SWCP Day 4: Kimmeridge > Lulworth

/ alliwanders
Destination: Lulworth Cove

“Severe” and “Challenging” are two of the words used to describe this stage in my guidebook. But it’s also been called one of the most beautiful too. So a combination of love & hate??

We booked a taxi to take us directly to where we left the Path yesterday down in Kimmeridge Bay so we could save our energy for the day ahead.

The Lulworth Military Range is an active firing/bombing range and therefore only open for walkers to cross at listed times, usually weekends (unfortunately not the weekend I needed in the middle of June, ergo my walking this section now). Since they use live ammunition it’s imperative we stay on path between the yellow posts:

Our day start very cool and very windy which ended up being perfect conditions for the 3 mammoth hills and valleys we had to traverse.

Looking back down hill #1
And it still goes up!
Down hill #1, so steep it’s baby steps only
As soon as we reached the cove pictured above it was immediately into the next climb. Maybe not so bad….?
Very bad, as in vertical. I don’t think I’ve ever climbed anything so steep without ropes. I had to remember to lean into the hill else I’m sure the weight of my pack would have toppled me backwards
Steep descent #2, lunch, then approached hill #3
Looking back at #2 from near the top of #3 – at least it turned out to be a gorgeous day!
A new pic added – that’s me down there!
Looking down at one of the “targets” on the Range
Our final big descent, then we walked along the cliff edge all the way to Lulworth Cove (pictured at top)

Lulworth Cove was teeming with tourists enjoying the picturesque cove in the warm Sunday sun. We negotiated the masses enjoying ice creams and fish & chips to walk a ways inland to our hotel and found the whole village charming.

Whew. A big, glorious day. Views to die for and left with great memories and aching muscles, lol.

Tomorrow will be different as the weather is turning and I’ll be walking alone as Kent leaves from here to go back to Sussex. One more day for me on the South Coast then I head up to re-start at the “Start” in Minehead.