Egmont Rocks

Out over Chapmans Pool with St Aldhelm's Head beyond one way, looking towards the Kimmeridge ledges the other, the views from Egmont Rocks along the foreshore below Houns Tout. Overseen by a defiant sun, above us an expanse of azure sky, the only clouds to be seen were far out on the western horizon, the summer continues. Our autumnal October day walk felt very much like an early summers day walk. Through the night and in the morning though, you know it's autumn proper, and you can feel Jack's icy fingers reaching out and you know winter's fast approaching too.

Kimmeridge ledges

The tide was out, at it's lowest for the day, although about to turn, when I arrived at Kimmeridge. I'd parked up in the old quarry above the village, about a mile from the coast with it's fantastic views over this scoop in the Purbeck hills, and it's free.  I walked through the village with its impressive new fossils museum and along the edges of the sticky fields down to the sea. I say the tide was out, it was by no means as out as it can be, though still allowed for access along the under-cliff east of the bay. Care needs to taken when walking here, the tide can come in faster than you'd imagine, it's difficult going and there's no access off the under-cliff at the Egmont end; that's a 3 mile plus race against the tide if you get your timing wrong. The rising tide will also cause you to walk closer to the cliff base, not a good idea, throughout my time on the under-cliff the sound of falling debris was near constant. I bottled it knowing the tide was on the turn, and only went as far as Clavell's Hard, about a third of the way along. When the tide is proper out, you can walk out some distance on the ledges here, and you're afforded fabulous views of the coast. For example, the top photo shows the coast westwards, with the magnificent Gad Cliffs in the middle distance. The Gad under-cliff has always held a magical attraction to me, as it's never open to the public and so still wild; I walked there for the first time last year, it's forbidding terrain, no paths, just slides, rocks and prickly thicket. The Kimmeridge under-cliff is very different, flat ledges like patterned rock pavements, and the remains of other broken flat ledges are interspersed with pebble and shale scree beach.  Fossils are common on the foreshore, most easily spotted are the familiar shapes of Ammonites. There's so much to see, Kimmeridge is within the Purbeck Marine Wildlife Reserve, the rock pools and rock ledges are teeming with life. It's also a well known surf spot too, and there were plenty of surfers, catching some nice looking waves. What a beautiful day.