Marsh Orchid

Splash Bridge

Going underground

The continued light rains have been sufficient in quantity to refresh and replenish the burgeoning plant life covering the valleys and bluffs around Worth Matravers.  The path down to the redundant quarry at Winspit, and the sea, is flanked by lush and verdant growth, all the colours of the rainbow are represented amongst the summer herbs, meadow flowers and narrow swathes of shrub woodland; the Elder flowers are beginning to weigh the flimsy branches down, it's looking like a bumper year. 

The quarry at Winspit appeared open and as if the floor of the former stone working caverns had been cleared of stony detritus; some activity, some use had been made of these disused workings, perhaps to  supply the stone wall restoration that's being undertaken in the area. The quarry at Seacombe, last used in the early 1940's to produce stone hardcore for the wartime airfields of the New Forest, has seen activity too; although this time it's nature doing the shifting.  A series of large cracks have appeared a couple of feet above the caverns roof line, these stretch the entirety of the cavern roof, with some substantial collapses in places; one large collapse has brought down a wall, as well as sections of roof, creating access further up into the cutting running alongside the cavern. Walking through this new and fragile access I felt genuine fear and couldn't wait to to get out under the sky again.

Along the way today we met a guy walking with is dog, nice fellow, 70 years old and still walking the coast and not short walks; he had started at Kimmeridge and was ending at Peveril Point, that's some walk; an example of what can be achieved if you keep yourself together. 

Woods

Steep sided Ash woods above Cocknowle.

Supergod

Silent walking

A drop of rain and the forest is lush green again, cleaned and rejuvenated, the greens are intense; the forest drys out quickly and it's easy to overlook that.  Although the rains have been fleeting and mainly light, the streams have risen some and flow at an increased rate, while the rain on the dried leaf litter amongst the mature Beech of the Old enclosure has softened them enough to allow you to move through the woodland almost silently, as long as you avoid the brittle twigs strewn between the trees.  Moving silently is slow and focused, allowing you to absorb more of the forest around you. 

The green woods

Foals

Two newly born foals nestle amongst the tussocks of rough grass, burnt a season or two ago; laying about 20m apart, their mothers are grazing nearby.  The foals are odd looking, yet fantastically cute, all gangling legs and head.  These were born very recently and appear quiet weak, usually foals are on their feet within 2 hours, these two were still unable stand, although one was trying valiantly. 

Kimmeridge

View

I didn't know Townley Shenton, whose memorial seat is sited on the highest point of the undulating ridge which runs above Kimmeridge Bay. The inscription on his seat says that he liked this view and hoped we would too, well I do, it is fantastic and no mistake. Top spot Townley.

The Churchyard

On the ridge overlooking Dockens Water, amongst the the predominantly Oak, Yew and Holly woodland, is an ephemeral earthwork. This earthwork is a sub rectangular enclosure, with a shallow ditch and a grassy bank surrounding the enclosed area; possibly never substantial, these features are now hardly noticeable. The enclosed area isn't large, it would have contained accommodation for royal hunting parties and little more; there are several similar sites around the forest.  These sites date back to medieval phases of forest use.