The Pig Yard

Dorset - February 2007

Every February we head off with our friends to different parts of the country, usually close to the sea and with spacious accommodation to suit all ten of us. This year was no exception. We headed down to Dorset on a Friday morning under overcast skies and the threat of drizzle. by the time we arrived at the house the skies had cleared and we had enough time to go for a quick walk down to the nearest village of Langton Matravers, just outside Swanage. Jane found the paper shop so she knew where to go the following day for the morning paper - no doubt while Steve snoozed under the covers.
The blue skies on the first morning became the norm for most days and although at times it was cold outside the house was warm in the evening and it was only on the last night did we light a log fire.   We took a trip to Wareham market to raise a few hopes, watch the world go by and eat lunch outside the pub. Somehow we often find the weather in the first week of February to be very good.   We took advantage of the weekend to walk some of the footpaths normally closed due to the army using the area as a firing range. Steve liked the idea of being inside this normally prohibited area.

This tank we presumed was normally used as a target for the gunners. It was very close to the road but the road is normally closed when the range is active and we could certainly see why.

  

Lulworth Cove is a beautiful village nestling along the coastline and the cove itself is haven from what must be, on occasions, a very rough sea. We enjoyed our walk around the cove and then west along the coastal path to Durdle Door.

  

These shapes are fossilised trees. Thankfully we had our resident expert with us in the form of Dr Weaver. He explained that the roots had gathered salts around them and it was the salts that remained after the roots of the tree had rotted away long ago.
On the quay at Lulworth and what was everyone looking at that was so interesting?   The entertainment was not human but a mad dog who took great pleasure in running into the sea and putting his head beneath the waves. He picked up a large pebble to bring back to his owners before shaking his coat with great enthusiasm.   Ducks on the pond just up from the Cove had a similar idea to the dog. The warmish weather was fooling them into thinking it was spring and they were happy splashing about getting each others attention. It certainly grabbed us.

When in this area of Dorset it is worthwhile taking a trip to Maiden Castle. This is a Neolithic earthwork. We stood on the highest bank and attempted a Mexican wave but failed miserably.

   It's difficult to imagine the immensity of the earth works without paying a visit. Nobody can deny that our ancestors were not shy of hard work. For more historic details click here.  

Weymouth harbour on a sunny, Winter afternoon is quite perfect. Steve remembers this area for when he was seventeen and visited here on his Lambretta with a friend. He had to do some running repairs on the quay.
A Victorian hotel dominates the Weymouth front and indicates how little has changed here in the past 100 years. It would be nice to stay here for a long weekend during the Autumn.   Beaches of the purest sand that is so light the wind will blow it around. We strolled along with some of our group picking up shells. These would be washed later and used to decorate bathrooms.   Spring is epitomised by the lambs and each year we are seeing lambs earlier and earlier. This lot were fooled into thinking we were going to feed them because the farmer was in the field with his tractor. They came very close before scurrying off in leaps and bounds - full of the joys of spring.
Who would expect to see a nodding donkey on the Dorset coast. This one is  close to Kimmeridge. This is the oldest working oil pump in the world, having been pumping continually since the late 1950s. The pump has achieved this by tapping into a network of connected reserves. Steve is always intrigued by the contrast of industry and countryside.  

All along the Dorset coast there are huge numbers of fossils to be found. It has been named the Jurassic coastline and is a World Heritage Site. For more details click here. It was great to find ammonites the size of Steve's hand.

  

On our walk along the coastal path we passed by Clavell Tower. This folly is in danger of falling into the sea and so the Landmark Trust have raised funding to dismantle the tower stone by stone, number it all and rebuild 25 metres away from the cliff. For more details click here.
Corfe Castle sits in a gap in the Purbeck hills and guards the route from Swanage inland. It has long since been in ruins but the remnants still stand proud of the landscape. We took a circular walk from Corfe up to Kingston and then back round to Corfe getting a little lost as usual.  

Durlston Head is a short walk from Swanage through a pleasant country park.

This globe weighs 40 tons and is made from local stone. It is made from several pieces joined together by dowels. It was commissioned by George Burt in the 1880s and is surrounded by London bollards which were left in Swanage having been used as ballast by the ships transporting stone to London. For more information click here.

   Lighthouses are so fascinating. Although not the tallest we've ever seen or the most remote it still has a crispness that cannot be ignored.

It is possible to holiday rent the keepers cottage now that the light is controlled remotely by Trinity House.

Arne is a RSPB reserve overlooking Poole Harbour. It was difficult to find down narrow lanes but it was well worth the effort. We wished we'd found it sooner in the holiday because we could easily spend a whole day wandering the area. We came across Roe and Sika Deer that seemed to be unconcerned by our presence. This stag watched us for some time before starting to feed by standing on hind legs and grabbing leaves.

  

This was our first sighting of a Little Egret in this country. We were fascinated as we watched from some distance. The photograph was on Steve's Nikon 5700 full 4 times digital magnification and late afternoon light.

As we drove into to the reserve Jane saw a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker which raised our hopes to see even more birds.

  

The shoreline at Arne was sandy with clear evidence of bird footprints across beach. We were the only people around and it was like being on a paradise island.

This is certainly somewhere we will return to in the future.
As part of our holiday we all prepare a CD of our favourite tracks. Last year we did our all time titles but this year was more about songs we were listening to at the moment. We were supposed to select 12 but as with everything Jane had to pick 14 and if left more time there would have been even more in her list. Each evening we played a different person's CD and what an interesting collection it made.

Jane's Compilation

1. The Pretenders -- Brass in Pocket
2. Queen -- Somebody to Love
3. Dick Hyman -- The Entertainer
4. Des’ree -- What’s Your Sign?
5. The Who -- My Generation
6. 10cc --The Things We Do For Love
7. Cat Stevens -- Moonshadow
8. Corinne Bailey Rae -- Put Your Records On
9. Bob Dylan -- Everything Is Broken
10. Pink-- Get The Party Started
11. Donovan -- Universal Soldier
12. George Michael -- Faith (Album Version)
13. Damien Rice -- Cannonball
14. Cyndi Lauper -- Time After Time

Steve's Compilation

1. Peter Gabriel -- Sledgehammer
2. Joan Armatrading -- Willow
3. Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris -- Beyond My Wildest
4. Kate Bush -- How To Be Invisible
5. Madeleine Peyroux -- You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome
6. Sheryl Crow -- Chances Are
7. Damien Rice -- Cannonball
8. Gabrielle -- Out Of Reach
9. Des’ree -- Life
10. Marvin Gaye -- Heard It Through The Grapevine
11. Nerina Pallot -- Nickindia
12. The Rolling Stones -- Midnight Rambler