The Pinnicale

 

The Pinnicale

Climb out of Swanage

From Ballard Down we'd approached Swanage via the inland Whitecliff route and climbed out of Swanage up to Ballard Down via the coastal path this morning; a picturesque route with lovely views, and one that appears to have changed little in the decades I've known it. The first time I walked this route was on an ill fated camping mission at 14; a friend and I, enthusiastic though poorly equipped and prepared, had walked from Bournemouth to Swanage, had a disastrous camp amongst the old quarries above the town, and after spending our bus fare home on ciggies and chips, tired and weary, had trudged up this very path towards Ballard Down before descending to spend a cold night in the dunes followed by the first ferry across the harbour mouth. I learnt a lot of what not to do camping on those early camping trips. 

Studland dawn

As much as I love the forest, and I do, it's ease being as it is on my doorstep sometimes leads me to neglect the other local landscapes in my holy trinity, Cranborne and the wonderful Isle of Purbeck. With the summer dog walking restrictions lifted we rectified that, and this morning we watched the Sun rise on Studland beach. As we made our way around Shell Bay, with a grey mass of cloud hanging on the horizon I wondered whether we'd see the Sun rise at all,  although as we approached Studland Bay the clouds yielded at the appropriate moment, and very nice it was too. We were early enough to be the first ones on the beach and so had the broad sands to ourselves from the ferry all the way to Knoll Beach, about 2.5 miles; after that it was up on to Ballard Down, round Old Harry and back along a beach by now well populated; lots of dogs so Geoff was happy.