SWCP Day 44 Portland - Ferry Bridge to Ferry Bridge 4K
As Portland is a circular walk with a carpark at the start/finish I decided to walk this stage as a day trip. Starting at Ferry Bridge I followed the right hand side of the causeway, saving the dismantled railway for the return leg. After walking beside the road for a mile or so I decided to climb the pebble bank of Chesil Beach and walk beside the sea instead, much more scenic. At the end of Chesil Beach I had one of the few climbs for the day, up to Tout Quarry Sculpture Park. Due to a landslide the coast path now diverts through the sculpture park and what a pleasant diversion it is with its stone elephant, dragon, bear and of course the Roy Dog. Once through the quarry I joined back up with the path on West Cliff which is quite a dramatic rugged cliff but the walking is easy along the top. The housing estate at Weston seemed to appear from nowhere on my left, but I kept my focus out to sea and the views looking back along the coastline that I walked a few weeks earlier. Continuing along the cliff tops I soon reached the Old Higher Portland Lighthouse, the path squeezes between the lighthouse and an RNLI lookout station. There are then several routes down across a grassy slope which lead me to the impressive Portland Bill Lighthouse. More quarries followed, Portland does feel like one giant quarry, on towards Church Ope Cove. I took a small diversion at Church Ope Cove to look at the ruins of the 13th Century Church of St Andrew's. After leaving the Church I had my 2nd climb of the day, up a long flight of steps. I was able to get my legs back soon after as the path remains flat along the base of Grove Cliff, a popular spot for rock climbing. My 3rd and final climb bought me up the cliff to the young offender institution and then on to The Verne, a former Citadel which is now a prison. I followed the path which lead gently down to sea level and Portland Castle. A small walk around the marina and I was back on the causeway. I walked along the dismantled railway all the way to Ferry Bridge and the end point of my walk.
Пікірлер: 40
Many thanks for the podcast love it keep it up
@pilgrimpaul7798
23 күн бұрын
You’re very welcome, and thank you.
Well done Paul! There was a lot to see in that section!?! Loved your humour with the snake like poo!! Those rock sculptures looked great too. kangaroo's, eh? Who would have thought 🙂
@pilgrimpaul7798
25 күн бұрын
Yes I was surprised how much there was to see on this walk, and that’s not including venomous dog poo! 🤣
Well done in getting over the thousand subscribers! Another very informative video and beautifully shot. Well done!
@pilgrimpaul7798
18 күн бұрын
Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Surprised you don't have more subscribers. You deserve more. Always well filmed and interesting
@pilgrimpaul7798
23 күн бұрын
It’s good to know some people enjoy them. Thanks ☺️
Great to see Portland again Paul, we walked this section back in March 2018 (the year it snowed right down to the coast in Dorset). Thankfully the snow had disappeared when we arrived. We were thrilled to see dolphins way out to sea - following a fishing boat at Portland Bill. Quite a sight. Thanks for another great video, pleased that you’ve hit over 1,000 subscribers…. 👍 Something we are slowly, slowly heading towards. 😊
@pilgrimpaul7798
18 күн бұрын
Snow on the coast is an unusual sight. Not sure I’d fancy walking some of the cliff sections with snow underfoot! I am always hopefuls of seeing a dolphin, but with only 3 days walking remaining it is looking less likely now.
Well done on your continued filming of your progress along the SWCP. We look forward to the next installment. We love your cheerfulness and humour and comments and information about the places you pass through or by. I am feeling sad that you will soon be completing it and I shan't be able to watch any more new SWCP films. 😢 What an amazing achievement so far. 👏👏 Bev and Adam W
@pilgrimpaul7798
23 күн бұрын
Thank you both. I’m so humbled that you have continued to follow after all this time and am please you have enjoyed them. It might not be the coast path, but I will continue to film whatever adventure I take on next.
@bbw665
20 күн бұрын
Great. We'll look forward to that. We have just done a short walk along what is left of the crumbling Norfolk coastpath from our campsite into Sheringham. The wildflowers are a sight to the see but the weather is abysmal. 😭
Good to see you back, I’ve really enjoyed all your walks. So many spots I had no idea even existed. We’re very lucky to have all of this within reachable distances. I’ll be following in your footsteps in the near future, but without the camping I can’t handle waking up in a tent. Keep up the good work , up the Argyle.
