Rambling Pete on Walking Places

The Wessex Ridgeway 2014

Day Nine: 14th September

Weather: Misty and low cloud, but bright skies once more

Route: Broadwindsor to Lyme Regis - 14.9 Miles

The last day, there always has to be a last day, and I had a bit of logistics to work out during the day. AsI had my car with me I could once again ditch the backpack and travel light down to the end point in Lyme Regis. After another splendid breakfast at Cattistock I packed my gear and set off for Broadwindsor, via Beaminster to stock up on a snack for my lunch. I parked by the school and resumed my walk to the west, out of Broadwindsor on Grange Lane on a very grey and misty morning – I really thought I might get wet today, but I didn’t. After a mile stretch of road to Burstock Grange the route took to the fields and it was all uphill across pasture and up to the hill fort at Pilsdon Pen. I was nearly in sunshine but behind me was grey low cloud obscuring just about everything. It would have been a lovely place to ponder the views from but I couldn’t see anything, so just listened to the quiet while looking around the banks and ditches. From the fort at Pilsdon Pen it was now all downhill to Bettiscombe Manor, passing a rowdy dogs shelter at Templeman’s Ash. The path passed in front of the house and through the garden, and either no one was in residence or they were having a lie in on Sunday morning. A lovely setting with views south over the herbaceous borders, and a pleasant pheasant lane than ran up to the hamlet of Bettiscombe. At this point my route went slightly awry due to a big crop of sweetcorn planted across the path. In a way that was my penance for chopping off a corner of the Wessex Ridgeway that actually ran further north and west before I rejoined it at Peter’s Gore – that’ll teach me to be a smartarse. I passed by the farm buildings at Water House Farm and then chased my tail around the dge of a large field of corn, narrowly missed a fox who fled in front of me, and managed to escape through a very overgrown styal. But escape I did, and after several more slight diversions, severely overgrown paths and styals I emerged onto a really lovely old green lane, ancient in this landscape and a delight to walk up. This led me up to higher ground passing the old buildings at Nash Farm and now turning south towards the sea that I still couldn’t see. I’d missed a hill fort at Lambert’s Castle Hill because it had a very steep up and an equally steep down, and part of my short cut decided it was better to go up the next hill fort at Coney’s Castle. Once I’d got up there though there weren’t any good places to sit and have my lunch, so I carried on down the lane a little and sat in a field out of the way. A mile later dropping downhill all the way and I arrived in Wootton Fitzpaine and turned west to contour around the hillsides through much pasture, small copses, and lanes to Stubb’s Farm where I faced an ascent up to the busy main road running down to Lyme Regis. Twenty minutes later after a sweaty climb and listening to the noise of the motocross bikes nearby, I emerged at Penn and waited patiently to cross the carriageway – it’s very busy at times and the cars don’t hang about on their way out of town. From Penn to the outskirts of Lyme Regis was about 1 ½ miles of woodland walking, with nicely dappled shade, emerging from the woods at Rhode Barton stables into freshly mown hay pasture, running gently down to the sewage works. No stink today though and I was soon following the riverside walk of the River Lim right down into the heart of Lyme Regis. Obviously the further I went the more people I encountered, but as the past nine days had been people free it made a pleasant welcome back to the real world. It was a good path down beside the river through the houses and eventually out onto the main street at the clock tower. Now as it was a Sunday the crowds were out in the late afternoon sunshine, so I purchased an ice-cream cone and set off along the front to the end point of the Cobb. The views back along the coast were great with Golden Cap glowing beyond Charmouth. A gentle finishing stroll past the chip shops, sweet stalls and beach huts brought me to the Cobb, where I strode out with the crowds to the very end where I paused and enjoyed the finish of another long walk. It was enjoyable, helped by the fine weather, but it’s not up there with my favourites. Having now done 13 long walks, I’d say that this one is struggling to get in the top ten. A postscript to the final day really showed me what has been a positive from this walk, that the people in this area are really pleasant, kind and considerate. Logistically I now had to get back to Broadwindsor from Lyme Regis, and I had three phone numbers of taxi firms – the first had an answerphone message telling me that they work Monday to Friday – not much use on a Sunday then. The second firm had an answerphone message telling me they were busy and to leave a number and message. The third firm just didn’t answer despite several attempts. So there I stood, pondering my options and thinking if the worse happens I’ll just go around the pubs asking the locals for a lift, even if it takes me all evening - Failing that it was a night in a B&B if I could find one. As I was looking around I spotted another taxi firm number and dialled that – ‘hello’ – ‘yes I can pick you up’ – ‘ooh that’s a long way’ – ‘£40’ – ‘I’ll be ages’ – 10 minutes later up rolls a nice shiny Mondeo, with what can be called an ‘experienced driver. He was a lovely older gentleman and took me the scenic route back to Broadwindsor. We had a good chat about everything, and as we pulled in by my car he said to me – ‘I’m going to give you £10 back because you’ve been a nice passenger’. Life is good sometimes