A wonderful weekend walking in dramatic Dorset
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: Seán Conway and Maria O’Brien
I’m delighted with my plans for a weekend walking trip on Dorset’s South West Coast Path. However, Seán, my partner, looks aghast at the idea of exercise but he agrees as long as we stop off at our friend’s recommendation of The Turfcutter’s Arms in the New Forest’s East Boldre on the way.
I forgive him for the fact it’s not in Dorset and nowhere near our destination as it offers up unexpected delights, from donkeys queuing up outside the post office to Hatchet’s Pond on its outskirts, with its lapwings, and rare multicoloured stonewort.
The coastal path at Highcliffe provides the perfect picnic spot, with views of the iconic Isle of Wight Needles. Afterwards, we wander along the cliffside path, among bees and butterflies as they feast on purple teasel heads. The golden sand below arcs to Christchurch Harbour.
If I see a signpost, I have to follow it, so we zigzag up the verdant cliff to stucco-bayed Highcliffe Castle with its romantic parterre. Capability Brown drained the cliff when creating the gardens. However, the sea sent half of those gardens careering down the cliff, but the remaining woodland of oak and beech allows for a shaded stroll back to the ’van.
The Isle of Purbeck is a relief after the A35 circumnavigation of Poole and Bournemouth. Purbeck is all rolling hills, tree-lined lanes and luscious hedgerows. Hilltop Corfe Castle, once William the Conqueror’s palace, has 360-degree views to the sea and across the biodiverse heathland. My favourite story is of Lady Bankes beating off the parliamentarians, who praised her bravery when they finally won in the seventeenth century.
The castle is built of Purbeck stone, known as burr locally, an adaptation of the French word, beurre, due to the buttery look of the freshly mined limestone. Seán’s disappointment is palpable as he misses taking a snap of the steam train tooting along the single track from Swanage to Corfe Castle, informing me glumly that the next train is a mere diesel.
Corfe Castle village nestles under the castle. The villagers, quite sensibly, reused the stones from the ruins to build stout houses. The square-towered church and huddle of limestone houses are postcard-pretty, the perfect site for a Midsomer Murders mystery.
Tom’s Field campsite is a green wonder, sitting on the edge of bucolic Langton Matravers, with rabbits, badgers and foxes sharing the site.
The one-mile
