The End

Day Fifty - Langton Matravers to South Haven Point 18.9 km (11.7 miles).
Time on route 5:10hrs, walking time 4:35hrs.

Sunday 21 April 2019

Today I started the final leg of my coast path.  I'd always wanted to do the last day with one of my daughters (if not both) and was able to find a date when Riona was free to join me.

Starting at Dancing Ledge

we headed due east high along the cliffs for a few km.

I've seen these before - caterpillar nests - disguised as cotton wool bundles from afar.

We walked past these mile pole indicators.  Offshore a vessel would line these up to mark the start of the mile, time themselves to sail east to until the next set of markers, and check their speed.

Anvil Point lighthouse.

Soon we arrived at Durlston Head and the Castle.  What a geo treat!  There was a nautical chart carved into  stone (the photo doesn't do it justice), 

and a height marker outside the castle door.  Every house should have one.

And in the castle grounds is this beautiful orb, the Great Globe.

It was surrounded by the points of the compass.

A fun, creative, quirky Victorian geo castle.

We dropped down in busy Swanage via Peverill Point.  

Riona was very taken by the blossom.

It was a hot, sunny day so Swanage was full of people enjoying the coast.

I'm never sad to leave these towns though: people amble and I like to keep my pace up.  I try not to tut.

It was a stiff climb up onto Ballard Down.

But the views, of course, were worth it.

Trig!  TP0989

We were in chalk zone.  Old Harry Rocks.

From the headland we dropped down through Studland Wood and along the shore at Studland.  The end was in sight but the last few km seemed long.  It's a straight beach with a nudist section in the northern part.

And then we were there.  The end point.

So that's it.  1014 km of coast path; ~35000 m of ascent/descent, 50 days on the path; numerous buses, trains, boats and the odd taxi; occasional walking partners but usually alone; amazing, awesome views; wonderful memories of this 5 year period of my life.  

Now for the next challenge.