Purbeck

The day was set to be a fine one, and so this morning it was off to Purbeck for us. We set off from Brenscombe Little Wood up the deep cut and winding rough track onto the downs of Brenscombe Hill, looking back as we rose we had views through the canopy across the Purbeck Forest and Poole harbour. From the downs your eyes are drawn westwards over the village of Corfe and on further along the Corfe Valley. We followed the ridge way towards Corfe, at Challow Hill we descended towards Corfe before hair-pinning back along the base of the hills. Our route was now was muddier than I'd anticipated, it's amazing how quickly these tracks will deteriorate after a bit of rain. So instead we followed the winding and undulating under-hill road for a mile or so before turning off to scale the steep chalk parh back up onto Nine Barrow Down. We sat a moment with the barrows before descending Brenscombe Hill returning to our starting point. Perfect.

Purbeck

 

Walking the Purbeck ridge this morning was wonderful, we'd last walked here back at the beginning of October last year, before the winter lockdown. The wooded hillsides and exposed chalk grassland are waking from their slumber, nature's boundless potential stirs as spring warms. A thick carpet of lush green leaves announce a sea of Ramsons and Bluebells are on their way. The first leaves are unfurling to greet the strengthening sun, whilst the main flush of canopy builds in branches of restless buds.  There's a lot of movement too, from the ground up to the crown. A deer crosses the track and quickly vanishes, melting back into the woodland, whilst numerous squirrels scurry about their business. All accompanied by a wonderful array of birdsong from above. We sat a while amongst the Ash and Oak of King's Wood as it opens into the rough chalk grassland of Kingswood Down. Transitional places have a certain atmosphere to them, two worlds meeting and all that. And I lost myself in natures song, so much so that I was tempted to give up our walk in favour of just sitting. Purbeck: beautiful, magical.  

Muggy day

Sea mists hung heavy over the Purbeck Hills this morning, even flooding parts of the Corfe Valley, and as we started off up on to the ridge you'd have been tricked into believing it was quite a nippy day. I was tricked into thinking that. On the way out, up onto Brenscombe Hill it was a touch chilly, although as we descended into the Corfe Valley that swiftly changed and it turned out in fact a muggy day. Throughout the valley the air was thick and still, occasionally the sun broke through the patchy cloud showing its growing strength.  Said patchy cloud though, along with the sea mists, then acted as insulation heating up valley and making for sticky walking. It was a relief when we climbed up the ridge towards Nine Barrow Down, and were enveloped by the cooling breeze sweeping the hillside. I'm not complaining, mind, it was a lovely walk...it's always lovely walking in Purbeck, the land holds its own special magic. I enjoy walking between very different environmental worlds too, and Purbeck is all about that, a fascinating mosaic of environment types, grassland, a variety of agricultural land types, hedgerows and woodland, not to mention the coastal hills, beaches and dramatic cliffs. It's a world in itself, Purbeck.

Swyre Head

I took Geoff for his first walk over the Purbeck coast today. In fact I took him for two Purbeck walks today. First out to Swyre Head, at 208m it's the highest point on the Purbeck coast and is blessed with magnificent views both east and west along the Jurassic Coast. Fast moving clouds allowed the intermittent sunlight to dance across the hill and cliffs, highlighting features as the passed. Absolutely stunning. Then we stopped at Rempstone Stone Circle, a truncated Bronze Age Stone circle at the base of the Purbeck Hills, and made our way up the steep wooded path to the exposed grassland of Nine Barrow Down. Again the views were stunning. A good walk(s) to start 2019. 

Nine Barrow Down

There are few trees hardy enough to consider attempting tenure on the seaward side of the Purbeck Hills, even fewer on the summit, rarely free of strong winds as it is. There's no season in which the Isle of Purbeck isn't at the mercy of the weather, and today was no exception, a brisk chill wind raked the hills. There's one tree though, a Hawthorn, which stands, or rather bows, on the bare ridge, close to a group of prehistoric burial mounds, the oldest over 5000 years. It's right to see Hawthorn and mound together, both having close association with the fay, both being home to faeries or gateway's to their world. The hawthorn looks as if weirdly trained by a mad arborist, though it's been shaped by the elements, or rather, one element. It's strength and tenacity in holding firm against that element is visible in its contorted form, it has clearly adopted a bend rather than break mentality, and that has served it well. It's still here, the winds haven't won, as yet. 

Gimme shelter

It's another fabulous season on the Purbeck Hills for Parasol mushrooms (Macrolepiota procera), they peppered Nine Barrow Down, dozens of them. I spied this bashful fellow seeking shelter and safety under the flattening cap of his big brother.