The spectacular Fleet Lagoon, over eight miles long, stretches to Abbotsbury. With only a narrow tidal opening at Ferry Bridge, it’s separated from the sea by the equally impressive Chesil Beach, dotted with isolated fishing huts. It’s theoretically possible to walk along the beach but 18 miles of shingle would be insane.
There are two pubs in Abbotsbury, so I ask for advice from a few walkers. They are all teetotal holidaymakers which leaves me no choice but to try them both. The Ilchester Arms beats the Swan Inn, having a greater range of ales and a more scenic garden, with a fine view of St Catherine’s Chapel on the hill.
The Viano is parked at a beach car park. It’s a popular fishing spot and some people look to be set for the night, so I sit on the shingle with a cup of coffee and delicious apple cake, watching the gorgeous sunset, before retiring to my sleeping bag in the back of the car. Sleep comes easily after a couple of pints.
I’m woken abruptly in the darkness by the glare of car headlights, the sound of voices and people moving around wearing head torches. Not the most comforting scene at 3 am. I hope they are here for a spot of night fishing and, heart pounding, retreat into my sleeping bag.
The morning greets me with a brilliant blue sky. I brew up another coffee and wander down to the beach. There are about a dozen people fishing already. The nearest chap has a black labrador swimming around his line. No….it’s a seal! We both laugh as it vanishes underwater while we fumble with our cameras.
As I’m only walking one day this week, I can spend the morning exploring the village, with its pretty sandstone cottages. I passed St Catherine’s Chapel yesterday but did not realise you could go inside. I climb back up the hill to take a closer look.
The summit gives me a good view of the West end of the lagoon.
The sub-tropical gardens are next. I enjoy discovering outdoor sculptures and they have a wonderful exhibition based on literary characters. Of course, I have to find all the Alice in Wonderland characters. Missing the Mad Hatter, I ask one of the gardeners for help. To my embarrassment, she radios her colleagues to track down the crazy little guy, as they move the sculptures around.
The Fleet is also home to the Abbotsbury Swannery, the world’s only managed colony of free-flying mute swans. On the way out, a small exhibition informs me that Barnes Wallis tested the Bouncing Bomb on The Fleet. It’s a little more tranquil now.
Walk distance: 13 miles.
Total distance: 414 miles.
I did that walk twice and the second time I did walk the whole way on the shingle so I guess I must be insane! A tough walk but certainly a memorable one. It’s rather lovely to be able to walk for hours on a beach on the south coast and yet see no one. A lot of litter washed up though, sadly.
I enjoyed Abbotsbury and visited the chapel and the swannery but not the garden. The garden really looks lovely so looks like I missed out there. The path on the inland side of the fleet is often a mud bath glad it sounds like you escaped that.
That is some walk Jon. I don’t imagine many people have done it. I read that one of the fishing huts out there was up for sale for £65,000 a few years ago. Pretty isolated.
Apart from the numerous stiles it sounds like a wonderful walk – fab blue skies too!
I am mastering the art of using my hiking poles to navigate the stiles….which no doubt means I will fall off the next one!
Lovely photos. Like you, I simply couldn’t face the shingle beach, and Jon is a hero (or crazy) for doing it! The gardens look wonderful.
Thanks Ruth. I think it is the fact that once you start on the shingle route, there is no escape. You can’t change your mind if the going is too tough on the legs. Unless you want to swim!