@pilgrimpaul7798
23 күн бұрын
Thank you. Yes when I meet people on the path who have travelled from all across the world I realise how lucky I am to live so close to it. Waking up in the tent is the best bit, normally I’ve been so uncomfortable in the night that I am relieved when morning comes so I can get up again 🤣 Keep it Green ⚽️
Hi Paul I just walked that section today I've really enjoyed your videos keep up the good work congratulations on 1k sub's So many great memories made on the swcp 👍it's a bloody long walk though 🥵
@pilgrimpaul7798
8 күн бұрын
Thank you Gary. You’re right, so many happy memories of every single mile I have walked (well most of them)!
Great video again. I loved to see how it looks around Portland. It didn't look too interesting to me on the map but that was obviously a totally wrong impression. Thank you for making me look forward to this walk some time in the future 😊
@pilgrimpaul7798
25 күн бұрын
I had the same feeling as you before the walk, but there was plenty of interest. It was a very nice circular walk which isn’t something you experience anywhere else on the coast path.
Nice walk Paul, I once walked along the cliffs on the west side of Portland when it was really windy, that was a bit worrying at times lol, but the views and all the nature are amazing.
@pilgrimpaul7798
23 күн бұрын
Yes I can imagine it being a bit unnerving along those cliffs during high winds.
Another great one Paul and congrats on the 1K subscribers - what you have produced is worth so much more. I also really enjoyed the Isle of Portland - so many interesting things and beautiful views. I reckon that book has got it wrong though about seeing to Start Point - it's 56 miles!
@pilgrimpaul7798
25 күн бұрын
Thank you. I think the book is referring to total distance covered along the path which from Start Point to Portland Bill is 118 miles. 56 miles is as the crow flies.
@MrBarneymcgrew
24 күн бұрын
@@pilgrimpaul7798 I just mean I don't think you can see it from Portland Bill due to the curvature of the earth.
Always deliver Paul, stunning scenery, until the next one , thankyou
@pilgrimpaul7798
25 күн бұрын
Thanks Neil, glad you enjoyed it.
The adder / dog poo story 😂❤
@pilgrimpaul7798
25 күн бұрын
Yes I made myself laugh with that 🤣
When I walked the path with sea on my right I walked portland keeping the sea on my right which I did in 2020. I finished the path last September and loved it so much I decided to walk the reverse route, which I started 2 weeks ago and I walked portand in the other clockwise direction this time
@pilgrimpaul7798
25 күн бұрын
Does it feel like a different walk doing it in the opposite direction? Where are you at the moment?
@EstryEnglsh
24 күн бұрын
@@pilgrimpaul7798 It does feel a bit different as you get to see the opposite view when walking plus on Portland there was a closed section on the east coast in 2020 that was open this time though the now closed section by the sculpture park was open last time. Back home in Essex now. I walk the path in 4 or 5 day blocks, staying at a campsite, using public transport to travel to the start/finish each day. I got as far as Abbotsbury last month, going for another 5 days soon though I'm taking the inland winter path option between Abbotsbury and West Bexington as I found the miles of trudging through pebbles to be horrendeous last time
So good to see Portland with you Paul! When I went before in 2009, I remember the feel of it just as it comes across here. We're also selfishly pleased as you will be doing Weymouth to Poole just before we do at the end of September, so we are looking forward to experiencing it with you before we walk it ourselves! Not looking forward to the 3 mile diversion by Chapman's Pool though... Any ideas for what walk comes next?
@pilgrimpaul7798
23 күн бұрын
No that extra mileage has made my planning a bit difficult. I’ll try and get some good footage around there so you can see what it’s like and what to expect.
Thanks, Paul. Have been watching since Minehead. Not far to go now, till the end of the SWCP adventure..
@pilgrimpaul7798
25 күн бұрын
Ah thanks for sticking with me. Feels like a long time ago that I set off from Minehead.
Slow it down mate. Cant bare the end of these videos.
@pilgrimpaul7798
18 күн бұрын
Sad times mate, made even worse by us losing last night! 😢
@captainplanet1576
18 күн бұрын
@@pilgrimpaul7798 don't get me started on that. I'm gonna focus my emotional space on the outdoors and not sports. Never let's me down.
Too much manmade stuff in my opinion. How I see it, the more or less sustained beauty of the path ends at Brixham. After that there are the Undercliffs, Purbeck and Seven Sisters.
@pilgrimpaul7798
25 күн бұрын
The coast path is varied as you would expect considering it covers 630 miles. That is what makes it so interesting. I do understand your point about the natural beauty is impacted by humans, but I have still enjoyed large stretches along the Jurassic coast including this one.