Our route today would stick fairly rigidly to the coast, walking initially at sea level before starting to rise gently coming out of Studland and, then rising slightly more dramatically at Ballard Down to over one hundred metres over three hundred feet). With the low cliffs to our right leaving Bournemouth, we walked either on the beach itself or the walkway just below the cliffs. From the beach we had lovely views across both Poole Bay and Poole Harbour and, slightly behind us, over the bay to the Needles at the end of the Isle of Wight.
Up and over Ballard Downs we enjoyed lovely views over Shell and Studland Bays, the colour of the water and the sky really quite stunning and an indicator of what was in store for us as we progressed on the South West Coast Path. Heading for the white, limestone formation at Handfast Point, there were still quite a few people about. While we went down to look at Old Harry and the other rocks, the story from a man on the cliff about people falling off the very narrow path that crosses the rocks and being killed, was enough to stop us going any further.
The views continued to be marvellous, both over cliff and sea and, turning inland to the rolling hills and valleys of the Downs. As you turn at Ballard Point on to Swanage Bay the path splits with the right hand turning inland continuing along the hill top as the Purbeck Way. The left hand path (the South West Coast Path) starts a gentle drop off the high ground back to sea level and in to New Swanage and then for the final miles alog the beach and in to the main town of Swanage. As we walked the sky darkened, clouds covering the brilliant blue that had been our companion for most of the day. Our camp site for the night (Bijou Camping) was a ways out of town so we stopped where we would turn off to enjoy an ice cream and a wee seat in the last of the sun for a few minutes before tackling what seemed like a long climb up the hill.
When you have been walking all day, one of the luxuries of life is to have a hot shower or bath. Unfortunately, the showers on the campsite were essentially outdoor cubicle showers and with a stiff breeze now blowing it was nothing like the luxury we were looking foward to. On the day it didn't matter too much to me, all I wanted to do was to lie down and sleep.