Lyme Regis to Lewesdon Hill on Greater Ridgeway: Day 2

A wet day crossing muddy fields.

The day did not start too well as I cut my big toe manoeuvring myself between the shower screen and the toilet. Not quite sure how I managed it but the pain was severe, disproportionate to the injury. I applied Savlon and a plaster to the bloody toe and fortunately my recently purchased boots kept it dry despite to the amounts of mud and water I went through today, so I am hoping it will heal quickly.

As I sat eating my breakfast I watched waves breaking over the Cobb with great sprays of white foam. Rain fell for much of the day at varying intensities and wind buffeted me on more exposed stretches. Such weather must be expected in January and I was well prepared, engulfed in waterproofs as I passed local dog walkers on leaving Lyme Regis on a path beside the River Lim. While the trees beside the river were bare of leaves, ferns provided vivid greens on the river banks and later when I walked through woodland. Leaving the dog walkers behind I climbed up my first hill over water saturated pasture. This set the pattern for the rest of the day, climbing up and down hills, squelching through muddy grass. Navigation was by peering at a prepared track on my GPS, but I was greatly assisted by Wessex Ridgeway waymarks, illustrated by a green dragon, more than I expected for a relatively unknown trail.

Waymark.

View from Lambert Castle Hillfort.

After a few hills and a little woodland on paths, tracks and quiet roads, I reached my first hill fort, Coney Castle. Lambert Castle hill fort followed soon after. Earth ramparts were visible but not that impressive, but the hilltops gave pleasing views over green, hedge lined fields, although rain dulled the colours with a grey wash. On Lambert Castle I was chased by a bevy of dachshunds who showed more interest in me than the cries of their owner. Later a small, solitary deer crossed my path but pheasants were the most common sighting. Shotguns sounded around one valley on a Saturday "shoot". A "country set" couple past with a dead bird hanging from the man's hand.

If I had given it some thought I might have short cut a section of the Wessex Ridgeway path where it deviated to the north only to turn back south again. However it did lead me to a fine section of ridge walking, more what I expected from a Ridgeway path, and made more appealing by light from the setting sun appearing below the clouds.

Finally a little late sun on the ridge I was following.

Pilsden Pen was my third hill fort of the day, and with high banks it looked the most impressive, however the skies were darkening with the onset of night and I hurried down. Forced to use my head torch, the path was often difficult to find. The thin crescent of the moon gave little light even when it was not hidden by clouds. An alternative route via roads was easier to follow in the darkness so I missed a short section of the official trail through fields. When I left the road it was to climb up a dark track flanked by trees and banks. Although easy to follow it was very muddy in places so I veered off onto drier land to the right. Soon my GPS showed I was leaving the trail altogether and climbing up Lewesdon Hill on a narrow path. Reaching the boundary of National Trust land I found a patch of reasonably flat, dry ground on which to pitch my tent. As I began its erection, a sudden gust of wind tugged at the canvas pulling out the peg I had placed to stop the tent blowing away. Successfully manhandling it back into position I drove in a few pegs as fast as possible and soon had the tent up, although my haste and the continuing gusts of wind gave it an odd shape. After eating the provisions I had bought for my tea, plus a slice of Auntie Muriel's tea loaf, I put as much as possible back in my rucksack. If the tent blew down I wanted to be able to recover all my possessions without any losses in the confusion of collapsed canvas. Now settled down, my feet warming up nicely in my sleeping bag, I am hoping such precautions are unnecessary.