore.

Suggested wild camp spot was not good – far to many surfers, beach bbqs and much merriment being enjoyed in the evening heat.

After 7pm, feeling somewhat restored by cake I pressed on into the ranges past the strangely soothing sounds of the nodding donkey.

Let’s say I walked very slowly through the night, and popped out at Lulworth Cove in the morning.